Church History

Name: Church History
Brand: TAN Bookshttps://tanbooks.com/

by TAN Bookshttps://tanbooks.com/

Religious_studiesGrades 10–12

Church History: Comprehensive Traditional Catholic Historical Survey

Church History is a 650+ page text by Father Laux covering nearly 2,000 years of Catholic Church history from preparation for Christ through Pope Pius XII (1929). Written for upper high school, college, and adult readers, it provides extensive coverage of major events, figures, and developments in Catholic history.

Best for

Traditional Catholic schools or homeschool families seeking comprehensive church history content, particularly those able to dedicate two years or integrate with other subjects

Evaluation Criteria

2 strengths · 3 concerns · 1 neutral

Historical ContextStrength

Strong emphasis on historical context with comprehensive chronological coverage from ancient times through the mid-20th century.

Begins with 'preparation of the world for the coming of Our Lord' and continues chronologically through major historical periods including Crusades, Inquisition, Protestant Reformation, and Catholic Reformation

Theological KnowledgeStrength

The curriculum builds systematic knowledge of Catholic Church development including doctrinal controversies and theological developments.

Covers 'early Church Fathers, the Roman persecutions, the great heresies, the conversions of many nations' and other major theological developments systematically

Teacher TrainingConcern

No evidence of teacher training materials or instructional support beyond the text itself.

Review mentions only the text and its content, with no reference to teacher guides, professional development, or pedagogical resources

Direct InstructionConcern

Appears to be primarily a textbook for reading rather than a structured curriculum with guided instruction components.

Described as 'a text written for upper high school and college courses as well as for adult reading' with no mention of teacher guides or instructional support

Primary Text EngagementConcern

The curriculum appears to rely primarily on Father Laux's narrative text rather than direct engagement with primary historical sources.

Review describes it as a comprehensive text covering church history topics but does not mention students reading original documents, papal encyclicals, or writings of Church Fathers

Vocabulary BuildingNeutral

Likely includes theological and historical vocabulary through comprehensive coverage, though explicit vocabulary instruction is not specified.

Text is 'well indexed, making it easy for reference use' suggesting technical terms are present, but no mention of explicit vocabulary development

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com