Why Catholicism in Australia has failed to maintain its relevance despite widespread evidence of a hunger for meaning, values and a renewed sense of community.
Despite a new hunger for meaning, values and a sense of community in Australia, it is clear that the established churches have failed to capture the public imagination. 'A Long Way From Rome' casts a critical eye on Catholicism in Australia today, arguing that the richness of the Catholic tradition has become constrained by its own organisational imperatives.
Chris McGillion has gathered some of the most influential and innovative writers on religion in Australia today: Morag Fraser, Paul Collins, Damian Grace and Michael Mullins. They argue that Catholicism has become self-absorbed, unwilling to engage with the world.
Looking beyond the statistics, they examine how ordinary Catholics express their faith, and why so many of them don't care what the Pope says. They also explore the devastating impact of ongoing accusations of child sexual abuse by priests.
This provocative analysis will appeal to anyone concerned about the state of the Catholic Church.
