Best Catholic History Book

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If any of you had to pick just one, the best one, which would be the best book about the History Of the Catholic Church (preferably available in eBook version, but any will do) and I don’t care if it is 100 or 1000 pages. I read a few books on this subject, but I still feel a need for more on this, as it is one of my interests.

Thanks,

----note - I tried to post this in the CA Book club forum but it won’t let me make a new thread, no idea why. I don’t know if that thread was closed or I am blocked - and blocked? I never posted anything weird or mean,
 
History of Christendom vol1-5 by Warren Carroll

Awesome detail, God focused, easy to read
 
People always give me guff on this, because they say it’s “biased”, and it probably is, but so are all other history books. I really like “Triumph” by H.W. Crocker III. It is no more than a really good overview from the Gospels, up to modern day. When you come across periods that you are fascinated by, more than others, he gives a bibliography of the deep scholarly works on each period. But I found Triumph an outstanding book for a beginner like me to learn the Church’s history. So the brainiacs here can laugh at me all they want. I highly recommend this book.

There is also the “do it yourself method”.

The Gospels
Acts of the Apostles
Revelation
The Church Fathers (newadvent.org/fathers/)
Documents of the Christian councils (newadvent.org/cathen/04423f.htm and newadvent.org/cathen/04423f.htm)
The Doctors (newadvent.org/cathen/05075a.htm)
Development of Dogmas (Dr. Ludwig Ott)
Papal writings (vatican.va/holy_father/index.htm) (back to Leo XIII)
 
For a more philosophical look at Church history try “The Everlasting Man” and “Orthodoxy” by G. K. Chesterton
 
kevinwinterborn said:
If any of you had to pick just one, the best one, which would be the best book about the History Of the Catholic Church (preferably available in eBook version, but any will do) and I don’t care if it is 100 or 1000 pages. I read a few books on this subject, but I still feel a need for more on this, as it is one of my interests.

Thanks,

----note - I tried to post this in the CA Book club forum but it won’t let me make a new thread, no idea why. I don’t know if that thread was closed or I am blocked - and blocked? I never posted anything weird or mean,
Click to expand...
These are expensive but worth every penny…
The Cambridge History of Christianity
The first volume goes up to the year 300 or so.

In Christ
 
Thanks for the suggestions thus far. I did read Triumph, have it on my Nook. I will look into the other suggestions. I have been reading things on New Advent for a while.

Thanks!
Pax et Bonum
 
Hi Kevin,

I took a course in early chuch history, and we did not have any textbook. The professor said that, until recently, church history was confused with apologetics and lacked the objectivity that is now required of historians. So, whatever you do, be critical.

Verbum
 
kevinwinterborn said:
----note - I tried to post this in the CA Book club forum but it won’t let me make a new thread, no idea why. I don’t know if that thread was closed or I am blocked - and blocked? I never posted anything weird or mean,
Click to expand...
No history book recommendation, but…If I remember correctly, you have to request to become a member of the CA Book Club forum before you can post there.
 
simspt said:
These are expensive but worth every penny…
The Cambridge History of Christianity
The first volume goes up to the year 300 or so.

In Christ
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the help so far…
 
VivienneJ said:
No history book recommendation, but…If I remember correctly, you have to request to become a member of the CA Book Club forum before you can post there.
Click to expand...
Thanks - that helps a lot. I was actually worried that someone may have complained about a post of mine or something - i will request access because I am a big reader,and am always looking for good Catholic books, etc… For me, the problem is that when, for instance, I go to Amazon to search for a new ebook, I type in what you would expect as search terms, but some of the books I get in return, I am not sure of their adherence to the Magisterium,…
 
StevenFrancis, I agree with you re Triumph. The multi-volume History of Christendom may be more thorough but I know that I am not going to read the multi- volumes and so Triumph gave me an excellent overview. I also liked How the Catholic Church built Western Civilisation by Thomas Woods and Those Terrible Middle Ages: Debunking the Myths by Regine Pernoud.
 
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