St. Robert Bellarmine is perhaps one of the greatest controversial writers of all time. Though a humble, short and unassuming Italian Jesuit, he came to dominate the European theological scene until the time when the loss of Latinity relegated him to a more general obscurity. On the Marks of the Church is the 4th book of Bellarmine's 2nd volume of the Controversies. In it, he proposes 15 Marks all of which are an extension of the 4 marks which are put forth in the Nicene-Constantinoplan Creed. In proposing each mark, Bellarmine examines what it entails, how it is proved in the history of the Church and how it disproves the teachings of Protestantism. This is more than an apologetic work, however, as it also brings to the fore many important distinctions of consequence in Theology. Cardinal Franzelin taught, in his work De Divina Traditione, that the teaching of the Theologians often serves as a foundation for later Ex Cathedra definitions of Popes and Councils. Just as St. Thomas Aquinas featured so prominently at the Council of Trent so also Bellarmine, more than any other theologian influenced Vatican I. In On the Marks of the Church, Bellarmine proposes 15 Marks of the True Church, Catholicity; Antiquity; Long Duration; The Multitude of Believers; Apostolic Succession of Bishops; Agreement with the Ancient Church; The Unity of the Church; The Holiness of Doctrine; The Efficacy of Doctrine; Holiness of the Fathers; The Glory of Miracles; The Light of Prophecy; Confession of our Adversaries; The Unhappy End of Those who Oppose the Church; and at length, The Happiness of Those who Defend the Church. In proposing these Marks, Bellarmine presents what they entail, how the Catholic Church is described by each of these Marks, and refutes Protestant teaching or attacks upon these specific Marks, in his usual style of quoting the Protestant author at length and in context, then refuting their arguments with the clear light of Holy Scripture and the Church Fathers. In this highly readable translation, provided by Ryan Grant (The Translator for the Canisius Catechism), you can read firsthand Bellarmine's mastery of the Scripture and the Fathers as he combats the errors of his day which, more often than not, are the errors of our own day or at least their root. It is the first of what will constitute a full translation of all of the Controversies which will be available from Mediatrix Press.

On the Marks of the Church (De Controversiis)

Religion & Spirituality

Bellarmine, S.J. St. Robert

Christian Books & Bibles

Mediatrix Press

"Mr. Grant is able to retain the scholastic edge along with the accuracy of the translation while preserving a sense of the author's style."-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhDFor the first time in history, St. Robert Bellarmine's work, De Romano Pontifice, On the Roman Pontiff, has been translated and made available in English!In this Theological treatise St. Robert Bellarmine takes on Protestant as well as Greek Orthodox objections to the Papacy.This Volume contains books 1 and 2. These two books are occupied with the following:First, that Christ established the Primacy of Peter by means of an Ecclesiastical Monarchy, which takes up subjects as diverse as: What is the best form of government? Why it is fitting the Church's government should be a monarchy; Exegetical Commentary on the Lord's words in Matthew 16 and John 21, along with copious Patristic testimony.The second subject which is taken up in Book 2 is whether Peter has successors in the Ecclesiastical Monarchy, wherein Bellarmine defends the Church's position on: The true history of Peter; that Peter truly went to Rome; that Peter was truly a Bishop there; that upon his death he was succeeded by men in the Ecclesiastical monarchy, as well as its proof from the Fathers, then through all the refutations, Bellarmine asks what would happen if the Pope were a heretic.This important work was foundational to the thought of the Council Fathers at Vatican I, where Bellarmine enjoyed as great a prestige as St. Thomas Aquinas at the Council of Trent. This is the Second Revised Edition.For more information, visit: http://www.mediatrixpress.com

