Eamon Duffy explores the first and longest section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, its teaching on the basic framework of Catholic belief, as found in the Apostle's Creed. Drawing on material from a whole range of Christian tradition, from the scriptures and early fathers to the work of modern theologians like Hans Urs von Balthasar and Juan Luis Segundo, he traces the distinctive ideas at work in the Catechism, and assesses its faithfulness to the teachings of the council. His book provides catechists, priests, teachers and the general reader with a non-technical and fascinating guide to the Catechism, in the light of theological developments and debate in the Church since the Council. Illustrated with material from contemporary literature as well as theology and liturgy, it also provides an introduction in its own right to some of the most fundamental and urgent themes of Christian belief.

Cardinal Schönborn, the editor of the monumental Catechism of the Catholic Church, a worldwide best seller, provides a brief and profound commentary on the first part of the Catechism, the Creed. Schönborn gives an incisive, detailed analysis of the Creed, providing a specific meditation for each week of the year on how to better live the Catholic faith as expressed in the Creed and explained in the Catechism. Through these 52 meditations, Schönborn's hope is for the reader to not just have a better grasp of Catholic doctrine and belief, but especially to grow in a greater love of and devotion to the person of Jesus Christ. "Faith is whole. It has only one heart, one center: Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Christ must therefore also be the center of catechesis whose object is 'putting people...in communion...with Jesus Christ: only he can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity' (CCC 426), for 'in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' (Col 2:3). In a certain sense, the 'essential elements of the faith' have their origin in a treasury of the heart of Jesus." -Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

Reprint of the original, first published in 1843.