Book Reviews and More: Christ Upon the Waters - John Henry Newman

Tuesday 7 March 2023

Christ Upon the Waters - John Henry Newman - CTS Onefifties

Christ Upon the Waters

CTS Onefifties Book 3

John Henry Newman

Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781784695293

eISBN 9781784695019

ASIN B075FN1J1N

CTS Booklet CL03

Over the last several years I have read over 300 volumes from the Catholic Truth Society. In 2018 during the 150 Anniversary of the CTS they released special editions of 25 of their most popular and influential booklets, they were released as a series called Onefifties. And were released between late 2016 and early 2018 I believe. I have been slowly working my way through them. I have picked up all of them in eBook format. We are told about the series that:

“CTS Publisher Fergal Martin said, “1868 to 2018 we feel is something to celebrate. We have delved into our archives of thousands of titles and uncovered countless gems that celebrate the huge range and diversity of CTS publishing across a century and a half. The CTS archive represents a unique and valuable resource chronicling the changing concerns of the Catholic population of the British Isles and beyond over the last 150 years. There is something original and special here for everybody. Our hope is that readers can dip into the past – and find the present.”

The description of this volume is:

“It is difficult now to imagine the condition of Catholics in the England of 1850 when, after three hundred years, the Catholic hierarchy was restored. Catholicism was reckoned an alien thing, unworthy of free-born Englishmen, full of superstition and tyranny and the suppression of free enquiry and intellectual dignity: the vehicle of Antichrist. Newman eloquently outlines this situation, and argues that it is no more than a Christian should expect: this was what was promised to the first disciples. Yet we, like Peter, are called to step out of the boat and walk towards Christ: so we should know that our fears, like his, are groundless. Jesus will take our hand and keep us safe; at his word, the storm will cease and the waters fall.

Today, we may not recognise the situation that Newman saw in 1850; but it does not take much imagination to apply what he said then, to the surely analogous challenges Catholics face now.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Christ Upon The Waters

Part II

Background

CTS Onefifties

We are informed about the first part of this book that:

“Preached on October 27, 1850, in St. Chad’s, Birmingham, at the Installation of the Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne, First Bishop of the See. Reprinted by permission from Cardinal Newman’s Sermons Preached on Various Occasions (Longmans).”

The background of this volume states:

Today, we may not recognise the situation that Newman saw in 1850; but it does not take much imagination to apply what he said then, to the surely analogous challenges Catholics face now.”

This volume was first published in 1857, the first CTS edition was in 1899, The eBook and paperback were reprinted in 2017 as part of the 150th celebration. Over the last several years I have read many volumes by and about Saint John Henry Newman, most from the Catholic Truth Society. I have had an interest in him for a few years now, both prior to and since his canonization in 2019. Reading this piece was like he was speaking to us today. We have not gone through hundreds of years of suppression, but it does feel like it is coming again. This is an excellent little volume, written from a place of deep personal faith and devotion. It is a booklet I can easily return to again and again.

I have only read a few of the CTS Onefifties but have benefited from each of them, and look forward to reading the remaining volumes. With the reading of this volume, I have read 5 of the 25 in the collection. This is an excellent read and one I benefited from. It would be a great read for any Catholic.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For all reviews of books in the CTS Onefifties Series click here.

For other reviews of books by and about Saint John Henry Newman click here.