“What I propose to do in this book is to take you on a guided exploration of the Catholic world, but not in the manner of a docent, for I ...
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Oct 13, 2011
Julie
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Since my conversion, I have read many a book about saints, angels, prayer, virtues, and all those good Catholic subjects. Reviewing the list, however, I was surprised to see how few of them covered Catholicism as a whole.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, of course, is a reference I use regularly. The impeccable logic of Peter Kreeft's Catholic Christianity helped settle my mind about Catholic teachings on controversial issues. Catholicism for Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide More...
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, of course, is a reference I use regularly. The impeccable logic of Peter Kreeft's Catholic Christianity helped settle my mind about Catholic teachings on controversial issues. Catholicism for Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide More...
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Nov 05, 2011
Nefficus
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Father Barron has done the faith a great service with this book. A great overview of the faith - Barron has a knack for explaining key doctrines in ways that make them seem simple and eminently understandable. He also has a great ability to integrate the faith so that what sometimes seems like a long list of "rules" becomes an integrated whole centered on an encounter with a person - Jesus Christ. The best part of this book is Barron's explanation of the Beatitudes - simply incredib
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Oct 23, 2011
Jonathan
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It is very difficult for me to review a book like Fr. Robert Barron's "Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith." Years in the making and heralded by a healthy dose of promotion across the Catholic corner of the internet, it can be hard to separate the hype from the thing itself. I also have the nagging feeling that I'm not Fr. Barron's primary audience for this work. I say that less as someone who works full-time for the Church, and more as someone who prefers systematic theol
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Sep 21, 2011
Ruth
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This one is a keeper. This is one, that if it didn't go completely against my grain to highlight books (I didn't even like doing it when I was in college--I don't even highlight or put notes in my Bible) would be highlighted all over. It is a very readable book but one that has a lot of information. I'd like to share a few of my bookmarks with you.
p. 50: Regarding turning the other cheek: "To turn the other cheeck is to prevent him from hitting you in the same way again. It is no More...
p. 50: Regarding turning the other cheek: "To turn the other cheeck is to prevent him from hitting you in the same way again. It is no More...
Jan 06, 2012
Aristotle said that the best activities are the most useless. This is because such things are not simply means to a further end, but are done entirely for their own sake. Thus watching a baseball game is more important than getting a haircut, and cultivating a friendship is more valuable than making money The game and the friendship are goods that are excellent in themselves, while getting a haircut and making money are in service of something beyond themselves. This is also why the most importaMore...
Sep 08, 2011
Margaret
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This is an absolutely awesome book. It is a FIRST Tour book which usually means that I post about it, but do not quite have time to read it all. Yesterday I started reading and had serious trouble putting it down. I'm about half way through and plan to finish it today if possible. (We've already had a late start, so we'll see...) Last night I found myself trying to tell the Enginerd about this book and why I like it so much. Honestly it is hard to put it into intelligible words outside of Margar
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Sep 12, 2011
Kristen
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I have a book packed away in my basement titled Catholicism: An Incredibly Difficult To Read and Boring Introduction to the Faith. OK, maybe that wasn't the title, but it should have been.
Father Robert Barron's book is the opposite. It's meant for well-meaning people like myself who prefer to learn about interesting topics the National Geographic way - well written, insightful, and plenty of pictures. Like this book, which came after Barron's documentary series. That shows. It's not dumbe More...
Father Robert Barron's book is the opposite. It's meant for well-meaning people like myself who prefer to learn about interesting topics the National Geographic way - well written, insightful, and plenty of pictures. Like this book, which came after Barron's documentary series. That shows. It's not dumbe More...
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Aug 26, 2011
Jennifer
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I won this book on Goodreads and I learned a lot from it: I hadn't realized that such a thing as "Evangelical Catholicism" existed. Robert Barron, the author of this book and the movement's leader, is well educated in the history of religion and the details he provided about daily life in Jesus's time are fascinating. (his description of the Temple in Jerusalem stands out). So do his anecdotes about the lives of famous Catholics like Dorothy Day and Mother Teresa. But anecdotes are no
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Oct 05, 2011
Sandra
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This was a book I won through Goodreads giveaways. I was excited to receive the book as I have been Catholic most of my life, but have always felt like there was so much about the church, that I didn't know. Of course, after reading this, there is still so much that I don't know, but this provided a thorough introduction to the religion while leaving me wanting to know more. It also helped to enlighten me on some of the more difficult aspects of Catholicism, such as papal succession.
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Dec 20, 2011
Sarah
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I think this book is one that everyone I know should read. Yes, that means YOU. ESPECIALLY if you have an interest in your Catholic faith.
