Richard P. McBrien (1936–2015)

Lives of the Pope is the most thorough, vivid, and fascinating history of the papacy available. Renowned Catholic commentator Richard McBrien offers a fresh, intelligent look at each of the 262 popes, including:-The Apostle Peter, the first pope, in his singular role as Vicar of ChristFormosus, the pope whose corpse was exhumed, dressed in full vestments, and subjected to a mock trial for papal misdeedsBoniface, elected pope after having been defrocked twice for immoralityJohn XXIII, perhaps show more the most beloved pope in all of historyLives of the Popes provides chronologically arranged biographies of the pontiffs, revealing the full sweep of the papacy. Each entry contains essential information on a pontiff’s life, major writings, controversies, and deeds both great and evil. McBrien eloquently and powerfully brings to life the unique stories of the popes and reveals how they transformed Christianity and the world. show less

Survey of Catholicism

For someone who was not raised in the Catholic faith, Richard P. McBrien's "The Church" is an incredible survey of all the major events, ideas, and figures who have shaped Catholicism. Covering the period of the New Testament through until the present-day, the book is ambitious in its comprehensiveness which will no doubt disappoint those wanting a little more depth.

The focus of McBrien is ecclesiology, or the theological study of the Church. That is to say the study of show more ideas about the "mystery" or "sacrament" of the "Church". Needless to say, there is a lot of terminology used throughout, but fear not, McBrien does an admirable job explaining each term and even includes an extensive glossary and index.

I think the book synopsis is a little misleading. The book does not intend to answer some of those questions such as the Holocaust or Islam or the Inquisition. McBrien is fundamentally concerned with "ideas" and not history. For example, you won't read much about the evils of colonization, or the sexual exploitation scandals. McBrien acknowledges these monumental events, but again, the point of his book is about theology and not history.

For example, modernism and the anti-modernist movement by Pope Pius X is discussed. Movements such as Feminist ecclesiology, Latino ecclesiology, African ecclesiology are explored. There is much discussion about ecumenism and issues of interfaith spirituality, the communion of the Church, the Eucharist and its role in the East-West Schism, the Protestant Reformation, Anglicanism, the counter-reformation, "Outside the Church, no salvation," social justice and liberation theology, papal infallibility, cult of papal personality, and more.

In such a volume, it is inevitable that some aspect is left out or under-explained. If there is one area specifically I would like to see more coverage of is the idea of sainthood. McBrien covers many saints but doesn't specifically cover the institution of sainthood. Parts that are especially well covered are the Vatican Council, the apostilic succession, and the role of the global Church.

Overall, I feel that this would be a good book for a survey undergrad course in the study of Catholic theology. I'd venture to say that for experienced and educated Catholics, the book will serve more as reference than for education. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I recommend it for anyone wanting to know more about Catholicism. show less

Standard McBrien fare, but thorough as usual. Good reference book; not the best for casual reading. Fr McB can certainly find obscure saints but he also adds a few non-Catholics who would qualify for sainthood except they aren't Catholic. I sure wouldn't disagree with his extra choices.

A good resource for those who are interesting in getting a birds eye view of the various paths Catholic theologians have trodden since the Second Vatican Council. McBrien's theology is progressive but he is fair and thorough in presenting more traditional approaches to various issues.