Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis
John T McGreevy
WW Norton & Co, £22.99, 528 pages
The global history of Catholicism in the 234 years since the cataclysm of the French Revolution is a big subject and this is a big book, taking in the Catholic Church’s development and influence over a period of more than two centuries. The book traces the journey from 1789 to the present day and explores how it has charted a course through the challenges posed by modernity, colonialism, post-colonialism and issues of social justice. John T McGreevy uses a thematic approach to provide a coherent and structured narrative.
Through an ambitious global perspective, McGreevy investigates the Church’s presence in various regions – including Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia – and the work it has done there. Such an approach emphasises the Church’s truly global reach and amply demonstrates its ability to respond and adapt to the various and diverse cultural contexts it has encountered. McGreevy also looks at the Church’s relationship with other religions, such as its dialogue with Islam and encounters with indigenous spiritual practices.
The secularising principles of revolutionary France, the overt and violent anti-religious hostility that followed, and the subsequent Napoleonic era significantly altered the Church’s position in European society. Such challenges forced the Church to reconsider its role and relationship with the state, which culminated in the reestablishment of the Papal States and vested the Vatican with the dignity – and power – of a sovereign entity. McGreevy goes on to discuss the 19th and early 20th centuries, looking at the Church’s response to the rise of nationalism, industrialisation and secularism in Europe. In the face of these challenges the Church attempted to maintain its relevance by asserting it spiritual authority: papal infallibility in 1870 is an obvious example, or the development of Catholic social teaching.
McGreevy pays particular attention to the Church’s role in colonialism, exploring its missionary activities, its influence on indigenous cultures and its involvement in colonial power structures. He assesses both the positive contributions of Catholic missionaries – such as their role in education and healthcare – and some more challenging aspects of the Church’s relationship with colonial exploitation and cultural imperialism. In the post-colonial era, McGreevy analyses the Church’s efforts to engage with newly independent nations and its very significant role in promoting social justice and human rights.
The book also examines the Church’s engagement with the broader social and political issues of the 20th century, such as the rise of Communism, both World Wars, the civil rights movement and the Cold War. McGreevy discusses the Church’s response to these events, including its support for anti-Communist regimes, its pursuit of peace and diplomacy, and its involvement in social and political activism. The Church has often had to play complex and sometimes contradictory roles on the global stage, as it has navigated the delicate balance between spiritual and political responsibilities.
Perhaps naturally, attention is given over to a consideration of the Second Vatican Council, its legacies and transformative impact on so many aspects of the Church. McGreevy delves into the council’s reforms, such as the embrace of religious freedom, the promotion of ecumenism and the decentralisation of Church authority. He also discusses the council’s effects on liturgy (pertinent at the moment), the role of the laity (ditto) and the Church’s relationship with the modern world.
Towards the end, McGreevy turns his attention to the papacies of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. He examines their distinctive contributions to the Church’s development, from John Paul II’s charismatic leadership and his role in the fall of communism to Benedict XVI’s intellectual rigour and his efforts to address the sexual abuse crisis.
The book concludes with an analysis of Pope Francis’s reformist agenda, his emphasis on social justice, and his efforts to address many contemporary challenges such as climate change, economic inequality and the global refugee crisis.
The book is well researched and replete with historical anecdotes, biographical sketches and primary source material. The depth of detail adds colour and nuance to the narrative, which helps the reader to appreciate the complexities of the Church’s history and its impact on individuals and societies. Nor does McGreevy shy away from addressing contentious topics within the Church’s history. His balanced approach to these issues adds credibility to the narrative and encourages critical thinking.
Despite the book’s global perspective, however, there is still a noticeable American and Eurocentric emphasis in McGreevy’s treatment of Catholicism worldwide. The narrative often focuses on Vatican and European actors, perhaps sometimes at the expense of a more thorough examination of local contexts and further-flung perspectives. Meanwhile there is not quite as much consideration of theological debates and developments as there might be; a fuller approach could help readers gain a more complete understanding of how the Church’s evolving theology has shaped its actions and responses to various challenges.
While McGreevy’s extensive use of primary sources is commendable, there is a noticeable lack of engagement with secondary literature and historiographical debates. This absence may limit the book’s ability to situate itself within the broader academic discourse and readers may need to read more widely to gain a comprehensive understanding of how McGreevy’s work relates to or diverges from existing interpretations and arguments surrounding the history of the Catholic Church. Nevertheless it stands as a valuable contribution to the ongoing scholarly conversation on the global history of Catholicism.
This is a good book – in fact it is very much better than that. Notwithstanding its size, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, which are almost inevitable in such a weighty tome. Even where McGreevy’s own prejudices (which are to a great extent readily predictable from his earlier work) show through, they do so only ever so slightly. My own students of contemporary Church history here in Macao are drawn from 17 countries across Asia; I will be certainly be recommending this as required reading from now on.
The Revd Dr Stephen Morgan is Rector of St Joseph University, Macao.
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