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Discovers the Sospel NEW LIGHT UPON LUTHERS WAY FROM MEDIEVAL CATHOLICISM TO EVANGELICAL FAITH By UURAS SAARNIVAARA, PH. D. TH. D. CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE SAINT LOUIS COPYRIGHT 1951 BY CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. This book is dedicated to my - father, Dean Emil Edward Saarnivaara of Finland, whose counsels and prayers have been a great blessing to me, and whose support and encouragement have meant much in my theological work and to the memory of my beloved mother, Olga Maria Saarnivaara b. Linna, who passed to glory when I was twiting this book in the summer of 1943 Preface WHEN the Protestant world in 1883 celebrated the quadricentennial of the birth of Martin Luther, the great Reformer, a new interest was aroused in the study of his life and teachings. This interest received a new impetus from the crushing defeat brought by the First World War to the optimistic dreams of the liberal the ology and culture. Men felt that they needed a more vital Chris tianity and a deeper theology than the anemic one which had been prevalent up to the great war. This seemed to be offered by the great Reformer, who had found a way to the fountains of divine grace and life and who had rediscovered the Gospel, which helps men to be reconciled with God and to come into a living experience of fellowship with Him. The revitalized Luther research, which was now growing into a Luther renaissance was not satisfied with studying the teach ings of the Reformer. It felt that its first task was to give answer to the question How did Luther himself find a way to a fellow ship with God and to an evangelical faith It was convinced that his teaching of the way of salvation could be rightly understood only in the light of his own struggles and experiences. An intense study was therefore focused on the early life of Luther and on his way to the evangelistic faith. More prominent scholars studied this question, and more studies were published on it than on any other topic in the field of Luther research. It was, however, unfortunate that many of the men who tried to trace the path of the Reformer from the Roman Catholic to an evangelical faith had received their theological schooling in the liberal tradition of the pre-war theology. The result was very strange indeed These students of Luther came to the conclusion that Luthers early teaching of justification, which was somewhat related to the ideas of the prevalent liberal theology, was his real IX X Preface teaching and that he himself did not remember correctly his own struggles and his path to the light of the Gospel. He made gross mistakes these theologians said in relating his own way and the decisive turning points of it. Only now his way to the evangel ical faith and the doctrine he taught was rightly understood. Some theologians doubted these results, and no wonder. It is hard to believe that a man like Luther could have given such a wrong picture of the great turning points of his spiritual pil grimage. The present writer became aware of the unreliability of the prevalent results of recent Luther research while making an in vestigation into the issue in preparing a dissertation in partial ful fillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. The present volume is an outcome of this investigation. It tries to show what was Luthers path to a living fellowship with God and to a par ticipation in the grace through which he gained the joyful assur ance that he was acceptable to God. The author is confident that his interpretation is more reliable than the prevalent one because it respects Luthers own statements on the matter and - takes into account all the other documents and facts which throw light on the issue. The author feels himself under obligation to express his grat itude to Professor Wilhelm Pauck, his adviser, for valuable guidance and constructive criticism during the course of the work... ... Read more

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Spiritual Anguish Lead Luther to reject Roman/Calvinist Predestination
"The doctrine of Predestination was a further cause of much affliction and anguish of soul to Luther. The Nominalist teachers at Erfurt, following Gabriel Biel, taught that the salvation or perdition of man depends entirely upon the divine decree of predestination, which no man can change. On the other hand, however, the declared that the basis of election is the merit of man forseen from eternity (propter meritum praevisum). By meriting the divine grace man merits his own election. This peculiar contradiction in the Nominalistic doctrine of election created in Luther an uncertainty which caused him to waver between hope and despair. Regardless of how he sought to merit grace and election, he could never attain certainty, since the final determining factor was the arbitrary decree of God." (Uuraas Saarnivaara, "Luther Discovers the Gospel" (St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1951) Pg. 30
Recently my college mentor, Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, had a book by Uuraas Saarnivaara "Scriptural Baptism" republished with a forward written by him. You can order that here. It is a great book on Baptism, and shows a Lutheran how to debate with a Baptist and figuratively at least give the guy a swirly.
However, I didn't buy my mentors book with the forward, because I already inherited in prodigal fashion an earlier edition of this book in the "Concordia Heritage Series" which should be reprinted, talk about an essential Lutheran Library! The added benefit of this edition was a second book by Uuraas. (Finns don't have enough consonants, because the Poles stole them all. That's my theory.) This second book is "Luther Discovers the Gospel" and what a wonderful book it is.
What grabbed me about this is that predestination was the source of Luther's anguish. Lutheran's of course have a doctrine of predestination, but it is a different doctrine than the one explained above. It also marvels me how persistent this false doctrine of predestination is! This is precisely the intuitu fidei controversy that racked the Missouri Synod, and American Lutheranism in the 19th century! And this idea of intuitu fidei (in view of faith) has its roots in the same false view of predestination that Calvin also espoused. That is a view of predestination and election that is divorced from the means of grace, and is dependent on a decree not really made in eternity, but just a long long time ago before God even created the earth. Eternity is like another dimension of time, it is not just time going on forever, if it was God would be bound to time. God is outside of time. Perhaps String theory can sort all that out. But it is a skewed view of what is meant by eternity that give rise to this nonsense that tortures souls. God from eternity elects people to salvation now in time through the means of grace. Baptism is an act of election, for instance. In Baptism God elects the baptized to salvation, he grabs hold of them and makes them his own.
I think this also explains why there seems to be such an affinity in the reformed world for Roman Catholics, when you get done bouncing back and forth between Arminianism and Calvinism you can find a compromise in Catholic Nominalism. Predestination didn't get its start with Calvin. Indeed one wonders if he might have first got his feet wet with this doctrine when he was studying to be a Priest in Paris. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Informative
As a catchumen, I found this book very educational.It helped me to understand many of the basic priniciples of Catholicism. ... Read more

