The Real Story of Catholic History

Answering Twenty Centuries of Anti-Catholic Myths

By: Steve Weidenkopf

Narrated by: Steve Weidenkopf

Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Anti-Catholics like to paint Church teachings in a way that makes them seem vain, backward, or superstitious, all in the hope of drawing people out of the faith and into sects or unbelief. Catholic apologists fight back with facts and sound arguments.

But there’s another area where the Church’s enemies tell their own false story of Catholicism: its history.

Whether it’s from the media, in classrooms, or out of the mouths of pastors and politicians, we’ve all heard a version of Catholic history filled with unrelenting violence, ignorance, worldliness, and bigotry. It’s enough to make many believers question whether the Church truly was founded by Christ!

This kind of attack requires no less of a response from those who know the truth. In The Real Story of Catholic History, Steve Weidenkopf gives it to you.

Weidenkopf (The Glory of the Crusades) collects over 50 of the most common and dangerous lies about Catholic history and, drawing on his experience as a historian and apologist, shows how to answer them simply and powerfully. Whether it’s claims about Catholicism’s supposedly pagan origins, old myths about Galileo or the Inquisition that never seem to go away, or more modern misconceptions that anti-Catholics cynically exploit, The Real Story provides the desperately needed corrective.

Packed with research and diligent in pursuit of the truth, while never whitewashing or explaining away the Church’s past faults when they’re found, The Real Story of Catholic History is an essential resource for every Catholic.

©2017 Catholic Answers Press (P)2022 Catholic Answers Press

Good not great

The content is great, but I think it’s possible my Catholic bias may be showing. I wish there would be more block quotes, documents, or quotes in general. It’s possible they are all referenced, but you have no idea with the audio version. Without the sources being listed, it seems there is no way to detect whether the facts that are being stated are true or false. It sounds like this, “a lot of wrong people say, ….., they were wrong, it was actually……” It would be much better if there were more primary sources listed otherwise, this source ends up being a tool and debate where both parties are just saying “actually it was….” While neither side is able to back it up.

Every Catholic should read this book.

Sooner or later someone will throw these myths at you. it is good to be prepared.

Educational, Easy-to-follow

I had no trouble following the book and distinguishing the mainstream claims vs the corrections. I thought this was an excellent overview of history and feel more equipped to defend Catholicism. Some of these myths were stumbling blocks to my conversion, but I don't have time to get a history degree to know the truth. This book was a fantastic resource.

Would love to have the footnotes

Excellent content. Would love to see the footnotes . Possibly because of the audio format I found it at times difficult to know when the author was making a point or counterpoint in the events being discussed. Worth another listen.

Excellent summation and refutation!

The Catholic Church, its saints, and its members, have suffered more lies, attacks, and vilification, than any other religion. And, yet, Catholicism has been the greatest boon to all of mankind throughout its entire history. This book describes a small handful of some of the most egregious falsehoods and sets the record straight (with valid sources and citations). Two thumbs way up!

Good info- monotone reading

Good book however monotone narrator, wish it was read with more breaks and pauses in speech.

Great Brief Catholic history

The content was concise and interesting. Narration could be improved by learning the correct pronunciation of words and names before recording but overall a good audible listen.

very clarifying

would listen to it a second time. very clarifying on the Faith and History in general.