Nearly forty years ago, Ralph Martin’s bestselling A Crisis of Truth exposed the damaging trends in Catholic teaching and preaching that, combined with attacks from secular society, threatened the mission and life of the Catholic Church. While much has been done to counter false teaching over the last four decades, today the Church faces even more insidious threats—from outside and within.
In A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, Martin offers a detailed look at the growing hostility to the Catholic Church and its teaching. With copious evidence, Martin uncovers the forces working to undermine the Body of Christ and offers hope to those looking for clarity.
A Church in Crisis covers:
-polarization in the Church caused by ambiguous teachings
-initiatives that accommodate the culture without calling for conversion
-Vatican-sponsored partnerships with organizations that actively contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church
-and the recycling of theological errors long settled by Vatican II, Pope St. John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI.
Powerfully written, A Church in Crisis reminds all readers to heed Jesus’ express command not to lead His children astray. With ample resources to encourage readers, Ralph Martin provides the solid foundation of Catholic teaching—both Scripture and Tradition—to fortify Catholics against the errors that threaten us from all directions.
About the Author
Ralph Martin is the president of Renewal Ministries. He serves as the Director of Graduate Theology Programs in Evangelization and a professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Angelicum in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Martin as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and a peritus for the Synod on the New Evangelization which was held in Rome in 2012. Martin is the author of the bestselling The Fulfillment of All Desire, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, and many other books. He and his wife Anne reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan and are the parents of six and grandparents of nineteen.
What People Are Saying
A Time of Confusion and Division
"It's clear that we are living in a time of confusion and division, both in the Church and in the world. I am not qualified to evaluate whether this is the worst confusion the Church has seen or not–we have been through some pretty bad times over the centuries–but it is serious. And it is our time and our confusion, so it is something we must deal with."
-Ralph Martin, A Church in Crisis
Reviews
Without a doubt Dr. Ralph Martin’s finest hour. The writing is superb! It is well researched and should be on every pastor’s must read list. Not since the Crisis of Truth’s publication has there been such explicit clear examples of where we need to go to correct the path we are on as a Christian people. No detail is spared in explaining the crisis in the church. Truly an amazing piece of work. It is a scholarly endeavor that will inform, educate and amaze the reader.
Ordered this for every Priest I know and mailed it to them. Our priests need guidance that they aren't getting from many Bishops. Praying that the Holy Spirit works through this book. Prayers for our clergy and for their continual conversion and sanctification to run the race as Paul said and feed their sheep as Christ said!
I read the first chapter of the book and I am apprehensive to continue to read it. I am not sure if I have a solid foundation that I will not lose my faith. I am just a regular mother who is trying to be a catholic and trying to follow the teachings of the catholic church. I am petrified to think that Pope Francis, head of the catholic church, would lead his people astray, and that I know better than him. I think most catholic are very young in their faith that a book like this might destroy it. Maybe this book are for more adult Christians. Its like giving a steak to a baby, not sure what will happen to the baby. For me, It is inconceivable that God would allow the head of the church to be wrong. To me the pope is like a parent, he is perfect and does not make mistakes. A child does not understand that the parent is flawed.
I know the mercy of God is greater than my sin and if most people will know of this thru the Pope, even if they don't understand divine justice, but just enough to set their foot in purgatory (even if they will spend a million years in purgatory) that is still one less soul in hell.
I’d like to start with the positive. Ralph Martin is clearly vary knowledgeable of the Faith, and is a solid Catholic trying do what’s right and to help the Church he clearly cares about. There are some excellent quotations, thoughtful passages, and good perspectives. The great strength of the book is that it will make you very aware of the problems the church is facing, in detail. If that’s what you’re looking for, it’s not a bad buy. Ralph is also very fair with dealing with Pope Francis, showing the good and the bad.
That being said, the book reads like an elderly relative ranting at Thanksgiving dinner. Apart from making us aware of the problems in the Church and why they are problems, there’s not much else here. I struggled to get through pages and pages of passioned condemnations of universalism which proved to say little other than “universalism is bad don’t believe in it”. The largest critique I had is that (if you can’t tell from the cover) the book relies heavily on fear-mongering, to the point of contradiction (if you’re arguing that not many will be saved, how can you turn around and argue we aren’t saving enough people in the next chapter? What am I supposed to get out of that?). This type of fear-mongering may sell books but it won’t save the church and I doubt it will make you a better Catholic. Let’s be honest: it’s Jesus’ church, guided by the Holy Spirit, and he has allowed these things to happen. Where sin abounds, grace abounds also.
If you want to be informed about what’s wrong currently and how to avoid it, sure give it a read. If you already know, well, I just saved you 30 bucks.
This book is a hard read I agree with that. It is exactly the reason why most of our Catholic brothers and sisters are in a fog of awareness when it comes to true Church teaching. Many refuse to give the time required to come to an understanding of true teaching in scripture. God bless you Ralph for having the courage to bring the truth to the forefront of our faith.
Just finished reading a Church in Crisis. I am very familiar with Ralph Martin, having heard him speak on numerous occasions, and to personally meet once briefly.
I found this to be a straight forward analysis of our church, its leadership, and us its members in this present most critical time. I believe it reinforces what most of us have seen, assumed, or felt taking place. However, beyond being a critique, Dr Martin outlines what each of us must do! I found it both inspiring and encouraging. It clarifies and reinforces my thought, required action, and my responsibility as a Catholic follower of Christ!
Not an easy read, but oh so important. If you get bogged down, jump ahead to the last few chapters, and then come back to earlier chapters.
Thank you Dr Martin!
Great reading. Rating good
