Church history

Discover U.S. Catholic articles on church history that highlight social justice, reform, and the diverse voices that have shaped Catholic tradition.

What is purgatory?

The rich young man who approaches Jesus in Matthew’s gospel already keeps the commandments. He wants to know if he should do more to have eternal life. “If you...

What is a scapular?

Decades ago, it was common in some communities for Catholic children to be clothed with a brown scapular when they received their first communion. The...

What is gnosticism?

A young man approaches Jesus and asks, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus tells him to follow the commandments and love God and his...