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Audiobook edition · 14 h 2 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What do Catholics believe—and what reasons does a bishop give to readers who doubt his Church?
In The Faith of Our Fathers, James Gibbons answers the honest questions and old suspicions he encounters as a Catholic bishop in North Carolina. Writing for ordinary readers, he begins with a central question: what kind of Church does Jesus establish? His reply builds a case for Catholic belief through Scripture and early Christian writers.
Gibbons moves from the Church’s authority and Peter’s role to the relationship between Scripture and tradition. He then explores sacraments, saints, purgatory, and Catholic loyalty in a free republic. His tone stays calm and courteous, but his purpose is clear: this is a defense of his faith, not a neutral survey of Christianity.
What you’ll discover
- A Church with lasting authority Follow Gibbons’s argument for a visible Church, recognized through the four marks of the creed.
- Scripture beside tradition Explore why Gibbons treats the Bible and inherited teaching as belonging together.
- Difficult terms made clear Examine what Gibbons means by infallibility, tradition, and the real presence.
- Worship under close examination Consider his explanations of sacraments, purgatory, prayers to saints, and religious images.
- Faith in a free republic Discover how Gibbons answers fears about Catholic allegiance and argues for loyal American citizenship.
Who will love it
This book suits readers curious about what Catholics believe and why, and anyone who likes an argument built from Scripture, the early Fathers and history.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Hear the Church before judging her
- One faith needs a visible unity
- Holiness does not mean flawless members
- Worldwide reach joins an apostolic inheritance
- Scripture needs a living interpreter
- Peter's office continues through the popes
- Love and honor continue beyond death
- Faith must be freely held
- The claims form a connected whole
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The Faith of Our Fathers
by James Gibbons · 1876
A missionary in Virginia answers charges against his Church point by point for readers who know only critics.
Medium level5–10 hours to read2 languages
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In short
What would you think of a church if you had only ever heard its enemies describe it? That is the question James Gibbons puts to the reader of The Faith of Our Fathers.
The Faith of Our Fathers at a glance
- Reading time
- About 7 h 45 min6 h 10 min fast, 9 h 15 min slow
- Length
- 110,800 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1876by James Gibbons
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Judge the Church by her own witnesses
Gibbons opens with a fair question. Where did you first learn what Catholics believe? Many of his neighbors took their picture from novels such as the one by Maria Monk, from illustrated papers, and from Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
He offers a comparison from the Civil War. Some Northern papers painted Southerners as men who settled quarrels with pistols. A fair visitor would travel south, live among the people, and judge by what he saw. Gibbons asks for the same fairness toward the Catholic Church.
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- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 13 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1876
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Gibbons, James. The Faith of Our Fathers. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-faith-of-our-fathers.
Gibbons, J. (2026). The faith of our fathers. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-faith-of-our-fathers (Original work published 1876)
Gibbons, James. The Faith of Our Fathers. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-faith-of-our-fathers.
@book{gibbons2026faith,
author = {Gibbons, James},
title = {The Faith of Our Fathers},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-faith-of-our-fathers},
note = {First published 1876}
}
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What is The Faith of Our Fathers about?
It is a clear explanation and defense of Catholic belief. Gibbons describes the marks of the true Church, the role of the Pope, the saints and Mary, and the sacraments, supporting each with Scripture, early Church writers and history.
Who was James Gibbons and when did he write it?
Gibbons was a Catholic bishop who later became Archbishop of Baltimore and a cardinal. He wrote the book as a missionary in Virginia and North Carolina, and it was published in 1876, then revised in many later editions.
Who is the book written for?
It is addressed to Protestant neighbors and curious readers who know the Church only through critics. Catholics can use it as a guide to what they believe. Its plain style and many examples keep it approachable.
The author
James Gibbons
1834–1921 · American Catholic cardinal
James Gibbons (1834–1921) was an American Catholic bishop and cardinal. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and died there. He served as archbishop of Baltimore from 1877 until 1921 and became a cardinal in 1886. He wrote The Faith of Our Fathers, which was first published in 1876.
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