5 comments about The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence.

1. Feel mad when your numbers do not pop in a multi-million dollar lottery? Shredding the ticket to bits like an overdue bill. Does envy creep through your gut while glimpsing that cherry red Porsche purring effortlessly by your 8 year old Toyota? Rationalizing, well, at least yours is paid for. Well, don't. In "The Golden Ghetto", we get shocking glimpses into lives of some of the rich and famous which were left on the cutting room floor with Robin Leach. Apparently it is not all champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

   Authoress, Jessie H. O'Neill, knows of what she writes. Her father was a workaholic with no time for his family. Resulting in a common money disease referred to as affluenza. The disease of money. Can you imagine? Wealth CAN be a disease causing specific dysfunctions of those feeling entitlement, it is theirs for the asking, not earning, coveting the guilt that lies therein.

   In this book, which is provocatively written, we become privy to Ms. O'Neill's personal story. She is the grandaughter to Charles Wilson. I had never heard of him and was surprised to learn he was past president of General Motors and served as Secretary of State to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The manner in which she reveals family secrets of disorders--alcoholism, drug abuse, manic-depression, suicides, lack of fulfillment leading to wanton irresponsible behavior, makes the Kennedy family look *curse*-less.

   As I read her story and others she divuldged, newsworthy names began to surface. Kurt Cobain, Elvis, JFK, Jr., Princess Diana, Freddie Prinze, Sonny Bono, Hugh Grant, Boy George--such odd behaviors and risks from people we seem to think, have or had it all. How could they be unhappy? How could they take such risks? The very fact that today we have almost one new millionaire every 63 seconds--usually due to tech stocks and or options. And, the written information regarding lottery winners and their usual fall from grace within a years time of sudden wealth, makes this well written book extremely timely.

   I enjoyed this psychological profile of a disease which has no immunization. It does have a cure. Possibly why the authoress is a therapist herself.

   Highly recommended for medical or feel better "I am not rich" reading.

   --CDS--




2. I know what you're thinking... People who inherit money should just shut up and be thankful. But the author of the "Golden Ghetto" acknowledges what almost no other American is brave or smart enought to admit: inheriting a fortune often brings with it some negative side-effects.

   O'Neill brings to light the fact that money can isolate people, especially children, from their peers; can magnify problems that already exist within a family; can provide the means to keep problems of addiction "hush hush" and therefore lessen the likelihood of treatment. She does not diminish the fact that wealth brings priviledge and power, but demonstrates that happiness is not as inextricably linked to money as our culture would wish us to believe.




3. Interesting words from the inside of the money machine. Addictions, aside from the accumulation of wealth, as well as the means to disguise them. Intriguing...... This book covers the whole enchilada.



4. The author describes the debilitating impact that 'unearned' inherited wealth has had on both her own and interviewees lives in terms that have opened my eyes about how a similar set of circumstances has confused and depressed me. I have been trying to find ideas for therapy to deal with chronic depression and this book addresses my situation more directly than any I have come across. She points out that inheritors of sudden wealth have a significant challenge in developing and maintaining strong senses of self-worth, self-respect and self-confidence, especially when the wealth is handed over at an age before the young adult has proved that he or she can 'make it on their own'. While reading the book, I gained a lot by answering some of the most pertinent questions listed in the Appendix, which enabled me to create a mini-autobiography and assessment of my own relationship to money and the roles it has played in my life to date. This book, together with practical exercises in "Undoing Depression", by Richard O'Connor, have helped me more than several different therapists in my effort to make sense of how money has impacted my life in a 'not always helpful' way. Thank you , Ms. O'Neill.



5. Jessie H. O'Neill addresses issues of wealth in larger terms than money about what wealth is and isn't. She talks of affluence as having more than enough money for one's needs. She talks about the real meaning of wealth and its role and relationship to happiness. Happiness is not found in materialism but is something that comes from within. Real wealth is in enjoying what you have and in stewardship - sharing one's bounty with others. This book is a must read for people of all levels of wealth and all backgrounds. When you stop wishing for more and appreciate what you have you find you have more blessings and riches than you can know and possibly use. And it is in giving generously what we have that we receive our greatest blessings.

4 comments about C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian, Fourth Edition.

1. Kate Lindskoog's masterful synopsis of Lewisian thought is like a detailed map of the Alps. You can enjoy the Alps without a map, and you can enjoy Lewis without Lindskoog. But you understand the terrain so much better with the map!

   I have been saturating in C. S. Lewis's books for the past six months and this is one of the most helpful books I have come across. It is a topical guide to C. S. Lewis, but more than that, it is also a commentary. Lindskoog's documentation is thorough and each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading about the given topic. Perhaps the most delightful aspect of this book is Lindskoog's mastery not only of Lewis's apologetics, but of his fiction. She deftly illustrates the former with the latter, and therein reveals the incredible unity in Lewis's own work.

   Excellent!!!