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This classic work is an exhaustive philosophical, historical, and religious look at the relationship between Catholic and Protestant religious doctrine and both the historical and ideological growth of capitalism. Starting with a definition of capitalism, Fanfani examines how that definition squares with Catholic and Protestant teaching. He then looks at the historical development of the capitalistic mindset or mentality, and examines the growth of the mindset historically in light of both the Protestant and Catholic doctrine on economic life. This text will be of interest to all students of economic thought, philosophy, and Catholic or Christian studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Simplistic nonsense for the economically illiterate.
This work has the dubious distinction of having convinced many well-meaning Catholics to become socialists. It consists in a collation of warmed-over Aristotle, economic misunderstanding and historical fairytale, all put together to justify the state interfering in every aspect of your (economic) life.

Did you know Capitalism was really identical to Communism? That you shouldn't be allowed to sell anything below what it cost you to buy/produce it (whatever that is supposed to mean)? That the state should not allow you to take out a loan or buy insurance, let alone advertise your business.

If you are willing to believe this kind of nonsense, by all means, go ahead and buy this, and I pray sincerely that you never end up in government.

The posthumous edition of Amintore Fanfani's seminal study
Catholicism, Protestantism, And Capitalism by the late Amintore Fanfani (1908-1999), is an impressively comprehensive and scholarly presentation between traditional Catholic doctrine and the spirit of economic capitalism. This posthumous edition of Amintore Fanfani's seminal and ground breaking study is enhanced for contemporary readers by an informed and informative foreword by Charles M.A. Clark (Professor of Economics, Tobin College of Business, and Senior Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John's University, New York) and Giorgio Campanini (Professor of the History of Political Thought, University of Parma, Italy). Catholicism, Protestantism, And Capitalism is an uncomplicated read and especially commended to the attention the those of the Christian community with an interest in economics and theology.

Deeply Penetrating
For anyone who is interested in why our culture has produced the Enron's, WorldCom's and the like; or why increasingly our society is becoming one big hommage to corporate giants, have a look at this classic work of Catholic economic history.

The kind of economy existing up until the Protestant Reformation placed the economy at the service of persons, families and local communities. Today, it is the economy that is the lord of us all. We are "consumers" and "human resources." For anyone who hopes and dreams of a better way, this classic work of scholarship will give you the threads to understanding how we got to where we are and provide glimmers of what we must do to recover a person centered economy. ... Read more

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The Classic Work Simplified and Updated

Written by one of the country's most respected Catholic theologians, for twenty years this book has been the standard in explaining the major doctrines of the faith. Here now is a fully revised edition, updated throughout by Hellwig herself. The result offers solid, trustworthy answers to questions that trouble most thinking Catholics.

This concise overview of the Catholic faith--

· uses inclusive language for God and gender.

· streamlines the original's expression of ideas into simpler terms.

· clarifies the book's more difficult material.

· covers a wide range of topics.

· addresses the major questions raised by general readers over the past twenty years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Written for Academia?
The author's audience seems to be those in academia. I found this book hard to read because the author did not spur or hold my interest. Her references require the reader to pick up another book to see what she is refering to - Such as the Chatechism of the Catholic Church or the Bible. You must have a good understanding of both books to understand her viewpiont. Honestly, I found this book to be quite dull.
I will give the book the benefit of the doubt and I will re-read this book again another day. I admit, I came away with a couple of nuggets of informtaion that will be useful in my journey.

Still #1
Thirty years ago I did a survey of Catholic theology teachers to identify what texts they used in Introductory Courses.The first edition of Monika Hellwig's "Understanding Catholicism" was the top selection of over 50% of the respondents.Her revised edition is even better.The only thing I could have wished for is more recent books in her chapter bibliographis.

ONLY THE LATE PROFESSOR HELLWIG OPENS TO US THE PORTALS TOWARDS A LIFETIME UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CATHOLIC FAITH IN 200 PAGES
Forget triglio's Catholicism for Dummies and the water downed rest. Only the great Catholic Theologian and professor Monika Hellwig can, like Dante's Beatrice, open unto us the portals towards understanding our faith in under 200 pages, with substantial indications for further study.

To do so, of course, she structures her entire work upon the essential and infinite Catholic mystery of the Holy Trinity, the Triune God of three Persons in One God who unfolds itself to deeper mystery and understanding the more we contemplate and seek to comprehend. Hellwig here opens the way for us to a lifetime of active Faith.

Her first section then speaks to God as Powerful Compassion, the Creator, and the sinfulness which separates us. The second section therefore speaks of Jesus, our Redeemer, our Saviour, our Liberation and Foundation for Our Hope. The Third Section necessarily discovers the Spirit in our Church, in Communion and Institution, in the Sacraments and the gifts of the Spirit. Finally Professsor Hellwig speaks of the end times and the world which is to come, and final words on our Triune God.