On the Roman Pontiff

This little work is an excerpt from Bellarmine's larger treatise On the Roman Pontiff, book 4, which follows after the assertion of what was already universally taught at that time, but not completely understood nor decreed by the Church's solemn magisterium, that the Pope was infallible in his teaching on faith and morals when teaching the whole Church. These chapters then, being 8-14 of that work, follow to test and prove this claim historically, wherein he posits exculpatory evidence against claims that 40 Popes had grievously erred in matters of faith. Much as with the doctrine of Papal infallibility itself, St. Robert Bellarmine does not endeavor to show the impeccability of Popes, rather that in matters of faith, where the Popes are actually authoritative, they did not err. Some matters treated here are the objection of certain Protestants, while others are even of Catholics who are confused on the decrees or behavior of certain Popes. These chapters were used as a blueprint at Vatican I by the fathers of that Council to further scrutinize these cases and be sure of the limits and nature of papal authority. Bellarmine thus lays out four basic propositions; Two of these Catholics must believe with divine faith per the subsequent decree of Vatican I (which was no less incumbent upon the believer in Bellarmine’s time, though then it were the universal teaching of all theologians), namely that the Pope is infallible when judging matters of Faith and Morals and defining these as matters that must be believed by all the faithful. This particular distinction is important, for the Pope, outside of this very narrow category, does not enjoy infallibility, thus in private letters, private teaching, their acts, behavior, etc., Popes can give scandal, they can give opinions that are in fact false, but they cannot teach the whole Church and bind it to believe error. To quote Bellarmine himself: "For to this point no Pope has been a heretic, or certainly it cannot be proven that any of them were heretics; therefore it is a sign that such a thing cannot be.” (On the Roman Pontiff, book 4, ch. 6.) In this treatise Bellarmine endeavors to show that this is the case.

Papal Error?: A Defense of Popes Said to Have Erred in Faith

In the 16th century, the chief doctrine of the Protestant reformers was that the Pope was the Antichrist. Thus St. Robert Bellarmine, the greatest controversial author of the Reformation period, turned his pen to answering the challenge which resulted in a complete demolition of their position. Bellarmine's argumentation begins first with Scripture, then with the Fathers of the Church, then with appeals to reason and the later Theologians. He first shows that the Protestant explication does not match up to the texts of Scripture that treat on the Antichrist, then he shows that the Pope cannot be Antichrist since Antichrist has not yet come, giving proofs from the Old and New Testaments and then the Fathers, along with the contradictions of the Protestants themselves. He continues with a discussion of 666, the mark of Antichrist and many other things that not only defend the Church, but also show the positive teaching of the Church Fathers and the Tradition in regard to Antichrist.
"I am delighted that the eschatological mission of the Holy Fathers Enoch and Elias, so well testified to in Sacred Tradition, but virtually forgotten in our day and age, will become more widely known. We owe a real debt of gratitude to Ryan Grant for bringing this work to a wider audience. I pray that it receives a very wide reading." -Fr. Philip Wolfe, FSSP
"In the history of the writings about the Antichrist, other than the Fathers, the text of St. Robert Bellarmine is of prime importance." -Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD
"Mr. Grant has once again done the Catholic world a great favor by making available yet another mini-treatise of the great Counter-Reformation Doctor, St. Robert Bellarmine, rightly feared by all the Protestant controversialists as one who shreds every anti-Catholic argument with cogent reasoning and an encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture and Tradition. This translation of the saint's probing commentary on the identity and work of Antichrist is more pertinent than ever, not only because the Protestant arguments he is dealing with have never entirely disappeared, but also because we are living in an age of exponentially intensifying evil that might well make many Catholics wonder if we are living in the end times. Since Antichrist is the very herald of the end times, it behooves us to study carefully his features and characteristics, as drawn for us by St. Paul and other inspired authors." -Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, Wyoming Catholic College
Here is a timely book for an age when many are looking around for the Antichrist, often seeing foreshadowings of him here and there. Is he alive? Is he walking the earth? In seeking to answer these questions, many in the past (i.e., various Protestants leaders and writers) have actually aided his coming by becoming Antichrist themselves. To avoid this pitfall, read this excellent book penned by a holy doctor of the Church. —Fr. Sean Kopczynski, MSJB

