Book Review: History of the Catholic Church

Much my own spiritual journey happens through the books I read.  Right now I am reading about the ancient journey of others and simultaneously myself.....my church.

I am ever so slowly plucking my way through James Hitchcock's  History of the Catholic Church.  It's a big one guys!  Because I'm reading it on my kindle I didn't realize just how thick this text was until I saw it during a visit to my local Catholic Supply where it was on the shelf with other new titles.  There it was: hard cover, and quit hefty! I'm already considering it as a Christmas gift for my father....the print version that is.  Tis not for the feint of heart or the impatient reader.

Hitchcock has attempted a difficult undertaking: telling our rich story as a church from the time of Christ until today.  He is covering everything from wars, changes in liturgy, major theological thinkers, each and every heresy which threatened her existence; and all of it is interwoven with European social history.  I just finished reading about the Crusades and the separation of the East and West.  Because of the broad scope of this project (Over 2,000 years), Hitchcock does not go into too much detail...rather this is an introduction to many many ideas that can be a jumping point to your own research should a person wish to explore a topic more in depth.  I appreciate the way he puts many complicated ideas into the layman's terms without oversimplification or dumbing down, although the topical nature in which he covers his subjects can become a little confusing when you are reading from past to present.  Be ready for some jumps in the story telling as he back tracks to futher explain some concepts in more detail.

Overall, an interesting read, but then again, I consider myself an eternal student of History.
I'm sure I'll be referencing this one for many years to come.