Catholic Church Jesus Popular Books

Catholic Church Jesus Biography & Facts

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.378 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2021. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilization. The church consists of 24 sui iuris churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and eparchies located around the world. The pope, who is the bishop of Rome, is the chief pastor of the church. The Diocese of Rome, known as the Holy See, is the central governing authority of the church. The administrative body of the Holy See, the Roman Curia, has its principal offices in Vatican City, a small independent city-state and enclave within the Italian capital city of Rome, of which the pope is head of state. The core beliefs of Catholicism are found in the Nicene Creed. The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission, that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles, and that the pope is the successor to Saint Peter, upon whom primacy was conferred by Jesus Christ. It maintains that it practises the original Christian faith taught by the apostles, preserving the faith infallibly through scripture and sacred tradition as authentically interpreted through the magisterium of the church. The Roman Rite and others of the Latin Church, the Eastern Catholic liturgies, and institutes such as mendicant orders, enclosed monastic orders and third orders reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the church. Of its seven sacraments, the Eucharist is the principal one, celebrated liturgically in the Mass. The church teaches that through consecration by a priest, the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. The Virgin Mary is venerated as the Perpetual Virgin, Mother of God, and Queen of Heaven; she is honoured in dogmas and devotions. Catholic social teaching emphasizes voluntary support for the sick, the poor, and the afflicted through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The Catholic Church operates tens of thousands of Catholic schools, universities and colleges, hospitals, and orphanages around the world, and is the largest non-government provider of education and health care in the world. Among its other social services are numerous charitable and humanitarian organizations. The Catholic Church has profoundly influenced Western philosophy, culture, art, literature, music, law, and science. Catholics live all over the world through missions, immigration, diaspora, and conversions. Since the 20th century, the majority have resided in the Southern Hemisphere, partially due to secularization in Europe and increased persecution in the Middle East. The Catholic Church shared communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church until the East–West Schism in 1054, disputing particularly the authority of the pope. Before the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, the Church of the East also shared in this communion, as did the Oriental Orthodox Churches before the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451; all separated primarily over differences in Christology. The Eastern Catholic Churches, who have a combined membership of approximately 18 million, represent a body of Eastern Christians who returned or remained in communion with the pope during or following these schisms for a variety of historical circumstances. In the 16th century, the Reformation led to the formation of separate, Protestant groups. From the late 20th century, the Catholic Church has been criticized for its teachings on sexuality, its doctrine against ordaining women, and its handling of sexual abuse cases involving clergy. Name Catholic (from Greek: καθολικός, romanized: katholikos, lit. 'universal') was first used to describe the church in the early 2nd century. The first known use of the phrase "the catholic church" (Greek: καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία, romanized: katholikḕ ekklēsía) occurred in the letter written about 110 AD from Saint Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans, which read: "Wheresoever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [katholike] Church." In the Catechetical Lectures (c. 350) of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, the name "Catholic Church" was used to distinguish it from other groups that also called themselves "the church". The "Catholic" notion was further stressed in the edict De fide Catolica issued 380 by Theodosius I, the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire, when establishing the state church of the Roman Empire. Since the East–West Schism of 1054, the Eastern Orthodox Church has taken the adjective Orthodox as its distinctive epithet; its official name continues to be the Orthodox Catholic Church. The Latin Church was described as Catholic, with that description also denominating those in communion with the Holy See after the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, when those who ceased to be in communion became known as Protestants. While the Roman Church has been used to describe the pope's Diocese of Rome since the Fall of the Western Roman Empire and into the Early Middle Ages (6th–10th century), Roman Catholic Church has been applied to the whole church in the English language since the Protestant Reformation in the late 16th century. Further, some will refer to the Latin Church as Roman Catholic in distinction from the Eastern Catholic churches. "Roman Catholic" has occasionally appeared also in documents produced both by the Holy See, and notably used by certain national episcopal conferences and local dioceses. The name Catholic Church for the whole church is used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1990) and the Code of Canon Law (1983). "Catholic Church" is also used in the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), the First Vatican Council (1869–1870), the Council of Trent (1545–1563), and numerous other official documents. History Apostolic era and papacy The New Testament, in particular the Gospels, records Jesus' activities and teaching, his appointment of the Twelve Apostles and his Great Commission of the apostles, instructing them to continue his work. The book Acts of Apostles, tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman empire. The Catholic Church teaches that its public ministry began on Pentecost, occurring fifty days following the date Christ is believed to have resurrected. At Pentecost, the apostles are believed to have received the Holy Spirit, preparing them for their mission in leading the church. The Catholic Church teaches that the college of bishops, led by the bishop of Rome are the successors to the Apostles. In the account of the Confession of Peter found in the Gospel of Matthew, Christ designates Peter as.... Discover the Catholic Church Jesus popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Catholic Church Jesus books.