As noted above, throughout this brief yet comprehensive text, Professor Hellwig indicates very solid sources for further study as a path towards an impossible to complete understanding of Catholicism, a path which nevertheless we Catholics must take towards unity with our Triune God and one another in love. Highly recommended for seasoned Catholics as well as initiates and other seekers.

Read this if Catholicism a la EWTN comes up short
I was writing reviews of some other books and a notice on this book popped up on the page.I am surprised to see that it is still published.It is one of the books which helped me to reconnect with the Catholic tradition in 1990 after a time away as a born again fundamentalist.Hellwig awakened me to the sense that understanding Catholicism (or any tradition) is indeed a lifelong process.Catechesis is ongoing, at least in my experience, and this is very much unlike the idea, increasingly found in conventional Catholicism, that we somehow have managed to fully articulate the Christian vision. ... Read more

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A masterwork of the highest degree, Catholicism and Jungian Psychology is a rare example of a cooperative venture done right. Created by an ecumenical group of twenty-one renowned Jungian analysts, psychologists, and scholars from many religious traditions. Filled with thought-provoking material that is both timely and timeless. ... Read more

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The third edition of this popular work, a basic, clearly written survey of Catholic teaching and practices, is still one of the most accessible statements of Catholic belief, now updated for the 21st century by a skilled communicator and college teacher.

Emphasizing a strong historical perspective, Kohmescher presents a general overview of the essential teachings and practices of the Catholic church-its organization, beliefs, practices, and way of worship. A chapter on medical ethics has been added, and others on church and church life have been edited and/or expanded to reflect developments since 1989, when the second edition appeared.

Following each chapter are discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Clear and easy to read, this book is sure to be as popular as its predecessor among young adults, R.C.I.A. participants, and established Catholics who would like a refresher on what the Catholic church teaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Could't Be More Satisfied
I wish I could have bought every book from this seller. The shipping was fast and efficent, which is always a plus for me. But what made me really impressed was how good of condition the book I recieved was in. This book was cheap and I excepected it to be in bad shape. The book looks like it has never been touched. The seller was modest about the books condition, because it does not look used at all. All in All- I purchased alot of books these past weeks and this was by far my best purchase.

It DOES have the imprimatur...
I think this book is a very good guide for RCIA. Other reviewers seem to be disappointed that it is not "Orthodox enough". Note, however, that it does have the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, indicating that it is free from doctrinal or moral error. This doesn't mean that everyone will agree with the opinions expressed, or language used ("negative vibe").

I'd suggest that it is a bit more like how we think of Pope Benedict than how we thought of Cardinal Ratzinger-- some are unhappy that the Pope isn't "as tough as he was", and others feel that the Pope strikes a good balance between teaching moral discipline, and guiding the flock with a loving hand. I think this book is more like the latter. For example, writing about whether homosexual unions should be permitted, it says "Some say yes, but the official position of the Catholic Church is still no." (pg 142).

That is an accurate statement of Catholic belief. However, this language will upset some as too ambiguous ("Some say yes"-- who? Is it talking about Catholic laity-- aren't they listening to the magisterium? Are Catholic priests preaching that-- time to excommunicate!) and not forbidding enough.

Hopefully this review will suggest to you whether this book is right for you and your parish.

Good Introduction to Catholicism
The first reviewer has missed the point of this book.

This book provides a good introduction for the general public and new Catholics as an ecumenically minded survey of what Catholics believe. This book is NOT a statement of the official teaching of the Catholic Church, nor is it a statement from supporters of the official positions of the Catholic Church.The beliefs of Catholics are highly varied and the plain truth is that many and even most Catholic practitioners disagree with at least some of the official teachings of the Catholic Church. This is good, and it shows how a church can be divided in belief and yet still find unity in what they do have in common, instead of dividing up into little pieces as the protestants have done. The author wants to present what the Catholic world community believes by representing all its diversity.

I am pretty well educated in Catholic belief, but since I did not grow up Catholic, I wanted to fill in any gaps in my knowledge on these matters. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a grasp of what being Catholic really means, what actual Catholics actually believe and practice in addition to the official and traditional Catholic teachings, and not the stereotypes you hear in the media or from the pulpit in protestant churches.

Good basis for NEW catholics..
A previous review says this book is confusing and misleading..
from a community of three priests and two nuns who use this
book with those in preparation of RCIA and entering the Catholic faith,, we think it gives a beginner Catholic a updated
and informative view of our Catholic beliefs..DAS,Upstate NY

Confusing Content, Poor Writing
This is not a survey of Catholic belief or practice, as the title states.It is a collection of conflicting concepts with occasional but important misstatements of fact about the Catholic faith.The author misrepresentsVatican II and represents anti-Catholic beliefs as "Catholic". The writing is not what is expected for a book that has been used as a textfor "general readers and college undergraduates".Phrases like"negative vibes" probably don't mean much to the studentaudience, and the use of "some" for articles such as"a" or "the" is an awkward habit. If you want to knowwhat Church dissenters teach, read Curran or McCormick.If you want toknow what the Church teaches read Hahn, Howard, Guardini, Newman, vonBalthasar, Groeschel or a multitude of others.If you want to confuse andmislead a friend, give him this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Catholic 101
This examines how times have changed since most Christian churches stopped celebrating Chistmas in the 1960s. The focus topic is the Vatican II. 70 percent of Catholics live in third world countries in the southern hemisphere below the Equator. The focus is on the one God. A fine book on the world's most popular faith. ... Read more

