Light and Shadows: Church History Amid Faith, Facts and Legend

The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Reformation, and the Renaissance popes conjure in the imagination a corrupt Roman Catholic clergy hungry for wealth and power. In this insightful, well researched work, the Vatican's chief historian, Fr. Walter Brandmuller, takes a thoughtful and understanding look at these and other important chapters in Church history. Without denying, or flinching at, the human capacity for folly, failure, and evil, Brandmuller moves beyond the caricatures and legends that often substitute for real history to reveal a Church, both human and divine, fulfilling its mission in every time and place. His goal is not to whitewash any of these past events or issues, but rather to illuminate them, and bring to them a more in-depth, comprehensive historical understanding on the basis of their causes, circumstances and effects. "Now let us take into consideration Church history from the theological viewpoint, highlighting another important aspect. Its essential duty, in fact, turns out to be the complex mission to investigate and clarify that process of reception and transmission, of paralepsis and of paradosis, through which was substantiated, in the course of the ages, the Church's raison d'etre. Indeed, it is beyond a doubt that the Church can draw inspiration for her choices by drawing on her centuries-old treasury of experience and memory." Pope Benedict VXI, Address to the members of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, March 7, 2008 The Crusades, The Spanish Inquisition, The Reformation, And The Renaissance Popes May Conjure In The Imagination A Corrupt Roman Catholic Clergy Hungry For Wealth And Power. In This Insightful, Well Researched Work, The Vatican's Chief Historian, Fr. Walter Brandmuller, Takes A Thoughtful And Understanding Look At These And Other Important Chapters In Church History. Without Denying Or Flinching At The Human Capacity For Folly, Failure, And Evil, Brandmuller Moves Beyond The Caricatures And Legends That Often Substitute For Real History To Reveal A Church, Both Human And Divine, Fulfilling Her Mission In Every Time And Place. His Goal Is Not To Whitewash Any Of These Past Events Or Issues, But Rather To Illuminate Them, And Bring To Them A More In-depth, Comprehensive Historical Understanding On The Basis Of Their Causes, Circumstances, And Effects.--book Jacket. Trust This Church? -- The Papcy : Guarantor Of Unity And Truth -- The Catholic Church And The Unification Of Europe -- New Awakenings In The Church, Past And Present -- Children's Stories Or Childhood History? -- The Inquisitions : Historical Reality And Legend -- The Crusades -- Martin Luther's Reformation From A Catholic Perspective -- A Profound Spiritual Reawakening : The Miracle Of Trent -- Sensuousness And Rationality -- New Life From The Ruins -- German Catholicism And Its Occassional Bouts Of Fever -- The Council And The Councils -- State Theologians Then And Now -- Forgiveness : The Way To Peace -- Appendix One. Defying The Ultramontane Gang With Brazen Assurance -- Appendix Two. On The Arrogance Of Theology. Walter Brandmüller ; Translated By Michael J. Miller. Original German Edition: Licht Und Schatten (augsburg: Sankt Ulrich, C2007).