History and Theology of Grace

John Hardon, S.J.

What is Grace? Among the mysteries of Catholicism, none is more practically important than the doctrine of grace. It is at the very heart of Christianity because it describes the panorama of God's dealings with mankind. However the doctrine of grace is not simple, as may be seen from the sequence of errors in the understanding of grace seen along the path of the Church's history. In History and Theology of Grace, Fr. John Hardon provides:

• a rich and detailed summary of the Church's understanding of grace
• a well-ordered historical account of how the Church's understanding of grace developed
• an overview of the heresies on the doctrine of grace that have emerged throughout Church history
• an explanation of how the theology of grace impacts every aspect of Christian religion.

Fr. Hardon reminds all Catholics of the integral role grace plays in our daily lives and how a clear grasp of the basic principles of grace is useful, and may at times be indispensable, for directing oneself and others on the road to salvation.