2 comments about Charles De Foucauld.

1. Antier's task with this book is an admirably ambitious one. The story of Charles de Foucauld, or Charles of Jesus, is as intricate and intimidating as it is powerful and inspiring, and because it is a story of redemption, compassion and hope taking place within a bleak era for both Christianity and the world (the early 20th century), it is of immeasurable value. Antier manages well to trace Charles' steps, from his unfortunate childhood to his gluttonous life as an mediocre military officer, enraptured in all the distractions of the world, to his radical conversion to a living Christian faith that would take him down a most Christ-like path of sacrifice and singular devotion. The biggest challenge for the author in this case is simply not to lose focus of the substance of Charles' wandering and awakening, and Antier succeeds on that point. As a kind of antithesis of the Rich Young Man, the transformed Charles wanted his life to reveal to others Christ's presence among them, and Antier justly allows that driving passion to shape the course of the book. The intent here is earnestly hagiographical; the main point is the severe holiness that would be Charles' gift to the world, to both the Christian church and to his non-Christian neighbors. True, the way Charles sought to live out his love for Christ, as a Christian ascetical hermit among the Muslim nomads of the Sahara desert, is too severe for most Christians, yet it is a story that should told and heard. As Christianity grows more aware of its place a global, pluralistic culture, and especially with its relations with Islam or other religions, it will need the lessons which only a life like Charles' can teach. Moreover, it is a reminder to all Christians, in a time of indifference and apathy, of the centrality of the call to holiness and sacrifice for the authentic Christian life.

   Antier is very capable writer, and his book, even in translation, is exceptionally readable. He himself is undoubtedly inspired by Charles' life, which comes through in his enthusiastic prose. Yet by keeping to its clear and simple aim, this book does not sensationalize Charles' life; all Antier needs to do to keep the reader's interest is to offer up this remarkable story. Even so, you cannot help but feel the storyteller's joy coming off the pages, and that only makes it all the more attractive.




2. Charles de Foucauld grew up a pampered, rich playboy who had little care for others, or God for that matter. Antier's effort to chronicle the life of this man who became so holy through a pure love of Christ is admirable.

   I delighted in the story of the spoiled aristocrat and flunky cavalry officer. Antier writes it so well. And then, something changed with De Foucauld through the example of his cousin, Marie.

   Throughout this life, a life devoted to God, is the theme of restlessness. Charles de Foucauld simply could not settle down. He wanted to sacrifice all for Christ. And his sacrifice was severe. I, like his spiritual director and his bishop, couldn't help but notice that Charles' desire to mortify himself was taken to extremes. He slept little so he could love God. He ate little so he could give food to the poor and thereby love God. He was the least in all things so that he could love God.

   Charles wanted to live the "hidden life of Jesus at Nazareth" amongst the poorest of the poor. So he went to the desert and he served the muslims there. This marabout, or holy man, was widely respected by the muslims, and he made no converts.

   Sadly, the book ends with the death of the "White Marabout." But what appears to be an end to us in this book was only the beginning and the perfection of love for Charles. Obedience is love. Charles died a martyr in the desert. Simply put, that is what he wanted. Read the book and learn of a man who truly loved Christ.

No comments about Thomas Troward: An Intimate Memoir of the Teacher and the Man.

5 comments about Healing Lazarus: A Buddhist's Journey from Near Death to New Life.

1. Lewis uses the words, "...permanently transformed by the experience..." "...must endure against formidable odds." In this book, Lewis has told his story in a manner which will warm the hearts of survivors, AND help loved ones and caregivers understand. I will very highly recommend this book to my survivor friends. A remarkable autobiography!



2. What a book. Good for you Lew. It goes to the depths and brings us up with a moving story of despair and hope and enormous effort.



3. An exceptional book! Lewis Richmond touches your heart as he writes of a rare disease, encephalitis, that transforms his mind, body, and soul. As a survivor, I truly appreciate the depth he goes to explain this devastating ordeal. Highly recommended.



4. Appreciated Richmond's interweaving, and fleshing out of, the Biblical story of Lazarus with Buddhist beliefs and principles. The honest and revealing sharing of his emotional experience was moving. I wish he had commented, even briefly, on people who don't have devoted spouses, ethical business associates, and good medical insurance when such tragedies happen. Does he have anything to offer these folks? He is/was a blessed man in many ways.



