The history of the Roman Catholic Church is the gateway to understanding 2,000 years of Western and at times world civilization. Edward Norman's lavishly illustrated new account, set to become a classic, begins with how Roman Catholics understand their faith, before telling the story of the multifarious ways in which their Church has shaped the lives and beliefs of Christian and non-Christians alike. Every Roman Catholic should read this book; and everyone with the least interest in what shaped our world today will learn from it.