Antichrist

"Mr. Grant is able to retain the scholastic edge along with the accuracy of the translation while preserving a sense of the author's style."-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhDIn this volume we see again Bellarmine’s splendid argumentation, based first of all in Holy Scripture, strengthened by the consensus of the Church Fathers and buttressed by arguments from later Theologians and reason.In book 3, Bellarmine shows the many contradictions and faulty reasoning used by the first Protestants in arguing that the Pope is Antichrist while also giving exposition to the authentic understanding of the passages of Scripture that speak of Antichrist. After covering presenting the testimony of Scripture and the Fathers on the signs that must precede Antichrist, Bellarmine shows how none of this agrees with the Roman Pontiff. He also refutes the fable of “Pope Joan”.In book 4, Bellarmine argues why the Pope is infallible when he defines on faith and morals and proceeds to defend Popes whom Protestants and others argued had erred while defining faith. He continues to a discussion of law, and why it is not contrary to the Gospel for the Pope (or a Bishop over his diocese), to make laws that bind the faithful, refuting the teaching of John Calvin.In book 5, Bellarmine takes up the question of the Popes power in civil affairs. Protestants had argued that the Pope tyrannously usurped the rights of sovereigns and that they meant to rule the world directly in civil affairs, while some canonists overly attached to a more medieval view were of a similar persuasion. He then proceeds to demonstrate that the Pope’s temporal is indirect, that he can intervene for the sake of the faith when excommunicating sovereigns. The protestants argued that a Bishop could not also be a temporal prince. This point is interesting in light of the fact that many, perhaps even most Catholics today hold to a position similar to the Protestant view Bellarmine refutes in this book.This second volume completes the first ever English translation of this whole work.

"Mr. Grant is able to retain the scholastic edge along with the accuracy of the translation while preserving a sense of the author's style."
-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD
For the first time in history, St. Robert Bellarmine's work, De Romano Pontifice, On the Roman Pontiff, has been translated and made available in English!
In this Theological treatise St. Robert Bellarmine takes on Protestant as well as Greek Orthodox objections to the Papacy in five books.In the first, he argues that Christ established the Primacy of Peter by means of an Ecclesiastical Monarchy, which takes up subjects as diverse as: What is the best form of government? Why it is fitting that the Church's government should be a monarchy; Exegetical Commentary on the Lord's words in Matthew 16 and John 21, along with copious Patristic testimony.
In Book 2 is whether Peter has successors in the Ecclesiastical Monarchy, wherein Bellarmine defends the Church's position on the true history of Peter; that Peter truly went to Rome; that Peter was truly a Bishop there; that upon his death he was succeeded by men in the Ecclesiastical monarchy, as well as its proof from the Fathers, then through all the refutations, Bellarmine asks what would happen if the Pope were a heretic.
In book 3, Bellarmine shows the many contradictions and faulty reasoning used by the first Protestants in arguing that the Pope is Antichrist while also giving exposition to the authentic understanding of the passages of Scripture that speak of Antichrist. After presenting the testimony of Scripture and the Fathers on the signs that must precede Antichrist, Bellarmine shows how none of this agrees with the Roman Pontiff. He also refutes the fable of “Pope Joan”.
In book 4, Bellarmine argues why the Pope is infallible when he defines a doctrine on faith and morals and proceeds to defend Popes whom Protestants and others argued had erred while defining faith. He continues to a discussion of law, and why it is not contrary to the Gospel for the Pope (or a Bishop over his diocese), to make laws that bind the faithful, refuting the teaching of John Calvin.
In book 5, Bellarmine takes up the question of the Popes' power in civil affairs. Protestants had argued that the Pope tyrannously usurped the rights of sovereigns and that they meant to rule the world directly in civil affairs, while some canonists overly attached to a more medieval view were of a similar persuasion on the positive side. He then proceeds to demonstrate that the Pope’s temporal power is indirect and that he can intervene for the sake of the faith when excommunicating sovereigns, but not for political reasons. The protestants argued that a Bishop could not be a temporal prince and Bishop at the same time, which Bellarmine soundly refutes from Scripture and Tradition.
 This first ever English translation also has many historical notes on terms, persons, Greek and Latin syntax and other things to aid the reader. The value of the work is not merely apologetic—Bellarmine's treatise also laid down insights into Catholic teaching that were foundational not only for later Theologians but even for Vatican I.

On the Roman Pontiff: In Five Books (De Controversiis)

St. Robert Bellarmine's theological writings on the Church of Christ constitute an invaluable treasure not only for Catholics, but for the commonweal and eternal salvation of humanity itself. This is no slight exaggeration. His is the very first independent theological and dogmatic treatise on the Church. Patristic and medieval Catholic authors treated on the mystery of the Church, to be sure; but they provided no free-standing treatment de ecclesia. Bellarmine’s is the first and the best of its kind.
From the Foreword
St. Robert Bellarmine's On the Church Militant is the first ever English language translation of his treatise De Ecclesia Militante, dealing with questions such as, what is the Church? Who is in the Church? How do we define it? Not only does Bellarmine define it, he refutes false notions of the Church, such as the Protestant contention that the Church is invisible, as well as ancient heresies that bear upon the modern debate such as, are only the good in the Church? Are sinners also in the Church?
As always, Bellarmine answers the question directly from Scripture, the Fathers and right reason to show us clearly that there is a visible Church composed of those united in the same profession of faith and unity of the Sacraments, irrespective of their interior disposition.
This is the latest from the Bellarmine translation project, which aims to translate the whole of Bellarmine's De Controversiis into English. For more info, visit http://www.mediatrixpress.com.

