The Church: The Evolution of Catholicism

Where did the idea of the Pope’s infallibility come from Why are priests celibate and women barred from the priesthood What inspired the Inquisition What was the position of the Catholic Church on Hitler’s policies in World War II, and what is its current relationship to Islam Will Pope Benedict XVI entrench the Church in tradition, or will the growth of the Church in South America, Africa, and Asia shape its future

Renowned church scholar Richard McBrien answers these questions by helping the reader understand the history of how the Catholic Church views itself, its leadership, and its relationship to national governments and world religions. From Jesus’s apostle Peter to Pope Benedict XVI , The Church explains in layman’s terms the evolution of the Roman Catholic Church, its power, its scope, its theology, its influence, and its leadership.