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"A deeply thoughtful articulation of an enduring and appealing ideal. It is an ideal with a resonance beyond the world of Catholic higher education for all in the academy who still respond to the beckoning vision of the ultimate unity of all human knowing and who view it, indeed, as a necessary inspiration if we are to succeed in according to our intellectual activities the sort of seriousness and moral significance they properly deserve." --Francis Oakley, President Emeritus, Williams College
"There is a real need, indeed an absolute necessity, for a Catholic university that is true to its religious values. By so being, it makes other, non-Catholic institutions that much better." --E. Gordon Gee, Chancellor, Vanderbilt University
"Dean Roche has done a rare thing. He has articulated a sharp and clear Catholic theology of Christian higher education. What has been implicit in the practice of great Catholic universities has now been made explicit in this fine essay." --Robert Benne, author of Quality with Soul: How Six Premier Colleges and Universities Keep Faith with Their Religious Traditions
Mark W. Roche presents a clear, precise, and positive view of the challenge and promise of a Catholic university. Roche makes visible the ideal of a Catholic university and illuminates in original ways the diverse, but interconnected, dimensions of Catholic identity. Roche's vision of the distinct intellectual mission of a Catholic university will appeal to Catholics as well as to persons who are not Catholic but who may recognize through this essay the unexpected allure of a Catholic university. ... Read more

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From the struggles of the very first Christians to the challenges and scandals of today, the Catholic Church has wrestled with how to organize itself, express its beliefs, and nurture its members. The Church has grown from a handful of disciples in the first century to over one billion members in the twenty-first, resulting in profound changes that demand a theological response. In this sweeping history, renowned scholar Richard McBrien reveals the evolution of the Church's relationship to the divine, its leadership of the faithful, and its role as a global religion. The Church answers the questions raised by this extraordinary history, including:

Customer Reviews (9)

Accurate and thought provoking, great read!
Many of Fr. McBriens detractors, and there are many, find this a heretical book.I have always found Fr. McBrien's Christology very solid, and unafraid to ask the tough questions. Some Catholics find the fact that the age of PAY, PRAY and OBEY is over, as it should be, very disconcerting. I have met some in the Hiearchy more interested in power and prestige, but I am glad to say that I personally know more decent priests and some bishops that are true Christians, than the fore- mentioned. We should always remember as St. Paul tells us to "test everything to make sure that it is from the Holy Spirit" and that can sometimes include Church leadership and their pronouncements.

A timely and meaningful book
This book should be read by everyone who would like an insightful understanding of the Church's past and where it may go. Written by one of the greatest Catholic theologians living today, it is presented in a clear, lively prose. Well worth the purchase.

Well written but full of liberal bias
What a pity McBrien, who is a wonderful writer and possessesgreat depth of scholarship, prefers his liberal bias to full belief in the church Jesus left the world. Although he defines himself as "representative of the mainstream of contemporary Catholic theology and biblical scholarship" (p xxiii) this is simply false.

"There is no explicit basis for the doctrine of papal infallibility in the New Testament" (p 102) he insists, having forgotten the promise that the Holy Spirit would abide with us forever and teach us the truth. God knows it wasn't the keen intelligence or humble sanctity of Catholics we could rely on. Proof positive that the Catholic church is a divine institution is that it has survived Catholics. And 2000 years of them, at that.Truly, a miracle.

But not for McBrien, who actually argues that "Jesus's preaching of the Reign of God as imminent suggests that he did not anticipate a long interval between his own ministry and the final completion of the Kingdom" (p 31). Is McBrien serious? Does he really believe GodHimself did not what was going to happen?

Moreover, how can he call himself a Catholic and have missed the fact that, for the last 2000 years or so, the Catholic church has declared itself the kingdom of God on earth? That's managing to miss a staggering number of books on the subject.

Although McBrien has clearly read widely, it is also plain that he has mostly read those who try to find errors in Catholicism. This is apparently how he can make some huge mistakes. For example, he says that Ignatius of Antioch is the first real witness to the primacy of Rome. No, that would be the earlier writing, circa 95 AD, of 1 Clement.

Much of what he writes, the long litany of accusations against the church, simply follow standard Protestant claims. For example, he argues that Peter's role was "often shared...with James and John" (p 95).Peter was the acknowledged leader, period. John refused to even enter the tomb ahead of Peter.

McBrienpoints out that Peter's role in the Council of Jerusalem was not papal. Yes, it was.After Peter speaks James merely stands up to agree with him.

McBrien seems torn between loving the church and despising her. He sighs deeply over "what is to be said about Catholicism in the light of its promotion...in the twelfth century of...the Inquisition...and the founding of the world's first universities" (p 73).

What can be said? How about this: Henry Kamen's recent investigation into the Inquisition has debunked much of the old, Protestant black legend about it.But clearly McBrien has never read much on the subject.

And as for the universities...why yes, Catholicism did invent them. And it began real science for the first time in human history, and it created the first free hospitals for the poor in the west, and on and on. It created a revolution in morality and argued from the first that all human beings had souls and were important.But much of this McBrien seems not to know.

McBrien asks, in regard to the early church, "Has the church always had the capacity to recognize the truth?" (p 65).

