Choice Review

Burns (sociology, Princeton Univ.) examines ideological change in the Roman Catholic church since the first Vatican Council (1869-70), which set as doctrine the infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals. Burns argues that the loss of temporal power required such a shift, with the result that in theory the papacy and church hierarchy have divorced themselves from politics. Burns shows that in reality the shift, which now emphasizes morals over faith, increased the hierarchy's power. Using primarily the US and Latin America as examples, he demonstrates that this ideological change has produced confusion when the church defines as moral issues what others see as political (e.g., abortion). Burns also argues that preservation of the church as an institution, not pastoral needs or concerns, has consistently been the primary motivating factor in determining the papacy's ideological stance in the 20th century. A solid analysis of tensions in Catholicism and the nature of ideological change. Of interest to students of religious history and the interplay of religious and cultural forces. Undergraduate, graduate, faculty, general. C. H. Lippy; Clemson University