Thomas Bokenkotter's "A Concise History of the Catholic Church"

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7_Sorrows

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I have wanted to read this book since I converted over 8 years ago. Last night I decided on a whim to go to our local used bookstore and they had one copy! It was only $9 and in very good condition! I already started it last night and am up to chapter 2. Has anyone else ready this book on Catholic Church history? My copy ends at Chapter 37 with the death of JPII. I don’t know if there has been any further updated versions.
 
Thank you for posting this. I made a note in September about a book on the Catholic Church I found in my local used book store. I never got around to asking if it is good. I went threw my notes and there it is. Hopefully no one bought it in all these months.
 
I bought a version back in 2007 or so that goes at least up through 2001 or 2002… long before I ever even considered converting to Catholicism. At the time I figured I’d eventually want to read it so it sat on my shelf collecting dust until about a year’ish ago. It’s a very good and very insightful book, although the closer the narrative comes to the modern era, the more Bokenkotter’s biases start showing through.
 
I would recommend AGAINST this book.

Had one in the past…its fate as I recall was to be ripped up and thrown in the trash.
 
Bookcat said:
Russell Shaw notes about it:

“Thomas Bokenkotter’s widely circulated A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Image Books, 1990), which Crocker describes as “focused on liberal Catholicism.””

Do not waste your time…get better sources.

catholicleague.org/triumph-an-answer-to-catholic-revisionists/
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Lol…sounds like this one would have a place in the library on the same shelf as ‘catholic’ authors James Carroll and Gary Wills.

I have heard good things about The History of Christendom by Warren Carroll.
 
7_Sorrows said:
well, I am only on chapter 1. thanks for the warning though, I will read with my eyes wide open!
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Try:

“Triumph: The Power and Glory of the Catholic Church” by HW Crocker

And

“How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization” by Thomas E. Woods

Both mostly likely can be found in a nearby local library or bought used online. I highly recommend both as easy reads for adults and you will Have a great foundation in Catholic history if you read both.
 
WT1 said:
“How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization” by Thomas E. Woods

Both mostly likely can be found in a nearby local library or bought used online. I highly recommend both as easy reads for adults and you will Have a great foundation in Catholic history if you read both.
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The Thomas Woods is a good one but from my experience libraries like the liberal version of ‘catholicism’ because liberals are basically protestants. I haven’t seen Wood’s tome in any library.
 
7_Sorrows said:
I have wanted to read this book since I converted over 8 years ago. Last night I decided on a whim to go to our local used bookstore and they had one copy! It was only $9 and in very good condition! I already started it last night and am up to chapter 2. Has anyone else ready this book on Catholic Church history? My copy ends at Chapter 37 with the death of JPII. I don’t know if there has been any further updated versions.
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Father Bokenkotter is a venerable priest – from the archdiocese of Cincinnati in the United States, if I still remember. I have used his text for English language students but it is also a readable text for a more casual reader.

He uses a contemporary historical methodology, which makes it preferable to older texts that use a methodology that is less helpful…especially for contextualisation.

I remember Father as a rather gifted historian, actually.
 
WT1 said:
Try:

“Triumph: The Power and Glory of the Catholic Church” by HW Crocker

And

“How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization” by Thomas E. Woods

Both mostly likely can be found in a nearby local library or bought used online. I highly recommend both as easy reads for adults and you will Have a great foundation in Catholic history if you read both.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Those are both on my books to read list also!
 
Don_Ruggero said:
Father Bokenkotter is a venerable priest – from the archdiocese of Cincinnati in the United States, if I still remember. I have used his text for English language students but it is also a readable text for a more casual reader.

He uses a contemporary historical methodology, which makes it preferable to older texts that use a methodology that is less helpful…especially for contextualisation.

I remember Father as a rather gifted historian, actually.
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Thanks! 👍
 
WT1 said:
Try:

“Triumph: The Power and Glory of the Catholic Church” by HW Crocker

And

“How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization” by Thomas E. Woods

Both mostly likely can be found in a nearby local library or bought used online. I highly recommend both as easy reads for adults and you will Have a great foundation in Catholic history if you read both.
Click to expand...
A lot, of course, depends on which period of the church’s history you are interested in. I don’t see one book which adequately covers 2000 years, although one I have gives a short biography of several Popes over that period.
 
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