How can he call himself a Catholic and not know the answer?We humans are full of errors. All humans err, even those who become bishops or pope. But when the pope speaks ex cathedra, when, in fact, the Holy Spirit speaks, the church cannot err.And knowing and acknowledging that fact is what makes one a Catholic.

The Church--a BIG read
It is a big and fascinating book which tells you more than you can possibly absorb even in a great number of sittings!We read it in a parish discussion group and I plan to keep it on my bookshelves to serve as a reference book for its incredible footnote references and bibliography.The writing is clear and marches right along.Lots of new (to me) ideas and facts. All in all, valuable but not an easy read.

The Church:The Evolution of Catholicism
This book includes insights into the history of Catholicism and how it's evolution was affected by diverse philosophies throughout the world through the centuries. ... Read more

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"Every bishop and priest in the Catholic Church should sit down and read this remarkable book."& mdash; The Tablet

Global Catholicism examines the complex pressure the Second Vatican Council placed on the Roman Catholic Church and the counterforces that have mobilized in responce to its reforms. Ian Linden considers whether the Catholic Church has lived up to the promise of the Vatican II and whether it has come to terms with the challenges of pluralism, modernity, and different forms of spirituality. He also focuses on historical and theological factors that have had a huge impact on the evolution and international standing of the church in the twentieth century.

Linden examines the Church's response to global and local wars and efforts to maintain peace; the growth of nationalism and the struggle for democratization in Africa; theological debates over liberation; the actions carried out by military dictatorships; guerilla combat in Latin America, Africa, and the Phillipines; interactions with communist governments; and inculturation and contact with a resurgent Islam. Depsite an honest assessment of the Church's failings, Linden ultimately portrays the Catholic Church as an organization uniquely attuned to globalization.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Filling a gap in Anglo-Catholic studies
The author himself notes that there are quite a few works on the Oxford Movement, but notices that once the Tracts for the Times cease and Newman converts to Catholicism there is not much available on Anglo-Catholicism. For that alone this work is useful, though it is not intended to be a comprehensive history of thelogical representation of Anglo-Catholicism since the mid 1800s. The author first asks what is Anglo-Catholicism, then discusses the early days of the movement as well as its heyday between the world wars. Then the missional aspect of the movement which it picked up from Evangelicals.Its success and notable achievements in the slums of England are assessed and then its ambiguities. A subsection of one chapter is entitled "Catholic or not Catholic?" and this is a question many of us who are not Anglo-Catholic are asking. Ambiguity over sexuality is addressed as are the well known charges of homosexuality amongst its adherents. The final section addresses the Anglo-Catholic charges of ambiguity and analyzes Anglo-Catholicism's effect on the Church of England and even Roman Catholicism. Issues such as Charismaticism, Vatican II and the ordination of women are also discussed.

You may not be pleased with the conclusions but the work is worth reading due to its comprehensive nature. ... Read more

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Grounding his discussion in the documents that came out of Vatican II in 1965, Burns presents an overview of the evolving Roman Catholic understanding of Jesus Christ. He follows with an analysis of authority within the Church. Chapter summaries and study questions are included. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

My soul is thirsting for the Lord; this book does not satisfy
I would like to point out that the basic content of Catholic Christianity is the person of Jesus, and our relationship to Him, and to our Father, God, through Him. To state the obvious, Zen and Christianity do not have Jesus in common. This is an immense difference. A reviewer on amazon.co.uk wrote that "catholicism (lowercase-c sic), in its pure, humble human form has a lot in common with zen (sic)," I interpret that in other words, this reader feels that if you could remove God from Catholicism, it has a lot of similarity to Zen!

Comparing various concepts from Zen and Christian spirituality, we may find that because of the Natural Naw and the universality of God-given inborn human wisdom there is often overlap--similar kinds of insights expressed sometimes in similar ways, similar meditative practices. However, as the great teacher and theologian of contemplative prayer, St. John of the Cross, expresses it, the goal of life is "union with God in love"--our human vocation is certainly not fulfilled by union with Zen "nothingness." As another Doctor of the Church, St. Therese of Lisieux, said, "my vocation is love."

_Zen Catholicism_ is probably not heretical in the technical sense, yet it's fair to say it's not terribly concerned with orthodoxy, and I think it's fair to go a little further and say that I don't see it as terribly concerned with, much less passionate about, Jesus. This is a book that may have value for specialists in interfaith matters, for instance in its discussions of the relationship between the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas with Zen thought. However this is not a book to help the typical Catholic to grow in the understanding and living of their faith, and it's likely to confuse and mislead many people. Many (most?) Catholics are very unfamiliar with the spiritual riches of THEIR OWN faith tradition, and would be so well served by and so delighted and refreshed by the writings of some of the great Saints, John of the Cross, or Teresa of Avila, or Augustine (to mention some favorites of mine, superb mystics and Doctors of the Church), or so many others.

May God inspire with the Spirit of Truth, and faith, hope and love, those working in the interfaith field, and raise up some better theologians.

Subtle & sophisticated Buddhist/Christian dialogue
This book is a fairly dense but well written exploration of how Zen might help Catholics "to realize more fully their own spiritual inheritance." Graham's take on Zen in relation to Catholicism is theologically astute and experientially grounded.

Graham, who was a Benedictine monk, notes that he is not inviting readers "to embark on a daring theological adventure" (the book received an ecclesiastical imprimatur). Rather, he is inviting readers "to look into [their] own nature and that of the Church" and to consider Graham's suggestion that, at their existential depths, Zen and Catholicism share the same basic message.

