Christ Among US

[philipmarus]

Waht is the status of this book in Catholic Church in America? Yesterday, I was at my local Catholic bookstore in Oklahoma City, and noticed several copies of a new edition this book in a prominent place. The cover blurbs from NYT and Commonweal called it the best introduction to Catholicism. However, after skimming a few pages I noticed (burdied deep in some chapters) criticism of many teaching as currently taught by the Catechism of Catholic Church like
Women’s ordination, Homosexuality, and birth control. In particular, the section on Birth Control when discussing Pope Paul VI Himane Vitae basically said the Pope was wrong because 500 Theologians from around the world disagreed with him.

Is this book still being used in RCIA in places? Should I be concerned about my local Catholic bookstore carrying this or this part of “open debate” and new openness ? A few months ago, I found my local Catholic College (St. Gregory’s University) carried a thin booklet called “The Facts about Roman Catholicism” which is a venomous book produced by Anti-Catholics John Ankerberg.

 

[puzzleannie]

I have a lot of problems with this book although it is highly touted for inquirers and RCIA. In every section it dutifully relates what the Catholic Church teaches, then gives all the “wiggle room” some people would like to take on issues like homosexuality, birth control, women priests etc. With so many more orthodox worthwhile resources, I would not waste my time or shelf space on this book. ( I assume you are talking about the oversize paperback with a stained-glass-window design)

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

philipmarus:

Waht is the status of this book in Catholic Church in America? Yesterday, I was at my local Catholic bookstore in Oklahoma City, and noticed several copies of a new edition this book in a prominent place. The cover blurbs from NYT and Commonweal called it the best introduction to Catholicism. However, after skimming a few pages I noticed (burdied deep in some chapters) criticism of many teaching as currently taught by the Catechism of Catholic Church like
Women’s ordination, Homosexuality, and birth control. In particular, the section on Birth Control when discussing Pope Paul VI Himane Vitae basically said the Pope was wrong because 500 Theologians from around the world disagreed with him.

Is this book still being used in RCIA in places? Should I be concerned about my local Catholic bookstore carrying this or this part of “open debate” and new openness ? A few months ago, I found my local Catholic College (St. Gregory’s University) carried a thin booklet called “The Facts about Roman Catholicism” which is a venomous book produced by Anti-Catholics John Ankerberg.

To be an adequate teaching tool, it will need to be revised - apparently much of it is very good; but some parts, those on human sexuality, do not adequately reflect the authentic teaching of the Church. It is, after all, only fair that the whole of the Church’s teaching on what she teaches about should be conveyed to the public unambiguously, faithfully, completely, without dilution or any sort of falsification of any kind. Otherwise, the public are not being given the opportunity to find out what the Church really does teach.​

It would be a pity to throw out the entire thing because of some sections that are not up to scratch; but revision is needed for it to be as good it might be. In the meantime, an excellent book for teaching the Faith would be “The Teaching of Christ”, which is available from Our Sunday Visitor Press, Huntingdon, ILL. (I think)

What’s wrong with the Ankerberg book ? ##

 

[frdave20]

According to Fr Thomas Nelsom, O. Praem. this catechism was condemned by the Vatican for erros and ambiguities dangerous to the Faith.

 

[Lost_Found]

The book is full of doctrinal errors. It’s well known, Cardinal Ratzinger had the imprimatur removed from this book, and he said that even with substantial corrections it’s still not suitable for a catechetical text.

I still have the fifth edition from my own RCIA and I thought it had its good points, but overall a little wishy-washy. I think the author is a former priest.