Throughout the course of humanity, no religion has had an easy time getting started and gaining followers. While that’s certainly true, it’s hard to envision a greater struggle than that of the Catholic Church. Its thousands of conversions go hand in hand with torture, imprisonment, and martyrs.

In the early days, when Catholics refused to worship the Roman gods, those in power did all they could to destroy the church. Violence was rampant among Christians. Theological differences, illness, leadership changes, and death all left their mark with time.

John F. Fink seeks to explain the steadfastness of the Catholic Church by digging into the motivation behind the actions of historical figures. How Could This Church Survive? is well-researched and informative, but it’s written in a conversational tone so that any interested reader can understand the message.

However unlikely, the church continues to survive to this day. Disagreements and secularism still plague it, but this religion has shown its staying power. Thanks to the wisdom of the early popes, the records of Jesus’s ministry in the Bible, and numerous other positive influences, Catholicism will surely live on.