This book was first published in 1963, but I think it's still one of the best books relating Buddhism and Christianity.

Also recommended: Ruben Habito's "Living Zen, Loving God."

There is one Truth, but different paths to that Truth
Some people are born with faith and never lose it; some are born with it and lose it; others stray from God, only to find Him later by circuitous paths.

I was one of these, and "Zen Catholicism" represents a sort-of bridge between my two historical lines of thought: belief in Christ and belief in philosophy-atheism.

Not to say "Zen Catholicism" leans more towards the latter strain of thought; in fact, just the opposite: this book is quite conservative--without being close-minded--and was given an IMPRIMATUR in 1963 by Archbishop Francis Cardinal Spellman.

Nevertheless, this book blends two beautiful traditions in a way in which Catholics of all dispositions can appreciate.Treated as a philosophy Zen is quite beautiful: seeing things just as they are being an example.

An academic Catholic meets the Buddha on the road
This is a book that provides fertile ground for further writing and reflection. While the language is rather dry, if given the time it really deserves, each few pages will leave you torn between continuing yourreading or running out to plant yourself under a tree to sit and work outthe cramps in your brain. Rather than offering an idea of some unnaturalmarriage of Buddhism and Catholicism, Father Aelred concerns himself onlywith Zen practice and what the Zen sages have to teach us(meaningWesterners) in regard to incessant prayer and what the Psalmist meant inwriting "Be still and know that I am God". This is a book thatbegs for further dialogue within the Church as Father Aelred seems to behot on the trail of how express the way in which one can be in the worldbut not of it. It's sort of a scholarly Thomas Merton type of book. ... Read more

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This lucid and accessible account explains how Roman Catholicism and its beliefs and practices came to be what they are. The authors move through history to sum up the present characteristics of Catholic Christianity and the major challenges it faces in the third millennium. Explaining matters in a fresh and original way, they do justice to the Catholic heritage and show that Catholicism is a dynamic and living faith. Well-structured, highly informative, and clearly written, the book does not duck critical problems and the negative side of history. Rather, O'Collins and Farrugia explore the challenges which Catholics and other Christians must face, and examine the need to confront contemporary moral issues. This is an authoritative, lively, and up-to-date introduction to Catholicism for the modern reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Ditch this
Good content, but what it lacks is readability.The information is haphazardly stream of consciousness.Also Girardian heresy begins to sneak in during the discussion of the nature of Christ's death.

An Excellent Introduction
I am very glad to have recently stumbled across this book while in a local bookstore.My initial peruse through the contents of the book impressed me as it seemed to be a very thorough account; the high remarks on the back of the book by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury (the lead bishop of the Anglican Communion), and Philip Jenkins (history and religious studies @ Pennsylvania State University) were the stimuli that caused me to cross the threshold of inhibition and purchase it.

The book is written "from the inside", so to speak.That is, both authors are not only Roman Catholic, but also priests and theologians.Furthermore, both are Jesuits, that is, monks in the order of the Society of Jesus.Despite the widely held cultural belief that the Roman Catholic church is highly secretive if not downright dishonest, both O'Collins and Farrugia write openly: they note the various failures of the past.However, as they also note early on, the history of the Roman Catholic church is far more than one of failure: otherwise, the only thing that could account for its success would be the (manipulatory) work of the Holy Spirit.

The book has 11 chapters:

1: The First Thousand Years
2: The Second Thousand Years
3: Revelation, Tradition, and Scripture
4: The Tripersonal God and the Incarnate Son
5: The Human Condition
6: The Life of Grace and the Hope of Glory
7: The Sacraments
8: The Catholic Church and its Mission
9: Catholic Moral Life and Teaching
10: Basic Characteristics of Catholicism
11: Current Challenges

Hence, the book is far more than a simple history of the world's largest religion: it is an overview - at times, considerably detailed - of Catholic history, thought, and practice.As the last chapter's title indicates, the book also takes stock of the current state of things and looks toward the future.

Each chapter takes the historical development of ideas into account in the presentation of its theme and the authors note that there have been many changes over time, particularly with and since Vatican II, the most recent of the church's ecumenical councils.The authors show a good deal of sensitivity to both the Reformation (c. 1500 c.e.) and the Great Schism (1054 c.e.), which was when the church Catholic broke into eastern and western churches: the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, respectively.Although the authors show themselves to be sympathetic to the Anglican Communion and other Protestant groups - some of which are far more in continuity with the shared Catholic tradition than others - there is a special place given to the Orthodox church.

It is appreciated that this book does not take a "top-down" approach: the social life of the church, filled with saints (and sinners), philosophers and mystics is what really creates the history of the Roman Catholic church.The authors are particularly fond of Dante, interestingly enough, and quote him regularly.

The picture that they paint of the Papacy is one where the primacy of the pope emerged out of political need but also became more corrupt as time went on, culminating in the high middle ages and leading to the Protestant Reformation.The pope's power has been in decline since then, reaching its all time low when Napoleon conquered the Vatican.Since then, there has been a considerable amount of theological work done by various persons and councils so as to fully articulate the place of the pope in the life of the church, both preventing abuses of power but also keeping his position the prime position of leadership.O'Collins and Farrugia discuss the meaning of papal infallibility - developed in recent times - and its precedent in earlier trends and decisions.However, they note that papal infallibility does *not* mean everything a pope says is perfect or true.Rather, it means that *when* the pope claims to speak "ex cathedra" - "from the chair (of St. Peter)" - he is and will be correct.This has only happened *twice*, though.The pope is presented as a central figure in the Roman Catholic church - he is the central bishop - but not as more important than the larger, shared tradition of Roman Catholicism.

