History is a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes or a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events. In this category you will find our history books - general surveys of history and books related to specific periods of history in the Church such as the Patristic Era or the Middle Ages.

"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity." Cicero

Learn more about the early Church Fathers, also called the Apostolic Fathers, and see how their writing, teaching and preaching formed the Christian faith we profess to this day. They lived in a time of confusion, turmoil and persecution, not unlike our own, and they can teach us valuable lessons to live more faithfully and understand Christ and His Church in our own age. No one today can show …

Here, in one convenient volume, is a treasure-house of solid readings on the Bible from such spiritual and intellectual giants as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria, Julius Africanus, Origen, Dionysius of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Augustine, Jerome and Socrates Scholasticus. If you’re interested in Patristics and/or Bible studies, whether you’re …

Every Catholic at some time in his life has undoubtedly felt a desire to know the history of the Catholic Church.  But where to begin the study of nearly 2000 years?  Probably no book was better conceived or better executed to fulfill this need than Church History by Fr. John Laux.  Written expressly both for students and adults; anyone who becomes familiar with this book will …

John Henry Cardinal Newman This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other …

Peter Lynch An engaging overview of the two thousand year history of the Christian community, especially the Roman Catholic community, in its efforts to engage in pastoral care. This accessible, informative history approaches the important issue of pastoral care with a broad perspective on its many aspects: practical care for human suffering, the struggle against injustice, evangelizing the …

Louis de Wohl Another of the popular historical novels by the distinguished de Wohl, telling the dramatic story of St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, who played such a major role in the Christianization and civilization of post-Roman Europe in the sixth century. De Wohl weaves an intricate tapestry of love, violence and piety to recount with historical accuracy the story of St. …

The fourth of a projected six volumes of Dr. Warren H. Carroll's fully documented history of Christendom is primarily concerned with the split in Christendom created by the Protestant revolt of Martin Luther and his followers, and consequently is entitled The Cleaving of Christendom. It covers in detail the years between the emergence of Luther as a major figure and the beginning of the …

A Cloud of Witnesses An Introductory History of the Development of Christian Doctrine By David N. Bell This book is a fine introduction to the fascinating study of patristics, the study of the Church Fathers, and reveals how Christians over five hundred years forged the deposit of faith. ". . . a triumph of clarity and concision." - The Canadian Catholic Review ". . . …

From The Da Vinci Code and Roswell to the pyramid on the back of every dollar bill, we all are fascinated by secrets, codes and coincidences.  Fr. George Rutler - EWTN speaker, Crisis magazine columnist, and reigning Catholic wit-offers his fun reflections, full of surprise, on the coincidental links that connect the most far-flung parts of our worlds.  Topics cover the gamut of …

Communion Under Both Kinds Michael Davies In November of 1978, in defiance of Pope John Paul II, the Bishops of the U.S.A. authorized the distribution of Holy communion under both kinds to the laity at Sunday Mass. This rebellion resulted in a partial surrender by the vatican in 1984—giving permission for limited and regulated usage of Communion under both kinds. These developments, everything …

New and Revised Version for 2009!

Popular Catholic author Mike Aquilina’s encyclopedic knowledge of the Church Fathers intersects seamlessly with Pope Benedict XVI’s insightful reflections about them in this faith-building companion guide. It shows that the Fathers are much more than wise men from ages past who sacrificed their lives for what they believed: they are teachers and philosophers, orators and pastors, …

Floyd G. Cullop Reading level: Young Adult. Guides the student through a careful reading and near memorization of the Constitution, using a variety of study skills.

Hans Urs von Balthasar Maximus the Confessor, saint and martyr, is the theologian of synthesis: of Rome and Byzantium, of antiquity and the Middle Ages, reexcavating the great treasures of Christian tradition, which at that time had been buried by imperial and ecclesial censure. Von Balthasar was an authority on the Church Fathers-Irenaeus, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, and above all, …

Extensively revised and nearly doubled in length, and also newly enriched with dozens of historical illustrations, this second edition of Cranmer's Godly Order is in effect a new book.  Wth greater documentation and detail than ever, Davies traces the steps by which the ancient Catholic Mass became the Lord's Supper in the Church of England - and shows how those changes were directly …

In The Crisis of Civilization the great Catholic historian, Hilaire Belloc shows that ever since the disaster of the Protestant Reformation our civilization has been falling into an ever deepening crisis, the solution to which, he says, "does not permit of indefinite delay." In panoramic fashion, he reviews the main outline of the history of the West, showing shat Catholicism built the Western …

Susan Peek A new historical novel about the unusual life of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, the leper crusader king. who-despite ascending to the throne at only 13, his early death at 24 and his debilitating diseaseperformed great and heroic deeds in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Teenagers and avid readers of all ages will be amazed at this story and be inspired by a faith that …

There is no shortage of stories about the crusades, or of biographies of those who played the leading roles in this, the greatest epic of the Middle Ages. But there has been no book in which we could find, recreated, the way of life, the world view, the everyday social organization of those who tempted adventure. They were kings and paupers, barons, clerks, women, and merchants. Some were …

The Crusades were essentially a conflict between Christendom and Islam.  To be specific, they were a conflict between Christian civilization and Islam as adopted by "the Turk," those savage, destructive Mongol tribes from Asia.  After the terrible Christian defeat at Manzikert in Turkey (1071 A. D.), not only the ancient Christian civilization in the Holy Land, but Europe …