Hans Kung's The Catholic Church: A Short History is a small masterpiece of historical and theological writing. Kung fairly and comprehensively presents almost 2,000 years of Church history in a mere 207 pages. He begins with Jesus, who "radiated a democratic spirit in the best sense of the word" and "did not proclaim a church, nor did he proclaim himself, but the kingdom of God." Throughout, in his analysis of every phase of Church history, Kung builds a case for a populist church, challenging the idea of a hierarchical Roman Catholic Church led by an infallible pope. The book concludes with a harsh analysis of the Church's betrayal of Vatican II. Kung, the primary writer of Vatican II, was censured by the Vatican in 1979 for questioning Church doctrine and banned from teaching as a Catholic theologian. Here, Kung levels particular criticism toward Pope John Paul II, whose primary accomplishment, he argues, has been to revive a "conservative and authoritarian" spirit in the Church. The pope's conservative views on the ordination of women, sexual morality, mixed marriages, and ecumenism draw Kung's fire. He calls for nothing less than a new Vatican council in order to bring the Church hierarchy back in line with the Church faithful.

Kung, the director of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Tubingen, Germany, is a prominent but independent Catholic theologian and prolific author. Here, he attempts a new approach to the introduction-to-theology genre by critically tracing the developing thought of key, usually "paradigm-shifting," theologians (Paul, Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Schleiermacher, and Karl Barth) in relation to their social, intellectual, and religious environment. He explores the significance of their life and work for the Christian world in an interesting, quite understandable manner. The translation is a smooth, lively English. Readers of this fair and thought-provoking survey, whether curious lay readers or beginning seminary students, will be inspired to delve into the well-chosen chapter bibliographies and extensive references.

Hans Küng is undoubtedly one of the most important theologians of our time, but he has always been a controversial figure, and as the result of a much-publicized clash over papal infallibility had his permission to teach revoked by the Vatican. Yet at seventy-five years of age Küng is also something of a senior statesman, one of the "Group of Eminent Persons" convened by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and a friend of heads of government like Britain's Tony Blair and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.  In this fascinating autobiography Küng gives a frank and outspoken account of the first four decades of his life. He tells of his youth in Switzerland and his decision to become a priest, of his doubts and struggles as he studied in Rome and Paris, and of his experiences as a professor in Tübingen, where he received a chair at the early age of thirty-one. Most importantly, as one of the last surviving eyewitnesses of Vatican II, Küng gives an authentic account of the conflicts behind the scenes. Here it becomes clear just how major an influence he was, to the point of shaping the Council's agenda and drafting speeches for bishops to deliver in plenary sessions. Küng's book offers an acute analysis, compelling in its drama, of meetings with presidents like John F. Kennedy, popes like John XXIII and Paul VI, great theologians like Karl Barth and Karl Rahner, and journeys around the world. With its rich thought and vivid narrative, it paints a moving picture of Küng's personal convictions, including his relentless struggle for a Christianity characterized not by the domination of an official church but by Jesus.

One of this century's most prominent and outspoken theologians affirms the vitality and uniqueness of Christianity by tracing it back to the reality of the historical Christ.

Amazon reader review: One can admire the output of this leading theological writer. Over 78 entries along on Amazon.com. This book's thesis is yet another extension of the modernist mindset, that just as science as learned that truth develops and matures as it progresses, so should theology. He interestingly hypothesizes that the real turning point in history was Luther succeeding in his argument with Erasmus over original sin. For one who doesn't confess the inerrancy of Scripture, Kung easily feels the mistake lies with the church going with Luther. That's the prevailing case in his argument, shift the paradigm to reflect where current critical scholarship is on Scripture.