Particularly helpful at the end of the book is a list of titles for further reading, some of which I have bought and others which I am planning to buy.The detailed chapters are welcome to this reader; this book is no lightweight introduction.I think that cuts both ways, though, as the amount of detail - lovingly and painstakingly written about - may overwhelm some readers.Regardless, I think this book is still an excellent place to start learning about the Roman Catholic church. ... Read more

Product Description

The so-called Counter- or Catholic Reformation has traditionally been viewed as a monolith.John O'Malley, a distinguished scholar of the Renaissance and Reformation, has decisively challenged this interpretation, emphasizing the variety, vitality, and complexity of Catholicism in the early modern era.The essays in Early Modern Catholicism, written in O'Malley's honour, present new research on subjects ranging from art in China to popular religion, from new religious orders to colonial architecture, and suggest new interpretations of the accepted picture of various societies, institutions, and individuals which together constituted the Catholic Church in the period from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries.

The book examines a wide variety of themes through many different methodologies and perspectives including social, art-historical, legal, educational, musicological, and philosophical.Unique in both scope and subject, it is a significant contribution to the growing field of interdisciplinary studies of Early Modern Catholicism, and will be especially useful in a number of courses in history and religion.

Product Description
Early Modern Catholicism makes available in modern spelling and punctuation substantial Catholic contributions to literature, history, political thought, devotion, and theology in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Rather than perpetuate the usual stereotypes and misinformation, it provides a fresh look at Catholic writing long suppressed, marginalized, and ignored. The anthology gives back voices to those silenced by prejudice, exile, persecution, or martyrdom while attention to actual texts challenges conventional beliefs about the period.

The anthology is divided into eight sections entitled Controversies, Lives and Deaths, Poetry, Instructions and Devotions, Drama, Histories, Fiction, and Documents, and includes sixteen black and white illustrations from a variety of Early Modern sources. Amongst the selections are texts which illuminate the role of women in recusant community and in the Church; the rich traditions of prayer and mysticism; the theology and politics of martyrdom; the emergence of the Catholic Baroque in literature and art; and the polemical battles fought within the Church and against its enemies. Early Modern Catholicism also provides a context that redefines the established canons of Early Modern England, including such figures as Edmund Spenser, John Donne, John Milton, William Shakespeare, and Ben Jonson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A "Popular History"
I greatly enjoyed my reading of this book in the spirit in which it was intended, not as a definitive historical textbook, but as the author described it in his introduction:

"The brief account within these pages attempts to present many of the major personalities, movements, spiritualities, conflicts, changes and constancies within the American Catholic community."

I enjoyed this book for its sweeping overview, the delightful photographs and illustrations that complimented the text, and the interesting discussion questions peppered throughout the various chapters.Surely the story of Catholicism in America is one that can be told from countless perspectives, as is true with any wonderful story.I enjoyed my reading of this account and learned many new and interesting things along the way.

Fast Paced, Fact Filled
Crews, a priest who holds a Ph.D. in history of Christian thought, presents major personalities, events, "changes and constancies" within the American Catholic community. This rendering might not be the most comprehensive of its kind, but it is imminently readable and refreshingly concise. Crews' hope is to "show this ancient faith in its rich complexity as it lives within and influences-and is influenced by-the American nation." The text itself is supplemented by photos, drawings, newspaper articles, statistical tables, letters, and discussion questions, which make this a good resource for small groups.

Each chapter focuses on a specific time period, beginning with America before the revolution and ending with the present. The final chapter coversVatican II, the first Catholic U.S. president, and the increasing number of Catholics in influential positions in all walks of life. That chapter also looks at the decrease in priests in contrast to the increase in laypeople, the "just war" theory in relation to both Vietnam and Iraq, and the sexual abuse scandal.

A quick read
Clyde Crews outlines the history of the Catholic Church in American inbroad strokes and major events. He does not include the details or therationale for church direction and development. You can read this book inone sitting and get an overview of the American Catholic Church. ... Read more

Product Description
The well-known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Now these two outstanding Catholic apologists tell in their own words about the incredible spiritual journey that led them to embrace Catholicism.Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic ... until he reluctantly began to discover that his "enemy" had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous "dark night of the soul" after Scott converted to Catholicism.

Their conversion story and love for the Church has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of lukewarm Catholics and brought them back into an active participation in the Church. They have also influenced countless conversions to Catholicism among their friends and others who have heard their powerful testimony.

Written with simplicity, charity, grace and wit, the Hahns' deep love and knowledge of Christ and of Scripture is evident and contagious throughout their story. Their love of truth and of neighbor is equally evident, and their theological focus on the great importance of the family, both biological and spiritual, will be a source of inspiration for all readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (207)

excellent, easy to read and informative
Loved the book, it is very educational but also interesting; as it gives the personal story of 2 converts to the Catholic Church. I learned so much from them and it solidified my faith even more. I highly recommend it for those seeking bible based facts re. the Catholic Faith in an autobiographical format from 2 ordinary people.