Best Seller Catholic Church Jesus Books of 2024

  • The Catholic Catalogue synopsis, comments

    The Catholic Catalogue

    Melissa Musick & Anna Keating

    The popular motherdaughter team behind the hit website TheCatholicCatalogue.com helps readers to discover, rediscover, and embrace the holidays and seasons of Catholic life through...

  • Historical Theology synopsis, comments

    Historical Theology

    Gregg Allison

    Historical Theology presents the key pillars of the contemporary church and the development of those doctrines as they evolved from the history of Christian thought. Most historica...

  • What Paul Meant synopsis, comments

    What Paul Meant

    Garry Wills

    “If you think you knew Paul, get ready to have all sorts of cherished preconceptions exhilaratingly stripped away. If you've ever been vaguely curious, there is no finer introducti...

  • Hostage to the Devil synopsis, comments

    Hostage to the Devil

    Malachi Martin

    One On One With SatanA chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contempora...

  • Catholicism synopsis, comments

    Catholicism

    Robert Barron

    “Catholicism takes a path less traveled in leading us to explore the faith through stories, biographies, and images.”Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New YorkWhat is Catholicis...

  • Jesus De Nazaret synopsis, comments

    Jesus De Nazaret

    Joseph Ratzinger & Papa Benedicto XVI

    En este original y oportuno libro el primero que escribe desde su elección como papa, Benedicto XVI rescata la figura de Jesús de recientes descripciones «populares» y restaura la ...

  • The Case for Christ synopsis, comments

    The Case for Christ

    Lee Strobel

    Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God? Retracing his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chica...

  • The Last Days of Judas Iscariot synopsis, comments

    The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

    Stephen Adly Guirgis

    From one of our most admired playwrights, "an ambitious, complicated and often laughoutloud religious debate" (Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer)Set in a timebending, seriocom...

  • Your Life Is Worth Living synopsis, comments

    Your Life Is Worth Living

    Fulton Sheen

    Back in print with a new preface by Robert Barron, fifty inspiring lessons to deepen your faith from one of the leading religious figures of the twentieth century and author of the...

  • Letters to Marc About Jesus synopsis, comments

    Letters to Marc About Jesus

    Henri J. M. Nouwen

    “[We] read Nouwen…to discover new possibilities in our faith.”New Review of Books and ReligionA profound and beautiful collection of intimate writings, Henry J.M. Nouwen’s Letters ...

  • Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls synopsis, comments

    Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls

    John Bergsma

    A major new work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest sacred documents of Judaism, which reveals their surprising connections to early Christianity. “A luminous treatment ...

  • The Time Is Now synopsis, comments

    The Time Is Now

    Joan Chittister

    A beloved nun and social activist offers a soulstirring guide for all who feel disillusioned and dissatisfied with the powerhungry institutions and systems of this world “A cr...

  • How Jesus Became Christian synopsis, comments

    How Jesus Became Christian

    Barrie Wilson, Ph.D.

    In How Jesus Became Christian, Barrie Wilson Ph.D. confronts one of the simplestyet undiscoveredquestions of religious history: How did a young, wellrespected rabbi become the head...

