My fellow Catholics: Have you ever heard of a book titled Christ Among Us by Anthony Wilhelm?

Question

I received this today at my Cathechism course. What exactly is it? Is this a Catechism?

But I didn't get a Catechism. That's all I received today. I don't know if i will be receiving anything else for the duration of the course.

Answer 1

No, it's not a catechism. It's basically an introduction to the Catholic Church with a modern slant.

That means the book only traces Church practice and teaching from Vatican II to the reign of Pope John Paul II.

So it is very limited and biased in its scope and widely regarded as liberal and left of center in its approach. I would be very careful as you read this book and keep a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church handy to clarify anything you read in Wilhelm's work. There is much more to the Catholic faith than one council from the 1960's and the writings of one Pope from the modern era.

I would also be mindful of the person(s) who is teaching your catechism course, as they picked Wilhelm's book for a particular reason. Most likely, they will present Catholic doctrine with a liberal agenda, so be wary and prepare yourself by studying your Catechism and keeping it handy in case you have questions about what is being said in class.

Quite often, liberal or "progressive" Catholic catechists will teach misleadingly, or even present heretical ideas to catechumens, and they will defend their ideas with statements about how "things have changed" since Vatican II or preach to you about how the Church "did away with" this or that tradition or teaching and Catholics are "no longer bound" to follow or believe it.

If you hear rhetoric like that, run don't walk away from this course, and seek out an orthodox and conservative Catholic priest or catechist who will teach you the faith in its entirety, without apology or compromise.

By the way, feel free to email me if you want to talk about any particular issue. God bless. [e-mail]

NOTE - Ok, that's a bad sign right there. If you are taking a catechism course and you are not being provided with a catechism then beware! That's like going to a bible study and not being given access to the bible. I would go out and buy your own copy of the Catechism, and start studying it.

Good and reliable books to supplement the Catechism are:
1."Catholicism for Dummies"
2. Fr. Oscar Lukefahr's "We Believe ..."

Answer 2

I agree with the one who speaks about Catholicism for Dummies in which I know you are not . Get a new catechism of the Catholic Church by John Paul II and the other book I mentioned and may be seek out another catechist . Read the book and ask an impartial person who is knowledgeable in the faith and see what they think. Being misinformed about the proper belief in the Church is as bad as not believing at all.

Answer 3

I've never heard of it, but the first thing to do is look in the publishing info at the front for the IMPRIMATUR and NIHIL OBSTAT.

If they are there, you can be resaonably certain the book is at least FAIRLY decent.

Our RCIA doesn't give out a test other than the Catechism for Adults.

Answer 4

well, it's not a catechism as it sounds like a book, a story, a novel.