Crisis of Confidence in the Catholic Church

About this book

The Catholic Church in the United States and Europe has seen declining numbers, both in regular attendance and in clergy and religious life. Scandals have torn at people's allegiance, and feelings of disappointment, disillusion, and anger have become widespread. Church authorities have seemed reluctant to acknowledge or address these problems and have responded with vexation to those who raise them from the right or left. This book examines the roots of this crisis in light of the nature of the Church community, its institutional structure, and the historical experiences that have brought it to this situation. --Book cover.