Written in an entertaining manner, Scandal of the Cross and Its Triumph by Bob and Penny Lord is a fascinating look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church and the various heresies, schisms, and attacks it has endured over the past 2000 years.Beginning with the very first attacks on Christ's teachings --- which occured even during Jesus' earthly lifetime --- this book touches on all major (and many minor) movements, groups, and opponents of His Church. Arianism, Manichaeism, Nestorianism, the Iconoclasts, Pelagianism, Islam, Albigensianism, the Renaissance and Reformation, on up to Modernism and the New Age movement --- it's all here. What is truly amazing is how the same errors keep popping up under different names and in slightly different forms, but all trying to do the same thing: destroy the Catholic Church. This book also shows how God never fails to provide heroes to defend His Church and thus save countless souls from falling into error. For every heresy or scandal a defender --- sometimes many defenders --- will arise to proclaim the Truth in speech or writing. While Bob and Penny's book is not exhaustive in its listing of these heroes, it does provide a good list of their names and writings, so readers may delve deeper into the defenses of Mother Church.The book is not without its faults, as when the authors say that Emperor Constantine's father was Diocletian; or when they attribute a certain quote of Louis XV of France to Louis XVI. These are unimportant errors. On the whole I thought the book's intention --- to present the Church's enemies throughout history and to show how Jesus and the Blessed Virgin have successfully fought each one by using good Catholics as their soldiers --- has been achieved admirably.I recommend this book to anyone --- Catholic or non-Catholic --- who is interested in Church history, appologetics, and Catholic doctrine.
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