The Mystical Body of Christ

by Fulton J. Sheen

Overview

First published in 1935, The Mystical Body of Christ is a groundbreaking contribution to ecclesiology—the study of the Church—from one of the most beloved evangelists of the modern world.

In a culture where an increasing number of people identify as “spiritual but not religious,” The Mystical Body remains as timely as ever. With the typical wit and insight that made him a household name, Fulton J. Sheen draws believers into a deeper understanding of their own role in the great communion of saints.     

Addressing topics such as the Eucharist, the Incarnation, social justice, and priestly scandals, Sheen artfully guides readers through the Scriptures and the rich Catholic theological tradition to demonstrate the inseparability of Christ and his Church. The Church is not a roadblock to encountering Christ, Sheen argues, but rather the living Body of Christ himself. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780870612947
Publisher:	Ave Maria Press
Publication date:	03/09/2015
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979) was bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, and a celebrated media personality. He authored over seventy books, and his radio program The Catholic Hour and television series Life Is Worth Living garnered millions of listeners. 

Bishop Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award-winning documentary about the Catholic faith. On July 21, 2015, Pope Francis announced his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and on June 2, 2022, he appointed Bishop Barron the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnesota). Ordained in 1986 in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Bishop Barron received a master’s degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 1982 and a doctorate in sacred theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris in 1992. 

Brandon Vogt is the Senior Publishing Director for Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. He is a bestselling author of ten books. He serves as President of the Central Florida Chesterton Society and lives with his wife and seven children on a farm outside of Orlando, FL. 

Table of Contents

Foreword Very Reverend Robert E. Barron, S.T.D ix

introduction to the New Edition Brandon Vogt xv

Author's Introduction 1

I The Whole Christ 11

II The Mystical Body 23

III The Head of the Body 53

IV The Soul of the Church 71

V Scandals 99

VI Infallibility 113

VII The Authority of the Church 131

VIII The Priesthood of the Church 147

IX The Individual and the Mystical Body 163

X The Prolongation of the Christ-Life 177

XI The Communion of Saints 191

XII Reparation 203

XIII The Expansion of the Mystical Body 215

XIV The Mother of the Mystical Body 223

XV The Sacrifice of the Mystical Body 237

XVI The Eucharist and the Unity of the Mystical Body 251

XVII The Fullness of Christ 269

XVIII Catholic Action and the Mystical Body 281

Notes 291

Editorial Reviews

Fulton Sheen’s The Mystical Body of Christ remains a serious and significant contribution to the Mystical Body theology of the twentieth century. And it provides an intriguing glimpse into the subtle and theologically acute mind of the greatest Catholic evangelist of the twentieth century.” 

Bishop Robert Barron

We know Christ best as Peter, Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Catherine, Newman, Thérèse, and millions of Christians have come to know him throughout history: through his Body. In a world bent on separating Jesus from his Church, Christ from his Body, Sheen’s masterful book bridges that divide, affirming that the two are really one.”  

Brandon Vogt