As I read and delighted in Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith, by Fr. Robert Barron, I tried to give it a nifty one-line description. (It’s a little marketing challenge I play when my brain is awake.) I came up with a few:
- A Catholic text for the rest of us
- Theology as faith study, punctuated with pictures
- Delight More...
As I read and delighted in Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith, by Fr. Robert Barron, I tried to give it a nifty one-line description. (It’s a little marketing challenge I play when my brain is awake.) I came up with a few:
- A Catholic text for the rest of us
- Theology as faith study, punctuated with pictures
- Delight More...
Jan 30, 2012
Baroquem
rated it:
I'm not sure that there's much more to say about Father Barron's work that hasn't already been said in countless other reviews. _Catholicism_ — both the book and the TV series on which the book is based — is a fantastic exploration of the major facets of the Catholic faith, with a particular emphasis on its spiritual and cultural riches. Father Barron has a gift for illustrating theologically complex material with useful practical examples, and when examples won't do, he can explain a philosoph
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Oct 18, 2011
Greg
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Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith is a solid introduction to many of the things Catholics believe. However, the ideas are not just presented as a list of beliefs. Instead, Robert Barron attempts to provide a solid and secure theological basis for the ideas and concepts he presents.
On the whole, I do believe Barron was successful in his endeavor. There were sections which I yearned for a more thorough explanation of a concept or a better response to known criticisms, b More...
On the whole, I do believe Barron was successful in his endeavor. There were sections which I yearned for a more thorough explanation of a concept or a better response to known criticisms, b More...
Oct 18, 2011
Jim
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This book is one of the core books that both those outside the faith ought to read and those who were born, raised, but fell away from the faith ought to read!
This book is an amazing book, originally I was still a bit taken back that the author stayed simply within the confines of the Latin Rite of Catholicism, hoping that he would have gone to describe that Catholicism is more then just the popularized Roman Catholic Outlook. However, toward the end of the book I felt that it was g More...
This book is an amazing book, originally I was still a bit taken back that the author stayed simply within the confines of the Latin Rite of Catholicism, hoping that he would have gone to describe that Catholicism is more then just the popularized Roman Catholic Outlook. However, toward the end of the book I felt that it was g More...
Feb 20, 2012
Kimberly
rated it: 
I won this as a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
At first glance this seems to be a book for the average person to read to understand Catholicism. That is not the case. The author writes with a vocabulary that uses an educated person's vocabulary an in a style that is very poetic but probably challenging to the average reader to understand.
The first several chapters were difficult to slog through but the chapters where the author elaborates on the mass, it's meaning and history, More...
At first glance this seems to be a book for the average person to read to understand Catholicism. That is not the case. The author writes with a vocabulary that uses an educated person's vocabulary an in a style that is very poetic but probably challenging to the average reader to understand.
The first several chapters were difficult to slog through but the chapters where the author elaborates on the mass, it's meaning and history, More...
Nov 14, 2011
Susan
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A lot of good stuff here for Catholics and for people who are interested in Catholicism and its core beliefs. Protestants will find a lot to like too as Father Barron clearly explains how Catholics view things. His chapter on four recent saints - Katherine Drexel, Edith Stein, Therese of Lisieux, and Mother Theresa - is very illuminating in explaining what makes saints different and worthy of our admiration.
Feb 07, 2012
Alex
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I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, because it was difficult for me to keep up with all the theology in it. The initial chapters were difficult. However, Robert Barron creates a full and understandable survey of the Catholic Church and the roots of the Catholic Faith. It's not for a basic understanding of what Catholic's believe it goes deeper.
Aug 24, 2011
Just received my First Reads copy. I was very excited when I found out I was selected. As a convert to Catholicism, I look forward to reading this book. I'll post my review once I am finished.
Aug 31, 2011
Won this as a giveaway. Just started and it looks promising. I am a Protestant Christian so I want to get a better perspective on Catholicism
Dec 30, 2011
Ryan
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Thanks to Goodreads for the free copy of this book. I was looking forward to reading this book and learning more about Catholicism. Unfortunately, try as I might, I could not make it through the entire book. I'm not exactly sure why not. The writing was academic and informative, but it didn't capture my attention. I almost had to coerce myself to read each new chapter. This doesn't mean he's a bad author or this book isn't worth reading. It just wasn't for me.
Sep 22, 2011
Roselle
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Loved this book! Well written, intelligent, insightful and definitely a must-read if you want to read about Catholicism.
Thanks Goodreads First-Reads!
Thanks Goodreads First-Reads!
Feb 13, 2012
Emily
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An excellent companion to the DVD series--if you don't want to shell out $100+ for that, or your parish isn't showing it, it's a good overview.
Oct 25, 2011
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I recently had surgery, so I'm not able to read as fast or as much as I'd like. I will write a review soon.
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