2. No C.S. Lewis fan can possibly live a meaningful life without this book.
   When I greedily approached "C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian" I was no stranger to the world and writings of C.S. Lewis. I've been studying his work for over a decade. But Lindskoog's book opened up realms of understanding about the man and his thought that I could not possibly have held together and formulated on my own. Her knowledge of each area of Lewis' thought is not only the knowledge of a well-read enthusiast (as mine may perhaps be), but here in her work one gets the sense of a profound scholar who has actually met the man. (And she did, by the way). She speaks with such authority that each summary dazzles the reader, awakening an important point hitherto unrealized. Here you will not find a boring half-hearted amalgam of foot-noted facts, but a living and cohesive story worthy of the depth and consistency of C.S. Lewis himself.
   For instance, in my favorite chapter, entitled "Prayer" the author cites Lewis' marvelous poem of the same name, and comments that "he warned readers not to take the last line too seriously." This, I realized much later, is an allusion to Lewis' own comments in a book of his own, entitled "Prayer: Letters To Malcolm". Not many of us are blessed with such a concordance-like Lindskoogian grasp of Lewis' thought. And truly, that is the beauty of her achievement here. As you are gripped by her easy flowing writing style, you almost forget that you are getting a Ph.D. in Lewisology. Reading this book is like cramming forty topically-arranged C.S. Lewis books into your head with the ease and delight of sipping a cup of coffee.
   And this brings me to my vacation.
   When I took "Mere Christian" along with me to Vancouver Island one fine summer, I found that instead of enjoying the ocean as much as I should have, I was more likely to be found tucked away in some coffee shop... taking notes on napkins, looking up only long enough to see that the sun had gone down.
   This book makes you crazy like that.
   C.S. Lewis died thirteen days before I was born. I have often wished, and wished sincerely, that I could have talked with this man who has meant so much to me in my life. I look forward to doing so in heaven. This book is the closest I have come to doing so on earth.



3. Getting inside the mind of Lewis is the great accomplishment of Kathryn Lindskoog. She does a wonderful job summarizing the thinking of CS Lewis. Those who are fascinated with Lewis, a man who I believe was quite mysterious in his private world but fairly public with his writing, will devour this book. Here you will learn about Lewis' thoughts on smoking and drinking (he knew smoking was a bad idea, but he was not a teetotaler); that next to Christianity, dualism makes the most sense (interesting!); and the fact that Lewis gave 2/3rds of his money to charity--and why.

   This gives you an idea of the information available to us through the good biographer Lindskoog. She does not fail to support herself with endnotes, and one of the 5 appendices gives a calendar of how you could read a Lewis book every month during the year (with suggestions based on the season). I might have to try it myself, though I've already read most of what is suggested. (Nothing wrong with rereading Lewis!) To fully cover a man who authored more than 50 books, Lindskoog has done a wonderful service by writing this book.




4. First of all, let me qualify my comments by saying that I am an ARDENT and DEVOTED C.S. Lewis fan. I have two shelves in one of my six sagging bookcases exclusively devoted to C.S. Lewis' works alone. Long ago, I committed myself to reading at least one book by Lewis each month of the year, and I have faithfully kept up this practice for many years now. I say all of this only to introduce myself as a somewhat enlightened Lewis-monger. When I greedily approached the book "C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian" I was no stranger to the world and writings of C.S. Lewis. But this book by Kathryn Lindskoog opened up realms (literal "realms") of understanding about the man and his thought that I could not possibly have held together and formulated on my own. Her knowledge of each area of Lewis' thought is not only the knowledge of a well-read enthusiast (as mine may perhaps be), but here in her work one gets the sense of a profound scholar who has actually met the man. She speaks with such authority that each summary dazzles the reader, awakening an important point hitherto unrealized. Here you will not find a boring half-hearted amalgam of foot-noted facts, but a living and cohesive STORY worthy of the depth and consistency of C.S. Lewis. For instance, in my favorite chapter, entitled "Prayer" the author cites Lewis' marvelous poem of the same name, and comments that "he warned readers not to take the last line too seriously." This is an allusion to Lewis' own comments in a later book of his own, entitled "Prayer: Letters To Malcolm". Not many of us are blessed with such a concordance-like Lindskoogian grasp of Lewis' thought. And truly, that is the beauty of her achievement here. As you are gripped by her easy flowing writing style, you almost forget that you are getting a Ph.D. in Lewisology. Reading this book is like cramming forty topically-arranged C.S. Lewis books into your head with the ease and delight of sipping a cup of coffee. And this brings me to my vacation. When I took "Mere Christian" along with me to Vancouver Island one fine summer, I found that instead of enjoying the ocean as much as I should have... too often I was rather tucked away in some coffee shop... taking notes on napkins, looking up only long enough to see that the sun had gone down. C.S. Lewis died thirteen days before I was born. I have often wished, and wished sincerely, that I could have talked with this man who has meant so much to me in my life. I look forward to doing so in heaven. This book is the closest I have come to doing so on earth.

1 comments about The Book of Saints and Heroes.

