Holy Order

In Holy Order: The Apostolic Ministry from the New Testament to the Second Vatican Council, Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP, presents a concise yet comprehensive study of the priesthood’s development throughout Christian history. This book traces the theological and pastoral evolution of Holy Orders from its biblical foundations to modern renewal.

Nichols begins with the New Testament witness to apostolic ministry and continues through the writings of the Fathers, medieval scholastic theology, and the debates of the Reformation. He then explores the clarifications of the Council of Trent, the Catholic Revival, and the reappraisal of priesthood leading up to Vatican II.

Grounded in both Scripture and Tradition, Holy Order provides an illuminating account of the priesthood’s role as service, sacrifice, and participation in Christ’s own ministry. Nichols also addresses two contemporary questions: the ordination of women and the relationship between priesthood and celibacy.

Scholarly yet accessible, this book offers an indispensable guide for seminarians, clergy, and lay readers seeking a deeper understanding of the theology and history of ordained ministry.

About the Author

Aidan Nichols, OP, is a member of the Dominican community at Blackfriars, Cambridge, and the author of numerous books on Eastern and Western theology and Church history.