by Eugenio Zolli
Hardcover
Why I Became a Catholic is the deeply personal account of Eugenio Zolli, the former Chief Rabbi of Rome, who converted to Catholicism following the Second World War. In this thoughtful memoir, Zolli reflects on his lifelong study of Scripture, his understanding of Judaism and Christianity, and the spiritual journey that ultimately led him to seek baptism in the Catholic Church.
Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and Jewish tradition, Zolli explains how he came to view Christianity as the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. He discusses biblical prophecy, the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, and the theological questions that shaped his decision. The work also offers personal reflections on his years as Chief Rabbi during the difficult wartime period, making it both a spiritual autobiography and an important historical document.
Since its publication, Why I Became a Catholic has remained one of the best-known firsthand accounts of religious conversion in the twentieth century and continues to interest readers of Catholic theology, Jewish-Christian relations, biblical studies, and modern religious history.
Eugenio Zolli (1881–1956) was an Italian Jewish scholar, biblical expert, and Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1940 to 1945. Following the Second World War, he was received into the Catholic Church, taking the baptismal name Eugenio Maria. His conversion attracted international attention and has remained the subject of considerable historical and theological discussion. Zolli later devoted his life to writing and lecturing on biblical studies and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity.
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