No Epiphany
I found this book to be a wonderful telling of the trials and tribulations of Mr. Hahn's and his wife's journey to the Catholic faith.What I did not find is why he gave up the faith he was raised in and became a minister in to become Catholic.
He gives a number of examples in the book where he argued Catholic vs Protestant with an expert voicing the Protestant stance.In each and every case, Catholic either won the day or, at least, the contest ended in stalemate, but he never once shares the winning arguement.
The main positive I take from his story, is that Catholicism is not the bugaboo that most Protestant churches denounce it as being.
However, his all too quick, it seems, embracing of Catholicism shows not so much the truth (and it may well be) of the Catholic church, but rather it showed me a man who was not as strong in his faith as he believed.

Interesting Story...Lacking Arguments
My friend recommended this book about a Protestant's journey to Catholicism, as I am a former Catholic (as she is as well). I was interested in understanding the reasons for such a conversion. Overall, the subject of the book was an interesting read. I was impressed with Scott Hahn and his voracious study of theology and discussions with friends. He appears to be an intriguing fellow. The book itself is poorly written, even painful at times. [e.g. "I began to see that every time Kimberly and I performed the marital act, we were doing something sacred" (28).] But, I won't let that cloud the discussion.

I see his transition marked by three main points of doctrine. 1.) Scott started with a change of mind about infant baptism and birth control. Both of those issues, not exclusively Catholic doctrines, caused a shift in his thinking. 2.) From there, he became convinced that sola scriptura (Scripture alone is authoritative) is unbiblical. 3.) Mary's role in the life of a Christian was the biggest and final hurdle before becoming a Catholic.
If true, these three points should make us all Catholics. If infant baptism removes original sin, if Scripture does not have final authority in truth and doctrine, and if Mary prays for us and we pray to her, then it is crystal clear that we do exactly what the Hahns have done. However, I don't think it is so.

Infant Baptism: While there are some solid Protestant churches that baptize infants as a markof entering into the covenantal community, they do not believe that it removes sin as Catholics believe. Throughout the book of Romans, we see the sin of Adam still present. Galatians makes the connection of the sin of Adam and the grace that comes through Jesus, our second Adam. Neither book mentions baptism as a way to wash away the sin as a baby.

Sola Scriptura: In order for the Catholic Church to be true, one cannot believe in sola scriptura. Catholics need to have a higher authority than the Bible-- the Catholic Church. I'm surprised that more people do not have a problem with this. Given these two, which is more trustworthy and authoritative? Scott Hahn dismisses sola scriptura with a mere "it's not in the Bible." However, Galatians warns, "I (Paul) am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." It does not take much work to show that the Catholic Church is adding something more to the gospel already offered.

The Veneration of Mary: Scott addressed how difficult it would be to cross this bridge, but then he offered some strange analogy about mothers and sons, and somehow he crossed it. He then proudly prayed his rosary. This is one of the most troubling parts of Catholicism, and I cannot see how it is not either other gods and/or idolatry. If you pray to someone dead or resurrected or floating out in space somewhere, you deify it. Ask Mary to pray to Jesus for you seems-- pardon my candor-- ridiculous. Jesus is our Mediator between the Father and us. We do not need Mary as a mediator between us and the Mediator (yes, that is a confusing sentence). Jesus became a man in order to serve that role, and He did it just fine, thank you. "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). No Mary. No St. James. No Nobody Else.

My biggest concern for the book is not that he left Protestantism for Catholicism; in fact, I enjoyed reading about it. Instead, I did not like his criticisms of Protestants and then never offering a clear justification (oops...I shouldn't use that word in this context!) of the Catholic view. He must give clear views of why sola scriptura is "unbiblical" or why we ought to pray to Mary and the saints. He merely tells us that he became convinced of it, and then his wife followed. There must be more to his argument, especially about these important matters.

From the book, I see that Scott Hahn is an intelligent man, an insatiable reader, and an eager student of theology. However, he seems to use these facts in place of actual arguments why Catholicism is a better picture of Christianity than what Protestant offers. Rather than giving clear, powerful, and biblical arguments, Hahn only gives us pictures of smart men becoming Catholics. That is not logic; it is a logical fallacy (appeal to authority). Be honest...after reading this, are you more swayed by his solid arguments making the case, or are you impressed that a smart, learned man and his friends chose to be Catholics?

I had a personal interest in this story beyond just being a former Catholic. Scott Hahn was a Reformed Protestant Christian who moved to Catholicism at the same time that I began my own switch from Catholicism to Reformed Protestant Christianity. We passed each other in the aisle, I suppose.

I'm not sure what your interest is in Catholicism or Protestantism or even Christianity. I would say that if you have read Rome Sweet Home, you owe it to yourself to see the other side of the argument. Check out John Stott's Basic Christianity or J. I. Packer's Knowing God. These are both good places to start. Of course, the Bible is the main text. Read Galatians or Romans or Colossians today keeping what you know about Catholicism in mind. How well does it match with what you are reading?

I guarantee that neither Stott nor Packer uses the phrase "performed the marital act" in his book. That counts for something, right?

home sweet rome, our journey to catholicism by scott and kimberly hahn
the story of the hahn's journey to the catholic church was in many ways similar to my own journey.I will be sharing this book with family members and friends.

Amazing Service
Item came so quickly I was amazed.Wrapped good and condition just as seller said. ... Read more