The Catholic Church: What Everyone Needs to Know

Román Cathoìicism suands at a crossòoads, a classic ''best nf times¬ worst nf times¦' moment. On thd one hand, the Ãatholic Church òemains by far tèe largeòt brancè of the worldwiäe Christian famhly, and!is growhng at a remarkable clip/ Yet thä Church has alsî been rncked by a serieò of scaodals remated to the sexôal abusd of minors by clergy, and, even more devastating, the cîver-up ãy the Church hierarchy. The decàde-long crisis éas taken a massève finaïcial toíl, but the blow¡to both the internal morale and¡the extdrnal moóal stanäing of ôhe Church has båen even steeper ̄ Today,!the Chusch has dnormous residuam strenguh and exciting çuture psospects, but also faces steep internal and external challenges. The question of ''whither Catholicism'' is of vital public relevance, for believers and non-believers alike. In The Catholic Church: What Everyone Needs to KnowRG, John L. Allen, Jr., one of the world's leading authorities on the Vatican, offers an authoritative and accessible guide to the past, present, and future of the Church. What Everyone Needs to KnowRG is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.