Gibbons' 19th century classic still relevant

The Faith of Our Fathers by John Cardinal Gibbons
TAN Books and Publishers, 1980

One hundred and thirty-five years have done nothing to diminish the relevance of John Cardinal Gibbons' 1876 classic The Faith of Our Fathers. The reasons for that are two-fold. First, it fortunately has much to do with Gibbons' outstanding style, theological expertise, and logic. Unfortunately, it also has much to do with the sad fact that the misunderstandings and errors circulated about the Catholic Church then continue to be the same same tired ones circulated today.

Originally published by John Murphy Company of Baltimore in 1876, the subtitle of the book sums up its content well: Being a Plain Exposition and Vindication of the Church Founded by Jesus Christ. Divided into 31 chapters, the book begins with the Trinity and Incarnation -- not misunderstood beliefs, but obvious foundations of the faith -- and works its way through other less understood basic Catholic doctrines such as grace through the Sacraments, Apostolic succession and the authority of the church, the Bible and sacred Tradition, the communion of saints, and so forth.

In each chapter, Gibbons weaves together information from the Bible, the early church fathers, and historical sources to explain the origins of and defend Catholic belief. Obviously, as the title implies, much weight is given to the Apostles, those who learned at their feet, and those who came in the next several generations thereafter. These are the "fathers" of the church and the fathers referenced in the title. But Gibbons also makes every effort to use outside sources, even anti-Catholic ones, to lend his explanations as much objectivity as possible.

While Gibbons' logic, combined with his use of scripture and patristic writings, make a strong case chapter after chapter, one need not be a master theologian, philosopher, or debater to follow along. Gibbons' style is incredibly accessible, written not for the furry-browed academic, but rather for the average Joe or Jane. This makes for a quick read, as do the relatively short and succinct chapters. This is one of those rare books that if you only have 10 minutes you still feel like you've got enough time to learn something new. And you will.

Whether you're a Catholic who needs help understanding and defending the basic beliefs of the church, or a non-Catholic who has always wondered why the church believes what it does, The Faith of Our Fathers will prove to be an ideal resource for your library.