5. zzzzzzzz.... Guy gets sick, guy is well supported by family , friends, lite religion and plenty of cash. Get "Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales instead of this for some truly gripping tales of human Resilience. Steve Kelly

1 comments about St. Therese of Lisieux: A Transformation in Christ.

1. At his best, Thomas Keating is an inspired spiritual writer, whose work can lead one both to greater awareness of the divine life and much intellectual stimulation. None of his work is free of a tendency to stretch quotations from scripture to make a point, yet, in such works as The Mystery of Christ, the overall impact is powerful and thought-provoking.

   With this said, A Transformation in Christ is highly disappointing. It actually references little in Thérèse's life and work, and seems very contrived - as if the idea for connecting the parables and Thérèse's spirituality was a fine one until the author put pen to paper. The parables are presented as if Father Keating were recording some random thoughts during a meditation, and do not include exegesis or in depth treatment.

   One with Father Keating's ability should have produced far better than this, particularly considering that neither Thérèse nor Jesus leave one with a paltry amount of material with which to work.

2 comments about The Soul of a Lion: The Life of Dietrich Von Hildebrand.

1. "The Soul of a Lion" is a very moving account of the life of Dietrich von Hildebrand, one of the most important Catholic theologians of the 20th century. Since it was written by his lovely wife, Alice, she does not pretend to be an unbiased observer. However, while she clearly writes from a heart filled with deep love and affection, she also recounts his mistakes and character faults without attempting to whitewash them.

   Some of the highlights of the book include the sections detailing his very cultured, very European uprbringing; his conversion to Catholicism; and his courageous, outspoken opposition to Nazism, resulting in his dangerous escape to America with his family.

   My one disappointment with the book is the ending-- Alice von Hildebrand ends her account with his arrival in the United States. This necessarily leaves untold the story of how the first Mrs. von Hildebrand (Gretchen) died, and how Alice had the great good fortune of meeting and eventually marrying Dietrich. Surely this is another moving tale which deserves to be told! Perhaps, someday, a continuation??




2. This incredible, 2000 book features a forward by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who subsequently changed jobs!!!
   
   Dietrich Von Hildebrand was anything but a dull, boring academic. As described by his widow, his life was filled with sanctity, romance, heroism, and intrigue. An outspoken opponent of Hitler, he became targeted for assassination. Hunted throughout Europe, he arrived in New York City in 1940, where he taught at Jesuit-run Fordham University until 1960.
   
   Even after retirement, Von Hildebrand maintained ties to Fordham through his protege, the late Dr. William Marra - my own teacher! I am deeply disappointed that I never took the opportunity to hear one of Von Hildebrand's presentations.

3 comments about Life Sentence.

1. I started reading this book because of my involvement with presenting Success Skills Seminars to inmates and staff in prisons. I never expected this book to be so compelling. Although I knew that Chuck Colson made a great impact with Prison Fellowship, still I didn't know much about Chuck or his work. Even though this book was originally published about 20 years ago, it is timeless. Some day soon, I hope to meet Charles Colson in person. This is must reading for everyone who enters a prison, whether they be family, friend, staff, volunteer, inmate, or simply someone who cares.



2. As was Colsons goal, this book was encouraging and challenging. It makes me want to go and start helping in prisons. It also challenged my faith and helped me to grow.



3. If you haven't read Chuck Colson's first book, "Born Again", you should read that one before "Life Sentence". This book continues the story begun in Born Again with the events surrounding the beginning of the Prison Fellowship Ministries. The sad truth is that prisons don't rehabilitate those who break the law. More often than not they produce criminals who are more hardened and more of a menace to society upon their release from prison than when they entered. Prisons are often overcrowded, dehumanizing and dangerous. I think it's safe to say that Prison Fellowship and its sister organizations have done more to reform prisons and the criminal justice system than any other single organization. They have demonstrated a powerful combination of the Evangelical and Social Justice traditions of Christianity to redeem lost souls and wasted lives.

