Thomas Joseph WHITE, OP. The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2017. pp. 316. $15.32 pb. IBSN 9780813229713. Reviewed by Christopher OSTERTAG, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Throughout this wonderful introduction to Catholicism, Fr. White beautifully blends theology and philosophy, scripture and tradition, to outline both the intelligibility and the mystery of the Catholic faith. Being an introduction, breadth, not depth, wins the day; yet, through his clear writing and intentional structure throughout the book, Fr. White takes the reader on a deep dive into the Catholic faith.

This book contains seven chapters: (1) Revelation and Reason, (2) God and Trinity, (3) Creation and the Human Person, (4) Incarnation and Atonement, (5) The Church, (6) Social Doctrine, and (7) The Last Things. Preceding these chapters is an introduction on the Catholic intellectual life and Fr. White ends his book with an epilogue on prayer. These bookend discussions on the Catholic intellectual life and prayer together constitute a recurring motif of the very Catholic balance between reason and faith, metaphysics and mystery, logic and grace. On the whole, this introduction tends toward the intellectual, providing sketches of familiar arguments for the existence of God and discussions of human nature and the hierarchy of being—but the countervailing mysteries of the faith are present and the frequent incorporation of Scripture and the Church fathers reminds the reader that one does not have to be a philosopher to appreciate the reasonableness of the Catholic faith.

In his chapter on social doctrine, Fr. White does not shy from both perennial and contemporary debates. He begins this chapter by acknowledging that Catholicism has always been controversial insofar as Catholic social doctrine stands in stark contrast to the mores of the secular state. While concepts like “justice,” the “common good,” and  “intrinsic dignity” have substantial meaning in the Catholic tradition, Fr. White illuminates the ways in which these and other concepts can be drawn out of an understanding of the natural law tradition and enriched through theological reflection. Similarly, the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexuality are best understood by appreciating both the natural law tradition and the graces bestowed upon couples who cooperate with God and remain open to life in their marriages, thereby sanctifying their lives and providing beautiful Christian witness for their communities. This chapter on social doctrine also includes balanced and clear discussion about contemporary debates on capital punishment, just war, and religious freedom. While those especially interested in these topics need to do further reading elsewhere, Fr. White’s introduction does an excellent job indicating where points of tension remain and he often provides specific sources for further reading.

One of the impressive aspects of this introduction to Catholicism is Fr. White’s use of footnotes throughout. Often, books tend to one extreme or the other—where the reader is either bombarded with sources and notes or left without any guidance for further reading. Fr. White’s The Light of Christincludes a balanced number of references to Scripture, St. Thomas, the Church fathers, and contemporary works in philosophy and theology. For interested readers, Fr. White includes a chronological list of recommended readings from Ignatius of Antioch to St. John Paul II; this diverse list of historical sources illuminates the greater Catholic tradition for which this text is an introduction. A helpful index follows the complete bibliography of the book.