When the recently released Catechism of the Catholic Church broke onto the NY times bestseller list, its success confirmed the overwhelming interest of Catholics and Protestants in understanding modern Catholicism. Has the recent openness among denominations affected Catholic teaching? In the new spirit of cooperation, is there any reason why the two traditions should remain divided? This examination seeks to answer this. Please note: This book is written as a critique from a Protestant perspective.
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 stars(4 out of 5 stars)
8 of 8 Reviews Showing:
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Giorgio (Sweden), July 13, 2009
I have read a few books about the Catholic
Church and this book gives you a well insight of what the official teaching of the Catholic Church. It compares what stands in the Catholic books and what stands in the Bible.
0.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Phyllis T (Raleigh, NC), May 23, 2009
Aye! It is a good work of fiction, but it claims to be a work of fact!
A better book would be "Upon this Rock" by Stephen Ray. As an Evangelical Protestant, he realized that the real issue dividing Catholics and Protestants was authority. Everything else was secondary to the issue of authority. Protestants accept the authority of the Bible alone, whereas Catholics understand the authority to be residing in the Magisterium, the Scriptures, and the Sacred Tradition. Ray goes through the Scriptures and writings from the first five centuries of the early Church to demonstrate the true nature of the Church Christ founded!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by RebeccaBrightman (Vista,CA), October 17, 2007
The Gospel According to Rome is a great book to help a non-Roman Catholic understand what family and friends have embraced. It is especially good to show the pitfalls and then show what the Bible really says (or does not say)about a subject . It is easy to read.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jonathan Weingarten (Wantagh, NY), September 04, 2007
Being a converted agnostic to biblical Christianity, I have read many works comparing Roman Catholicism and Protestant teachings and interpretations of the Bible. Some written with bitterness towards the RC church (I guess if I were in their shoes I'd be upset too) but this work by Mr. McCarthy is written IMO with love and careful scrutiny to the facts as published in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. None of the quotations that I have seen from this book were taken out of context. I know because I own a copy of the Catechism itself wherein I compared what McCarthy was saying vs the timeless truths of God's holy word. Lovingly and carefully written and well researched I recommend this book to all who are serious about learning the truths underlying the differences between RC and biblical Christianity.
3 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Rev. Denis c. Gray (Canada), August 21, 2007
The Gospel According to Rome is a disappointing book in my view, mainly because its proffered image of Roman Catholicism is largely a caricature. I had hoped for more than yet another rehash of the age old and distorted perceptions of what the Roman church actually teaches.
Quotes from the Catechism of The Catholic Church taken out of context do a disservice to the cause of truth.
We all bring our biases to our writings,conversations and even to our readings.
And for that one can hardly presume to judge the conscious intentions of James G. McCarthy.
However, I must complain that his approach suffers most from a flawed methodology which attempts but fails of course to fit square pegs into round holes, theologically speaking.
It is a rare experience indeed to read books about Catholicism which seem to grasp its assertions correctly but nevertheless reject them in the light of both scripture and the very tradition upon which the Roman Church makes its claims.
I should like to recommend one rare published example .That book was written w back in the nineteen sixties: One in Christ, Muelenburg Press. The author's name was K. Skydsgaard a Danish Lutheran theologian.
The book was written accurately yet irenically , simply and oh so convincingly, about the teachings that divide as well as those which unite us in Christ Jesus.
One in Christ did much to win me over to the evangelical beliefs teachings and confession of faith rooted in the Reformation of the sixteenth century.
Sadly, theologically literate Roman Catholics as well as Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians will likely dismiss or at least quarrel with McCarthy's conclusions. They will do so likely because they will recognize false premises and the assertions and conclusions re Catholic teachings which follow as false or at least misleading.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Inga Kastrone (Norway), August 06, 2007
The book is well written and well-organized, it also appears to be a product of extensive research. However, my impression was that this research has only been made to support what the author already believed in prior to writing this book. Many of the quotes from the Catechism were taken out of context and only with a purpose to support the author's preexisting assumptions about what the truth is. That's not a valid method of research. Not being a Catholic, I was not convinced by this book. The Catechism, on the other side, I found to be a real treasure - please read it as it is, without fishing for arguments to support your theories
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Nathan French (Takoma Park, MD), January 28, 2007
With respect to fans of Dave Hunt and his work, I must say that James McCarthy’s “The Gospel According to Rome” is one of the most important theological works of this day. I say “theological” because McCarthy, a former catholic himself, devotes the majority of his book not to indictments of Rome for 15 centuries of real and perceived sins, but to a deliberate, point-by-point contrast between the doctrines of Rome and what the Scriptures actually teach on the subjects of Salvation, the Mass, the virgin Mary, and papal authority.
McCarthy’s verdict on the Roman Catholic gospel comes in the form of a clear thumbs-down on the subject of salvation. Using the letter to the Galatian church, McCarthy shows how any gospel that adds any requirement to salvation other than faith in the Lord Jesus is a false gospel, and those that teach it are not from God. He continues this train of thought through a careful examination of the Mass and its symbolic (?) re-crucifixion of Christ, as well as the extra-Biblical traditions which ultimately led to the “veneration” (which he bluntly labels idolatry) of the virgin Mary. After the section on papal authority, McCarthy concludes with a section aimed toward those who believe his message and want to know what to do next.
I am sure that many people reading this review would assume that McCarthy writes from a decidedly anti-catholic sentiment, which is the whole reason I wished to contrast this book with that of Mr. Hunt. In this postmodern, politically-correct world, even the church is not immune from the damning lie that “we all believe the same thing,” and seems content to let such people go on their contented way. McCarthy, in a passionate appeal to the minds of Roman catholics, chooses instead to warn the people he loves of the danger to their souls. The Christian life has everything to do with what we believe, and if we believe the wrong thing, how can we honestly claim to be saved? Love sometimes means saying what's hard.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Joshua Cordell (Bend OR), October 11, 2002
This, along with Dave Hunt's A Woman Rides The Beast, is essential for anyone who wants to compare Chatolicism with Biblical Christianity. It is easy reading, and will most likly shock you. McCarthy clearly, honestly and lovingly points out that the gospel of Rome is another gospel. You should read this book.
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