   This book is very honest and humble as well as inspiring. Chuck Colson is honest about his own failings and those he sees among Evangelical Christians (with whom he identifies). He was often treated very badly by the news media and others, but his love for prisoners and commitment to Jesus Christ allow him to take such incidents as lessons from a loving God to help him grow in character and in spirit. Chuck Colson's example of love, devotion and integrity should be considered carefully by everyone. Even after 25 years this book is well worth reading.

1 comments about Saint Augustine's Sin (Augustine, Confessiones. Bk. 3.).

1. I want to start this review by thanking Garry Wills for giving us this real gem of a book. I found it in the new books section of my local library, and, intrigued (Augustine's *Confessions* being one of the few books I've enjoyed enough to read more than once), I brought it home with me. I returned it the next day, having devoured it in the meantime.
   It is a rare gift to be able to take a work over 1600 years old and make it fresh and new again, but it is clearly a gift Wills possesses in spades. I can say with complete honesty that this small book has changed the way I think about this seminal figure and has re-ignited my interest in his works.
   *Saint Augustine's Sin* is divided into four parts. The first part is Wills' summary of Augustine's view of sin, with a focus on Augustine's key example: his theft of pears as a young hooligan. Wills expertly re-weaves Augustine's analysis to drive home just why such an outwardly ordinary act becomes in Augustine's mind representative of sin in general.
   The second part consists of a translation of the relevant material from the *Confessions*. Wills' translation captures the wordplay and rhetorical flourish of Augustine so well, one may easily fall prey to thinking that Augustine really wrote it in English. Wills also includes on facing pages Biblical passages and other quotes alluded to in Augustine's rich writing.
   The third and fourth parts consist of Wills' commentary on the text and not-so-supplementary material from Augustine's other writings.
   *Saint Augustine's Sin* is short, but what it succeeds in doing in such a short space is phenomenal. No one will put down this book unrewarded.

No comments about Year at the Catholic Worker: A Spiritual Journey Among the Poor (Literature and the Religious Spirit Series X).

No comments about Exceptional Stories from the Lives of Early Apostles.

1 comments about Reinhold Niebuhr: A Biography.

1. Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was--and probably still is--America's most famous theologian. From the 1920s to the 1960s, hw wrote numerous books on religious and political issues, as well as articles for LOOK, THE ATLANTIC, and THE NEW REPUBLIC among many other magazines. One of his lesser known works ("God grant me the strength to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I cannot and the wisdom to know the difference") still adorns the bric-a-brac sold in Christian bookstores. And, not far from his old office at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, a street is named after him. Richard Wightman Fox argues that beginning in the 1930s, Niebuhr became disenchanted with the "social gospel" theology that had come to dominate the so-called "mainline" Protestant churches. Niebuhr concluded that man is an inherently imperfect creature (and therefore all attempts to create a perfect society are futile), but that Christians still have to try to Christianize the social order. Such efforts are doomed to fail if their ultimate goal is the perfectability of man, but they can succeed if they have more limited goals. In other words, the world could be made better but it could not be re-made. In this way, Niebuhr reconciled in his own mind two opposing groups: the social gospel liberals and the conservative theologians who believed in sin. Niebuhr's belief in the reality of sin combined with his quest for social justice is generally called "neo-orthodoxy," though Fox uses this term only a few times. Fox does an excellent job of demonstrating how well Niebuhr's ideas fit with the assumptions of American liberals from the 1940s through the 1960s. Cold War liberals prided themselves on being both idealistic and realistic. To borrow one of Niebuhr's own phrases, American liberals were the optimistic "children of light" when it came to wiping out poverty and racial discrimination at home, but they were the pessimistic "children of darkness" when they dealt with Soviet Communism. No wonder Reinhold Niebuhr was the intelligentsia's favorite theologian. If Fox fails to capture anything about Niebuhr, it is just how un-spiritual (non-religious?)so much of Niebuhr's writings now seem. Niebuhr focused on four topics: God, Sin, Man, and the Social Order. But somehow Sin, Man, and the Social Order frequently crowd God out of the picture, and we're left wondering if we're dealing with a theologian or a social theorist or the Democratic Party's leading intellectual. To put it only slightly unfairly, Niebuhr was a brilliant and profound theologian, but he was the kind of theologian who maybe spent too much time wondering about who the next President ought to be.