First published in German in 1952, Professor Ludwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma instantly became an indispensable reference for priests, teachers and families. Recognized as the greatest summary of Catholic dogma ever put between two covers. A one-volume encyclopedia of Catholic doctrine. Tells exactly what the Church teaches on any particular topic, when the pronouncement was made and gives the source.

Comprehensive yet concise, it provides in a single large volume clear explanations of every Catholic doctrinal teaching-along with their foundations in Scripture, Tradition, Church councils, papal pronouncements, and the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. And unlike any other compendium of doctrine before or since, it provides the "Theological Grade of Certainty" for every teaching it contains. Now this timeless masterwork is available in durable hardcover for the first time in decades.

Ott begins with an introduction to the science of theology itself, explaining its principles, methods, vocabulary, and system of classification. He also shows you how to distinguish the Catholic understanding of the "development of dogma" from the heretical version, and how to differentiate the three kinds of Catholic truth and the six grades of theological certainty. The book is organized into five major sections, covering the entire range of Catholic teaching according to the divisions of traditional catechesis:

The Unity of God: His Existence and Nature
God the Creator
The Doctrine of God the Redeemer
The Doctrine of God the Sanctifier
The Doctrine of God the Consummator

HUNDREDS of topics fall under these headings:

I. THE UNITY OF GOD: HIS EXISTANCE AND NATURE topics include: The Natural Knowability of the Existence of God Proofs of God's Existence * Errors Regarding the Knowability of God's Existence (e.g., atheism) * God's Existence as an Object of Faith * The Nature of God * The Attributes or Qualities of God * The Doctrine of the Triune God * The Antitrinitarian Heresies * Proof of the Existence of the Trinity from Scripture and Tradition * Speculative Explanation of the Internal-Divine Processions * The Relation of the Trinity to Reason.

II. GOD THE CREATOR-topics include: The Divine Act of Creation * Motive and Purpose of the Creation of the World * The Trinity and Creation * Freedom of the Divine Act of Creation * The Temporal Character of the World * The Continuous Preservation and Governing of the World * Revealed Doctrine concerning Material Things, i.e., Christian Cosmology * The Doctrine of Evolution in the Light of the Revelation * The Origin of the First Human Pair and the Unity of the Human Race * The Essential Constituent Parts of Human Nature '' The Origin of the Individual Human Souls * The Relation between Nature and Supernature * The Supernatural Endowment of the First Man * The Various States of Human Nature * The Fall * Original Sin * The Lot of Children Dying in Original Sin * Angelology.

III. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD THE REDEEMER-topics include: The Historical Existence of Jesus Christ * The Two Natures in Christ * Christ's True Humanity * The Adamite Origin of Christ's Human Nature * The Hypostatic Union * Attributes of Christ's Human Nature * Christ's Infused Knowledge and Acquired Knowledge * Christ's Sinlessness and Impeccability * Christ's Capacity for Suffering * The Purpose of the Incarnation * Redemption through Christ '' The Three Offices of Christ * Christ's Vicarious Atonement * Christ's Descent into Hell * Christ's Resurrection * Christ's Ascension * Immaculate Conception * Mary's Freedom from Evil Concupiscence and from Personal Sin Mary's Perpetual Virginity * Mary's Bodily Assumption into Heaven * Mary's Co-operation in the Work of Redemption * The Mediatorship of Mary* The Veneration of Mary.

IV. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD THE SANCTIFIER-topics include: Doctrine of Grace * Classification of Grace *' Principal Errors Concerning Grace * The Necessity of Grace * The Distribution of Grace Predestination * Reprobation * Grace and Freedom *' Heresies Concerning Grace Justification * Sanctifying Grace * Actual Grace * The State of Grace * The Doctrine Concerning Merit * The Divine Origin of the Church * The Purpose of the Church * The Constitution of the Church * The Primacy of St. Peter * Papal Primacy * Papal Infallibility * The Bishops * Christ and the Church * The Holy Ghost and the Church * Essential Attributes of the Church * The Necessity for Membership in the Church * The Communion of Saints * The Communion of the Faithful * Poor Souls in Purgatory * The Nature of the Sacraments * The Efficacy and Effects of the Sacraments * The Sevenfold Nature of the Sacraments * The Necessity of the Sacraments * The Minister and Recipient of the Sacraments * Sacramentals * Baptism * Confirmation * The Eucharist * The Real Presence * Transubstantiation ' The Sacrificial Nature of the Mass * Penance * The Church's Power to Forgive Sins * Contrition * The Necessity of Confession * Sacramental Satisfaction * Absolution Indulgences * Extreme Unction * Holy Orders * Matrimony.

V. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD THE CONSUMMATOR topics include: The Doctrine of the Last Things (Eschatology) * Death * The Particular Judgment *Heaven * Hell * Purgatory * The Second Coming of Christ * The Resurrection of the Dead * The General Judgment * The End of the World.

544 pp. sewn hardcover, detailed table of contents with over 250 entries, 18-page index of Old and New Testament (the best of its kind ever compiled), Index of Persons, Index of Subjects and an extensive Bibliography. Definitely one of our most important books!!