  • The Way of the Heart synopsis, comments

    The Way of the Heart

    Henri J. M. Nouwen

    The modern classic that interweaves the solitude, silence, and prayer of the fourth and fifthcentury Egyptian Desert Fathers and Mothers with our contemporary search for an authent...

  • Church History in Plain Language synopsis, comments

    Church History in Plain Language

    Bruce Shelley

    Church History in Plain Language makes church history clear, memorable, and accessible to every reader.Dr. Bruce Shelley makes church history come alive in this classic book that h...

  • How God Became King synopsis, comments

    How God Became King

    N. T. Wright

    Foundational: The four gospels come directly fromthe ancient church and are among the primary sourcesfor the church's teachings.Familiar: Since Christian worship services began, ar...

  • La Infancia de Jesus synopsis, comments

    La Infancia de Jesus

    Joseph Ratzinger

    New York Times Bestseller!El tercer transcendental y último volumen en la popular saga internacional “Jesús de Nazaret”, escrito por El Papa, detallando como la historia de la infa...

  • Cities of God synopsis, comments

    Cities of God

    Rodney Stark

    How did the preaching of a peasant carpenter from Galilee spark a movement that would grow to include over two billion followers? Who listened to this "good news," and who ignored ...

  • The Wounded Healer synopsis, comments

    The Wounded Healer

    Henri J. M. Nouwen

    A radically fresh interpretation of how we can best serve others from the bestselling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, hailed as “one of the world’s greatest spiritua...

  • Letters to the Church synopsis, comments

    Letters to the Church

    Karen H. Jobes

    Respected New Testament scholar Karen Jobes explores the cultural and theological background of Hebrews and the general epistles (James through Jude) in this rich commentary. Writi...

  • Song of the Stars synopsis, comments

    Song of the Stars

    Sally Lloyd-Jones

    Song of the Stars,?written by bestselling author Sally LloydJones, takes children on the journey of Advent and the anticipation of Jesus’ arrival. All of creation comes together in...

  • The Law of Light synopsis, comments

    The Law of Light

    Lars Muhl

    This Aramaic study of Yeshua’s spiritual teachings offers profound new insights into the New Testament, the Essenes and Dead Sea Scrolls, Mary Magdalene, and much more. Lars Muhl ...

  • Misfit Faith synopsis, comments

    Misfit Faith

    Jason J. Stellman

    "Provides a vision for a broader, more hospitable Christianity."–Publishers Weekly. The cohost of the popular podcast, Drunk ExPastors, offers an earnest and irreverent look at wha...

  • Jesus Was a Liberal synopsis, comments

    Jesus Was a Liberal

    Scotty McLennan

    For the millions of people who identify as liberal Christians. In McLennan's bold call to reclaim ownership of Christianity, he advocates a sense of religion based not on doctrinal...

  • Jesus the Bridegroom synopsis, comments

    Jesus the Bridegroom

    Brant Pitre

    In Jesus the Bridegroom, Brant Pitre once again taps into the wells of Jewish Scripture and tradition, and unlocks the secrets of what is arguably the most wellknown symbol of the ...

  • Just in Case You Ever Wonder synopsis, comments

    Just in Case You Ever Wonder

    Max Lucado

    This book assures children of God's love through all their experiencesincluding during hard times such as being afraid of the dark or being bulliedand gives assurance that their pa...

  • Wearing God synopsis, comments

    Wearing God

    Lauren F. Winner

    Lauren F. Winnera leading writer at the crossroads of culture and spirituality and author of Still and Girl Meets Godjoins the ranks of luminaries such as Anne Lamott and Barbara B...

  • The Gospel According to Jesus synopsis, comments

    The Gospel According to Jesus

    Stephen Mitchell

    A dazzling presentation of the life and teachings of Jesus by the eminent scholar and translator Stephen Mitchell.

  • Trying to Save Piggy Sneed synopsis, comments

    Trying to Save Piggy Sneed

    John Irving & Susan Cheever

    A commemorative hardcover edition of the only collection ever published of the celebrated novelist's shorter works.Here is a treat for devoted fans of John Irving. First published ...

