Expanded and updated for the new millennium.



Covering the life of Christ, the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and everything in between, A Concise History of the Catholic Church has been one of the bestselling religious histories of the past two decades and a mainstay for scholars, students, and others looking for a definitive, accessible history of Catholicism. With a clarity that will appeal to any listener, Thomas Bokenkotter divides his study into five parts that correspond to the major historical and epochal developments in Catholicism. His authoritative, thorough approach takes listeners from the Church's triumph over paganism, through 'the sound and fury of renewal,' to a new section devoted to such topics as dissent and current developments in the ecumenical movement.