Books

A BIBLICAL SEARCH FOR THE CHURCH CHRIST FOUNDED, by Linus F. Clovis

Reviewed by Michael Daniel

Contents - Dec 2012 - Buy a copy now Homily: Benedict XVI: the new consoling certainty of Christmas - Pope Benedict XVI Culture: Western crisis is spiritual: Russian Orthodox leader - Metropolitan Hilarion News: The Church Around the World Sectarianism: Dignitatis Humanae Institute: Christian values in public life - Babette Francis Young Men of God 2012 Conference showcases Christian leadership - Br Barry Coldrey Events: iWitness Retreat / Campion College Summer Program Pilgrimage: Crossroads: young people spread the message of life and love - Angela Schumann Catholicism: The Year of Faith: time to revisit the Catechism of the Catholic Church Church - Audrey English A different fire: Vatican II and the new evangelisation - Archbishop Mark Coleridge History: Parish life in the Middle Ages (Part 1) - Frank Mobbs Caroline Chisholm Library: Melbourne's hidden gem - Angela Schumann Advent and the Second Coming: a forgotten article of faith - Br Christian Moe FSC Letters: Abortion silence - Thomas M. Kalotas Letters: Courage of convictions - Robert Bom Letters: Bob Santamaria - Brian A. Peachey Letters: Old Testament - Fr Brian Harrison Letters: Harm minimisation - Tom King Christmas: Latin Mass in Melbourne Poetry: The Reunion - Father John W. Ó Néill Books: A BIBLICAL SEARCH FOR THE CHURCH CHRIST FOUNDED, by Linus F. Clovis - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: ADAM AND EVE AFTER THE PILL, by Mary Eberstadt - Brian Peachey (reviewer) Support: Fighting Fund Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Feast of the Holy Innocents: Rachel weeps for her children - Anne Lastman

Why the Catholic Church is the one that Jesus founded

A BIBLICAL SEARCH FOR THE CHURCH CHRIST FOUNDED
by Linus F. Clovis
(Freedom Publishing, 2012, 224pp, $30.00, ISBN: 978-0-85244-771-0. Available from Freedom Publishing)

In recent decades a number of Catholics have left the Church to join other Christian denominations after being convinced the Catholic Church is not true to biblical teaching. Sadly, many do so with little real understanding of the claims of the Catholic Church. In A Biblical Search for the Church Christ Founded, Linus Clovis has provided a well-written, up to date rationale for the Catholic Church's claim that it is "the Church that Jesus founded" (p. xi).

This work arose from a pamphlet written by the author who is parish priest of Laborie in Saint Lucia (a sovereign state in the Caribbean), in response to his pastoral experience of a significant proportion of children lapsing from the practice of the Catholic faith soon after confirmation.

Many of them joined other Christian denominations, having been convinced that the Catholic Church is not biblically based. Both the original pamphlet and this book clearly demonstrate, by using Scripture, that the Catholic Church is the one established by Christ.

Indeed, one of the strengths of the presentation of the Catholic faith in A Biblical Search for the Church Christ Founded is its frequent reference to and engagement with Scripture in explaining Church teachings.

The work is systematically organised around the central concept of the Catholic Church being the Church Christ established. After commencing with arguments for the existence of God and the foretelling of the Church in the Old Testament, Clovis demonstrates that Christ established a visible Church.

Interestingly, the discussion of the seven sacraments appears in the next section, in which the author explores the mission of the Church Christ founded before a lengthy treatise on the four marks of the Church (One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic).

The work is augmented with beautiful reproductions of lithographic pictures from old Bibles, catechetical works, etc.

This is an extremely well written defence of the Catholic Church's raison d'être and is designed to be read by anyone with at least a junior secondary education.

For this reason, it would make an ideal confirmation or Christmas present for a teenage child or grand-child but would also be useful reading for adults, as an aid in providing a rationale to younger family members when they ask questions about the faith. It would also be a very good work for those engaged in RCIA or those seriously considering the claims of the Catholic Church.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 25 No 11 (December 2012 - January 2013), p. 17