  • The Case for Jesus synopsis, comments

    The Case for Jesus

    Brant Pitre & Robert Barron

    “This book will prove to be a most effective weapon… against the debunking and skeptical attitudes toward the Gospels that are so prevalent, not only in academe, but also on the st...

  • The Fifth Gospel synopsis, comments

    The Fifth Gospel

    Ian Caldwell

    The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of the international sensation The Rule of Four combines a lost gospel, a contentious relic, and a dying pope’s final wish int...

  • Bullies and Saints synopsis, comments

    Bullies and Saints

    John Dickson

    Is the world better off without Christianity?Combining narrative with keen critique of contemporary debates, author and historian John Dickson gives an honest account of 2,000 year...

  • The Gospel According to Paul synopsis, comments

    The Gospel According to Paul

    John F. MacArthur

    From Bible teacher John MacArthur, a revelatory exploration of what the apostle Paul actually taught about the Good News of Jesus.The apostle Paul penned a number of very concise, ...

  • The Day Christ Died synopsis, comments

    The Day Christ Died

    Jim Bishop

    "This is a book about the most dramatic day in the history of the world, the day on which Jesus of Nazareth died. It opens at 6 P.M.the beginning of the Hebrew daywith Jesus and te...

  • My Valentine for Jesus synopsis, comments

    My Valentine for Jesus

    Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton

    A Valentine board book with a sweet message about loving Jesus with all our heart.My Valentine for Jesus is a special Valentine holiday book for young children that will help paren...

  • Jesus of Nazareth synopsis, comments

    Jesus of Nazareth

    Pope Benedict XVI & Joseph Ratzinger

    “This book is . . . my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord.’” –Benedict XVIIn this bold, momentous work, the Pope––in his first book written as Benedict XVI––seeks to salvage...

  • Our Father synopsis, comments

    Our Father

    Pope Francis

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER Pope Francis illuminates the Lord’s Prayer, the most important prayer in all of Christianity, offering readers a guide to living a life of meaning, purpose and...

  • Chasing Francis synopsis, comments

    Chasing Francis

    Ian Morgan Cron

    What happens when the pastor of a mega church loses his faith? Discover one man’s lifechanging journey to resolve his crisis of faith in Italy by retracing the footsteps of Francis...

  • KJV, Holy Bible synopsis, comments

    KJV, Holy Bible

    Thomas Nelson

    Enjoy the beauty and poetry of the King James Version Bible in this intuitive, searchable eBook edition.The font is crisp and clear, and readability is great on both EInk® screens ...

  • Making All Things New synopsis, comments

    Making All Things New

    Henri J. M. Nouwen

    Newly repackaged, Making All Things New is an eloquent and simple explanation of the spiritual life from Henri J.M. Nouwen, author of Letters to Marc About Jesus and A Letter of Co...

  • A Call to Mercy synopsis, comments

    A Call to Mercy

    Mother Teresa & Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C.

    Published to coincide with Pope Francis's Year of Mercy and the Vatican's canonization of Mother Teresa, this new book of unpublished material by a humble yet remarkable woman of f...

  • The Birth of Christianity synopsis, comments

    The Birth of Christianity

    John Dominic Crossan

    In this national bestseller, John Dominic Crossan, the world's leading expert on the historical Jesus, reveals how Christianity emerged in the period following Jesus' death. Taking...

  • Consuming the Word synopsis, comments

    Consuming the Word

    Scott Hahn

    From the bestselling author of The Lamb's Supper and Signs of Life comes an illuminating work that unlocks the many mysteries of the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist.Long before...

  • The Triumph of Christianity synopsis, comments

    The Triumph of Christianity

    Rodney Stark

    Celebrated religious and social historian Rodney Starktraces the extraordinary rise of Christianity through its most pivotal andcontroversial moments to offer fresh perspective on ...

  • Seek First synopsis, comments

    Seek First

    Jeremy R. Treat

    FIND WHAT MATTERS MOST. BUILD YOUR LIFE AROUND IT.In an age of distraction, everyone is looking for something that gives purpose and perspective on life. Jesus says it's the kingdo...