On the Church Militant

Doctrina Christiana: The Timeless Catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine

This catechism can be considered as a valid and effective catechetical tool for the work of the evangelization, a work which has to be realized with a new missionary zeal towards those who don’t know the Catholic faith and as well towards those who know it defectively and insufficiently.May those who will read this catechism and those who will use it in the noble and meritorious work of teaching Christian doctrine, may be equipped with the sure and sacred doctrine of the Catholic faith, in order to stand, having their loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, they shall take the shield of faith, wherewith they shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (cf. Eph 6: 14-16). In this way they will be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks them the reason of their hope, with meekness and fear (cf. 1 Peter 3: 15-16).-Bishop Athanasius Schneider, from the ForewordFor the first time, St. Robert Bellarmine’s long Catechism, written in the form of a dialogue, has been made available in the English Language.This Catechism was composed by St. Robert Bellarmine in 1598 and received Papal approbation from several Popes, most notably Pope Clement VIII and one of the greatest theologians to ever sit on the throne of St. Peter, Pope Benedict XIV. It was translated into Latin for use throughout the Church and has run through a number of editions throughout the centuries. Being written as a dialogue, it goes beyond the rote memorization of other catechisms (including that of Baltimore) by giving a deep explanation of the teachings of the faith with comparisons and parables.What is wholesome about this Catechism is not only the soundness of its doctrine, but the warmth that a great theologian that was accustomed to dealing with complicated matters of theology descends to lovingly explain the basic truths of faith in a manner that average laity can easily understand. It is not for nothing that St. Robert was made the Patron of all Catechists!

St. Robert Bellarmine's work in defense of the saints, their place in heaven, their canonization and veneration, etc., ranks like all of his works among the classical works of Catholic Theology. In this work, Bellarmine meets the attack of Protestantism against Catholic teaching on the saints, firstly on their own ground with sound Scriptural Exegesis, backed up by the witness of the Greek and Latin Church. The great counter-reformation doctor begins the work with a treatise on whether the souls of the saints receive a particular judgment and go to heaven or await for the end of time suspended as it were in some hidden place; then what canonization is, who does it and what is its authority; then lastly, whether the saints may be venerated and invoked.

On the Canonization and Veneration of the Saints

Independently published

This catechism can be considered as a valid and effective catechetical tool for the work of the evangelization, a work which has to be realized with a new missionary zeal towards those who don't know the Catholic faith and as well towards those who know it defectively and insufficiently. May those who will read this catechism and those who will use it in the noble and meritorious work of teaching Christian doctrine, may be equipped with the sure and sacred doctrine of the Catholic faith, in order to stand, having their loins girt about with truth. -Bishop Athanasius Schneider This is the first English translation of St. Robert Bellarmine's Long Catechism, which follows a traditional question and answer model but gives deep meditations on the truths of faith. It was written for students with some education as well as for those who would teach Catechism. It was explicitly approved by Pope Clement VIII and praised by Pope Benedict XIV and Pius XI. St. Robert Bellarmine is a doctor of the Church.

Schneider, Bishop Athanasius

Grant, Ryan

lulu.com

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bellarmine, S.J. St. Robert. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Bellarmine, S.J. St. Robert

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bellarmine, S.J. St. Robert. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

On the Marks of the Church (De Controversiis)

On the Roman Pontiff

Papal Error?: A Defense of Popes Said to Have Erred in Faith

Antichrist

On the Roman Pontiff

On the Roman Pontiff: In Five Books (De Controversiis)

On the Church Militant

Doctrina Christiana: The Timeless Catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine

On the Canonization and Veneration of the Saints

Doctrina Christiana: The Timeless Catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine