Most of us can absorb only so much television during the long winter nights that keep us more confined than we care to be. One answer to boob-tube blahs is reading, whether for pleasure, knowledge or personal growth. On these pages, an array of recent releases --- covering topics from papal elections to baby boomer spirituality --- are reviewed.
Selecting a new leader for the church
The Making of the Pope 2005
By Father Andrew M. Greeley. Little Brown (New York, 2005). 254 pp., $23.95.
God's Choice: Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church
By George Weigel. HarperCollins (New York, 2005). 304 pp., $26.95.
"The Making of the Pope 2005," by Father Andrew M. Greeley, and "God's Choice: Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church," by George Weigel, offer two very different lenses through which to interpret the final illness, death and funeral of Pope John Paul II and the conclave that elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.
Since neither Father Greeley nor Weigel is free from the sin of polemical rhetoric, both can be stereotyped as representatives of two dueling visions of the legacy of the Second Vatican Council. It would be unfortunate, though, if their books were read only by people who already agree with them.
Instead, it is helpful to think of these books as examples of two ways of doing theology, and in a less divisive church they would be appreciated as complementary rather than competitive. Weigel writes a descending theology of church, consistent with a high ecclesiology and a focus on the teaching authority of the pope, cardinals and bishops. Father Greeley, in contrast, writes an ascending theology that begins with a decidedly low ecclesiology; he is concerned less with the magisterium (the church's teaching authority) than he is with the lived experience of laity and parish priests.
Father Greeley is an engaging storyteller with a distinctive voice and an affectionate pastoral eye. He discusses the conclave with the acute political instincts of a Chicago-born Irish-American, attitudes which some will see as irreverent.
Meanwhile, the pleasure of reading Weigel's well-crafted prose is too often marred by an unpleasant triumphalism and his disdainful dismissal of dissent.
As one would expect from the author of "Witness to Hope," Weigel gives in the first 100 pages of his book a concise and masterful appreciation of the life and papacy of Pope John Paul. Weigel writes, "One way to think of the extraordinary wide-ranging magisterium of John Paul II is to imagine John Paul's teaching as a set of keys for unlocking and understanding the teaching of Vatican II. Every item on the council's agenda ... received an authoritative interpretation in one or another document.... In doing so, he helped rescue the genuine teaching of Vatican II from the slippery hermeneutic of the 'spirit of Vatican II' and from the crossfire of the ecclesiastical tong wars."
Father Greeley, focused as he is on the experience of American Catholics, is convinced that the encyclical "Humanae Vitae," not Vatican II, changed the relationship between laity and the magisterium. He writes, "The documents of the council were moderate statements, but the implications of these documents suggested that change was possible on other matters, too. The legitimacy of change in the church was the revolutionary event of the council. Moreover, matters that were once taught under pain of mortal sin were no longer considered sinful.... Arriving on the heels of such widespread destabilization, the reaction of the laity and the lower clergy to the birth control encyclical created a permanent divide in the church between the Vatican and the lower ranks of the faithful."
Father Greeley's anger stems from a deep concern that the church's "credibility as a teacher ... has been eroding for the last 35 years." He continues, "Credibility cannot be restored by force. In our times the only appeal the church has is the rich beauty of its heritage."
Weigel's biographical chapter on the new pope opens with a lovely "verbal snapshot" --- "what an exquisite person," he says --- which he then goes on to prove in his careful retelling of Pope Benedict's personal and professional life. Weigel offers a helpful overview of issues that will concern this papacy; his writing on the new pope's theology of liturgy is particularly fine.
Ultimately, both books are about listening. Father Greeley believes that "church leaders must learn to listen, not only because it is sound Catholic doctrine that the Spirit speaks at every level of the church and the leaders' task is to discern the Spirit but also because if they do not listen, they and the followers will be passing one another like silent ships in the night." Father Greeley comes to this honestly --- listening is at the heart of the charism of the social scientist --- and so is describing reality as it is, no matter how uncomfortable the conclusions.
As Weigel knows, listening is essential to much of the church's life, from the attentiveness of a priest in the confessional, to the solemn mystery of the Eucharist, to the pregnant silence that opens for the humble person at prayer --- and the opening exhortation of the Rule of St. Benedict. Surely we can trust in the constancy and efficacy of the prayers of that great saint for the pope who has taken his name, and for the priest and scholar who, for all their differences, love and serve the same church.
---Rachelle Linner
Are we ready for Christian unity?
Is the Reformation Over? An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism
By Mark A. Noll and Carolyn Nystrom. Baker Academic (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2005). 272 pp., $24.99.
As we Catholics and Protestants look back on our story, we often give more attention to the 50 years of the 16th century (1517-1567) which included the Council of Trent and Reformation than to the last half-century (1955-2005) of mending the wounds of that earlier era.
The 1999 signing of the "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" by the Holy See and the Lutheran churches was noted by the late Pope John Paul II as a "milestone" in our journey toward full communion. For Catholics and their Orthodox and Protestant ecumenical partners, it is a sign of hope and the answer to fervent prayers. However, to Christians who do not share these commitments to Christian unity --- evangelical Protestants in particular --- this reassessment of Reformation condemnations has sent shock waves through the community.
"Is the Reformation Over? An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism," by noted evangelical historian Mark A. Noll and editor and former pastor Carolyn Nystrom, reviews the variety of evangelical Protestant assessments of ecumenical developments and the Catholic Church's participation in them. It is an important primer on evangelical attitudes and the theology that lies behind them, as well as a blueprint for those who would deepen the bonds of communion with other Christians.
It is a particularly important contribution because it attempts to put the historical differences in perspective and to sort out which are valid theological critiques and which are unreflective, and often unfounded, cultural presuppositions. The authors are critical of evangelical traditions as well as fair to the varieties of Catholic tendencies present in today's church.
They begin with three chapters situating evangelical and Catholic relations in the broader history of U.S. cultural tensions, the theological heritages in Protestant and Catholic traditions, and the rapprochement that has been possible after the Second Vatican Council and with cultural developments in the United States.
They then provide two very useful chapters assessing the ecumenical dialogues in which Catholics are involved and the theological issues in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" as an evangelical Protestant would read them. The authors then provide a full chapter on the Evangelicals and Catholics Together project. (This selection demonstrates evangelical culture's affinity for celebrities over theologians. Evangelicals and Catholics Together has been headed by the well-known Charles Colson, whereas the decade-earlier Evangelical Roman Catholic Dialogue on Mission, led by theologian John Stott, gets minor analysis.)
The last three chapters assess the variety of evangelical points of view on Catholicism, the specifics of the American context for Catholic-evangelical relations and an overview of the future possibilities for relations.
Noll and Nystrom are gracious, clear and winsome in their descriptions. They are hopeful and realistic in their prognostications. They are, for the most part, accurate in their judgments. However, in their review of the dialogues there are some factual errors. Methodists, Lutherans and Anglicans are committed to the pilgrimage toward full communion with the Catholic Church, and the Anglican dialogue continues, producing the text "Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ" in 2005. Dialogues are based on common biblical, historical and theological research into the uncompromising truth of the Gospel as all Christians are held accountable to it.
Their typologies of evangelical responses to Catholicism --- antagonists, critics, partners and converts --- are particularly helpful in enabling Catholics in avoiding pigeon-holing Protestants who differ on both the ecumenical goal and the assessment of Catholicism. They include a helpful bibliography for further reading.
Their final conclusions about basic differences and fundamental common ground provide both a bracing and hopeful alternative to those indifferent to or despairing of developments together in Christ.
---Brother Jeffrey Gros, FSC
Mystics and their messages
The Way of the Mystics: Ancient Wisdom for Experiencing God Today
By John Michael Talbot with Steve Rabey. Jossey-Bass (New York, 2005). 240 pp., $21.95.
John Michael Talbot's "The Way of the Mystics" goes down easy, much like the music he plays as the "Troubadour for the Lord," but that does not mean it is lean on substance.
Talbot is Catholic music's No. 1 recording artist, selling 4 million records so far. That is nowhere near Christian rock star Amy Grant's 25 million, or the hundreds of millions of records that a mainstream group like U2 has sold, but it gives the artist a large platform for a series of probing and thoughtful questions anchored in the lives of some of Christianity's most beloved saints and mystics.
Talbot invites his readers to consider the role God plays in their lives, asking "is God a living and breathing reality in the core of your being or merely a cold theological abstraction? Do you experience the fullness of Christ or are you snacking on Christianity lite?"
These were not always the questions that Talbot asked. As a teenager, he started playing music with the folk rock group Mason Proffit. The band jammed with the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin, but Talbot eventually came to the conclusion that the "rock star life seemed empty and sad. It wasn't at all what I wanted my life to stand for."
Soon afterward he saw a vision of Jesus in his Holiday Inn hotel room, propelling him from the spotlight to the sanctuary. After much searching, Talbot helped found the Little Portion Hermitage, a Franciscan community in Arkansas, where he now writes, prays and plays music.
"The Way of the Mystics," co-authored by Steve Rabey, profiles 13 saints of the Catholic Church or Protestant exemplars of the faith. It is subtitled "Ancient Wisdom for Experiencing God Today." While steering clear of "controversial figures," Talbot and Rabey compile a compelling portrait of faithfulness and mysticism through their profiles of men and women who delved deep into the reality of God. Their goal is to "help the reader become a better mystic," and explain that for all their differences the 13 mystics were all "ordinary people blessed by an extraordinary experience of God."
But why would someone want to be a mystic? The stories in "The Way of the Mystics" are not all happy. St. Francis of Assisi "traded his fashionable clothes for the rags of a beggar man." St. Anthony asked a "trusted friend to lock him in a nearby tomb." St. Therese of Lisieux died of tuberculosis at the age of 24.
But here is where Talbot shines. He does more than just tell the stories of the lives of these and other luminaries like Hildegard of Bingen and Thomas Merton. The profiles are not just chronologies of woe and deprivation.
The lessons that the authors hope readers will draw from these lives are clear. In the chapter on Merton, readers are encouraged to learn "something about how we can live vital spiritual lives that reflect both our love of God and our concern for the complex and often chaotic world in which we find ourselves."
The chapter describing the life of Therese of Lisieux ends with the "Little Flower" saying: "I am a little brush which Jesus has chosen in order to paint his own image in the souls you entrusted to my care." Talbot remarks, "Perhaps by studying her brief and humble life, we can all learn a little bit more about how we can be God's brushes, painting beautiful portraits of love, devotion and service."
Author Fredrick Buechner observed that "religions start --- as Frost says of poems --- with a lump in the throat." And through these sensitive and nuanced portraits of 13 men and women from across history, Talbot helps readers access this fundamental of faith: feeling.
---Frida Berrigan
Prayer life of the aging boomer generation
Celebrating the Rest of Your Life: A Baby Boomer's Guide to Spirituality
By David Yount. Augsburg Books (Minneapolis, Minn., 2005). 174 pp., $12.99.
Keeping Spiritual Balance as We Grow Older
By Molly Srode and Bernie Srode. Skylight Paths Publishing (Woodstock, Vt., 2005). 199 pp., $16.99.
Finding My Way in a Grace-Filled World
By William L. Droel. ACTA Publications (Skokie, Ill., 2005). 112 pp., $9.95.
As they age, people might not pay as much heed to the condition of their spirituality as they do to their physical and financial conditions. In fact, they might not pay any attention to their spiritual life. Their muscles need exercise and their portfolios need shrewd investments; what do their spiritual lives need?
In "Celebrating the Rest of Your Life: A Baby Boomer's Guide to Spirituality," David Yount draws upon personal experience, adds wisdom from Henry David Thoreau and others, and subtly brings in references from Scripture. The combination provides an easy-to-read, easy-to-apply guide that, rather than setting spirituality apart, weaves it into the life of the aging person.
What makes this book enjoyable is that it is not preachy. What makes it valuable is that it provides practical advice about what people are experiencing and will experience as they age. Those who are already among "the aged" will appreciate the guidance; those who are about to join them will welcome the map.
Here is a sample of the tone: "Your retirement years will be an opportunity for engagement, not escape -- not for a life of doing nothing, but for a fuller life of activity doing something satisfying: richer occupation, deeper education, sounder health, a more positive attitude and a workable faith," Yount writes. "It is a time for loving, savoring and celebrating -- not declining." It's that sort of message that makes "Celebrating the Rest of Your Life" material for reflection as well as "how-to" spiritual direction.
"Keeping Spiritual Balance as We Grow Older: More Than 65 Creative Ways to Use Purpose, Prayer and the Power of Spirit to Build a Meaningful Retirement," by Molly and Bernie Srode, emphasizes each person's spiritual being and connection with God. Molly Srode, author of "Creating a Spiritual Retirement," alternates chapters in this book with husband and co-author Bernie Srode.
Each chapter includes affirmations designed to give the reader a spiritual boost, such as: "I am always aware of the power of my thoughts and words" and "In the midst of adversity, I have faith that a gift is there for me." The affirmations are not unique to seniors, but they complement the chapters which speak directly to the concerns of seniors. Reflections on taking care of unfinished business, signs of aging as sacred signs, and the value of spiritual truth will benefit readers seeking spiritual nourishment.
"Finding My Way in a Grace-Filled World" is a travelogue in spirituality. It is William L. Droel's first-person account of how his faith developed and continues to develop, and how he is applying it in his daily life.
Those who see their lives as spiritual journeys and who live them as adventures in faith will appreciate Droel's trek if for no other reason than to compare stories. His practice of Catholicism in the family, workplace, urban neighborhood and church is one to appreciate and to emulate.
Droel's book is part of ACTA Publications new series, "The American Catholic Experience," accounts by U.S. lay Catholics of how they live their faith.
---Brian T. Olszewski The reviewers:
Frida Berrigan, raised in the faith-based nonviolent resistance community of Jonah House in Baltimore, works on arms control with a project of the World Policy Institute in New York.
Brother Jeffrey Gros, FSC, worked for 15 years at the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs in Washington and now teaches at Memphis Theological Seminary in Tennessee.
Rachelle Linner, a librarian and writer, lives in Boston. She has a master of theological studies degree from Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Mass.
Brian T. Olszewski is the executive editor and general manager of the Catholic Herald, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. |