Not only does this textbook recount the events which led history from the beginning to the discovery of the New World, but it also details the various civilizations upon which our Western world is built—primarily, the culture of the Catholic Church and its vital influence on both the Old World and the New.
Included are study questions, tests, and topics for discussion. (394 pgs., PB.)
- Author:
- Bishop Philip J. Furlong
- Imprint:
- TAN Books
- Pages:
- 394
- Publication Date:
- 12/1/1996
- Product Format:
- Paperbound
- Height:
- 8.50
- Width:
- 5.50
2 Reviews
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I’m very excited about what
I’m very excited about what my girls will learn from this book
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The world is not enough
The Old World and America by Reverend Philip J Furlong is an excellent history textbook covering western civilization from a Catholic perspective. It’s short, easy-to-read and delightful. This textbook gives you the basics of the history of western civilization, and it also gives many profound insights. Here are a few of the gems you’ll find: The Catholic religion is the religion of joy since it leads you to heaven. A true religion would perfect you, resulting in extreme happiness, so the fact that the Catholic religion is a religion of joy is another indication that it is the one true church. The monks believed that one had to be good to do good. You become good by doing good, and you must be good (i.e., moral) to do good. Here’s an excerpt from page 205: Many facts show that the people of the Middle Ages had high ideals. For example, they built beautiful cathedrals. Cathedrals represent faith. Faith is the most important thing in life. The cathedrals were great acts of faith in stone. The fine ideals of the Middle Ages are clearly seen in the fact that some people were so holy that they were saints. The most beautiful thing in this world is a good life. A holy life is the supreme expression of beauty. Though the serfs during the Middle Ages were usually poor, it would be wrong, however, to think that the serfs were unhappy. They knew, better than we, how to enjoy simple pleasures. They seem to have understood that the things of this world alone cannot make men happy. The world is not enough to make men happy. Men were made for Heaven. When Columbus sailed in search of a path to the far east, he hoped to gain wealth, but he also saw his voyage as an opportunity to help others by taking to them the most precious of treasures, the knowledge of Christ. The knowledge of God’s existence and nature is the most important knowledge of all. As can be seen from the above excerpts, this history book gives you not only history but also some important lessons from history. This history book takes about 6 hours to read, and it gets an A+.
