Description
HISTORY OF OPUS DEI PAPERBACK
Book summary
This work presents the first comprehensive historical investigation into Opus Dei, carried out with full access to preserved documentation and numerous oral testimonies. Historians José Luis González Gullón and John F. Coverdale narrate the genesis and development of this Catholic Church institution, from its foundation by Josemaría Escrivá to its global expansion. The reader will find a rigorous analysis of its spirituality, its legal trajectory, and the initiatives that have emerged around it, without shying away from moments of misunderstanding and difficulty. An essential text for a deep understanding of this personal prelature.
What is it about?
The work offers a chronological and thematic journey through the history of Opus Dei from its origins in 1928 to the present day. The authors examine the figure of its founder, Josemaría Escrivá, and the central message of sanctification in ordinary life. The legal processes that led to its configuration as a personal prelature are analyzed, along with the expansion of its apostolic initiatives across five continents and the reception of its spirituality among people from all walks of life. The research addresses both achievements and controversies and difficulties, offering a documented and balanced view of an institution that has radiated its message for a century.
Main themes
- Genesis and foundation of Opus Dei by Josemaría Escrivá in 1928
- Historical development of the institution throughout the 20th and 21st centuries
- Spirituality of work and sanctification in daily life
- Legal evolution toward its configuration as a personal prelature
- Global expansion of apostolic initiatives across the five continents
- Moments of misunderstanding, difficulty, and controversy in its trajectory
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at historians, researchers, and scholars of contemporary Catholicism, as well as members and sympathizers of Opus Dei who desire deep and documented knowledge of their institution. It is also of great interest to general readers interested in the history of the 20th-century Catholic Church, religious institutions, and Christian spirituality movements. Its rigorous and accessible approach makes it a reference work for both the academic sphere and the educated public.
What this book offers
- The first comprehensive historical research with full access to Opus Dei archive documentation and oral testimonies
- A balanced vision that does not evade moments of conflict and difficulty in the institution's history
- Detailed understanding of the legal and canonical evolution of Opus Dei as a personal prelature
- Rigorous historical context on the global expansion of its spirituality and initiatives
- Documented analysis of the figure of Josemaría Escrivá and his message of sanctification in ordinary life
Technical specifications
- Author: GONZALEZ GULLON, JOSE LUIS; COVERDALE, JOHN F.
- Publisher: Ediciones Rialp, S.A.
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: CHRISTIANITY
- Collection: BOOKS ABOUT OPUS DEI
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: April 2022
- Number of pages: 726
- Weight: 1180 g
Editorial review
This work represents a milestone in the historiography of Opus Dei due to its documentary rigor and breadth of sources. The combination of the perspective of two specialized historians, with unprecedented access to institutional archives, gives this study a solidity that distinguishes it from previous publications. Its treatment of controversial aspects with intellectual honesty, without falling into hagiography or biased criticism, makes it an obligatory reference for anyone interested in understanding this Catholic institution in all its historical complexity.