The Compact History of the Catholic Church

As Dr. Schreck states in the Preface, this book is a compilation of "a series of simple lessons on the history of the Catholic Church" for a group setting. Thus it "provides a non-technical introductory overview of the Catholic Church and its history." In this it delivers. For the uninitiated, it provides a very quick overview that can be comfortably read in an afternoon. For those with a genuine interest, they will not want to stop here; rather it will whet the appetite for more. The first 100 pages cover the time up to the 20th century, the last 53 from the turn of the 20th century to 1986 when the book was written. The last chapter is particularly good because it allows for some reflections ("perspective," he puts it) by the author. There is a 15 page "Teaching Summaries" at the end that is helpful for a quick review any time it is needed. As an introduction to the history of the Catholic Church this is a fine book. If you are past that stage, look to more in-depth treatments.

If you are looking for a short, yet informative, history of the Catholic Church, look no futher. This book gives the reader all the major details from the founding of the church up to the present day. Of course, in a short book such as this, a cursory examination is given each topic, but it is nevertheless a superb introduction to the history of the Catholic Church.

This book is not intended to the complete history. It is intended to be the concise history of the Church. What is geat here is that the different periods of the church are explained warts and all. If you don't know a lot about the history of the Catholic Church, this is a great place to start. If you find this interesting and want to know more, there are other works that deal with the history in more detail.

Though it is a very slim volume, Schrecks Compact History is well worth the read. If you have any interest in Church history, read this as a good beginning book. It is not too complicated, but is detailed enough to not be boring or condescending.

Any student of church history should begin with this book. It provides an overview of the Church and places current teachings in historical perspective. I have found this book to be an excellent gift for non-catholics who have a limited view of the church and its effect upon history.