1. This collection of saints stories is well done. It includes some saints who are little known, such as St. Richard of Chichester and St. Germanus. The illustrations inside are lovely pen and ink (no color). Definitely worth adding to your collection.
   
   One Caveat: the language and attention to historical and geographical detail make it suitable for ages 12 and up, perhaps a little younger (10) for reading aloud.

1 comments about The Life of St. Catherine of Siena.

1. I like biographies. This gem is well worth the reading. The reader is given a "fly on the wall" view of this exceptional woman. I know more about the 14th century Christian culture and am the richer for it.
   
   This is an easy read. I know as I reread The Dialogue I will have a deeper appreciation of how its message could impact history and the Christian Church.

5 comments about King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel (Ballantine Reader's Circle).

1. A partir principalmente de los libros de Samuel, se hace una recreación lineal de la vida de David con inclusiones esporádicas de ciertos relatos contenidos en estos. Básicamente tenemos aquí los libros de Samuel explicados. No tiene, como el título sugiere, ningún aporte de alguna otra fuente o de algún hallazgo contemporáneo, solo la narración de quien se estudió estos libros.
   
   No obstante lo anterior, el libro es muy ameno y sirve para lo que los libros deben servir: entretener y enseñar. Y el autor evita a toda costa ofender a los lectores y mas bien intenta explicar las contradicciones encontradas a lo largo de la narración original



2. "Wanna read a bad book?" my friend asked. I wished I had had the foresight to answer "no." Unfortunately, I didn't, and I read all of Jonathan Kirsch's King David. This book is worse than bad, it's an embarrassment. If there's an original idea in the book, Kirsch does an incredible job of hiding it among his numerous quotations or, I should say, "adaptations" from Samuel. The scholarship is paper thin; Kirsch slavishly relies upon the work of others and offers nothing new himself. Basically, Kirsch takes the magnificent KJV translation of the story in I and II Samuel and "punches it up" with Newsweek style. Kirsch appears to pride himself on reading the stories skeptically, as one would hope of any modern journalist reading Samuel, and peppers his comments with phrases such as "as the biblical authors wished to remember him [David]," "so it would seem," and "theological spin." However, except for questions raised by others, Kirsch is one of the most credulous readers of this story I've ever met. He buys almost everything the author tells us about David and the others in this story. As just one example, Kirsch dutifully reports the description in I Samuel 13:3 of Amnon's cousin, Jonadab, as "a very subtle man." And what incredibly subtle advice to Jonadab give his cousin? That Amnon should rape his half-sister Tamar in his own bedroom after setting up the meeting in such a way that all the royal family would know what was going on. If this is "subtlety," then Micky Spillane is John LeCarre! Now of course, it is subtle if Jonadab were in cahoots with someone else in order to destroy Amnon, but Kirsch hasn't the imagination to explore that possibility - or even the possibility that the rape never occurred but its report was concocted for other reasons. On the other hand, if Jonadab was actually trying to help Amnon, then to buy Samuel's description of him as "subtle" is the apex of naivete. Indeed, you'd think Kirsch would ask: is the author being ironic? But no, that would be to expect too much from Kirsch.
   
   Rather than waste your time on this book, let me suggest two others. If you want to accompany a masterful literary scholar reading the story of David, buy Robert Alter's illuminating The David Story. If you want to examine the story of David from the perspective of a modern, secular historian at the top of his craft, buy Baruch Halpern's David's Secret Demons. These are two very different books, and many who like one of them won't like the other. But happy is the reader who can appreciate both. If you choose to read neither Alter nor Halpern, don't waste your time on Kirsch. Just go get a copy of the KJV at your local motel and read Samuel for yourself.



3. I listened to this book on tape as read by the author himself.
   
   This is one of what appears to be a significantly developing genre of books in the area of theology and Biblical History, designed to be read by the general populace to put in their hands what modern scholarship is saying.
   
   This book does this reasonably well for anyone who is unfamiliar with such terms as Modern Bibical Criticism, J theory, Court Historian etc.
   
   What is not so clear to the average listener is that the primary sources drawn from such as Howard Bloom, Wellhausen and company are considerably from the more liberal and secular camps and that there exists a large body of more conservative material that deals with thses issues with somewhat different conclusions.
   
   There's nothing wrong with that in and of itself. What I find distrubing in these types of Historical Overviews - turned novel is that the hybrid product, while purporting to be factual, uses the change in genre to present the material as somehow more certain or less controversial than is really the case. What's wrong with being a little more deliberate in making the source literature drawn upon a little more diverse and truly allowing the reader to enter into the dialogue and interact with the issues, rather than being led to believe that things are as neat and tidy as a reading of this book would seem to indicate to a reader otherwise unfamiliar with the field?
   
   Those concerns expressed, I did find this to be an interesting and worthwhile listen (read). Old Testament history has been a weakness for me and this did help to fill in some gaps in terms of the what some of the modern scholarship has been giving. In addition, it did present David in terms that helped to place him historically and, as much as the author's approach could allow for with all of its provisos and doubts, somewhat personally.
   
   Listen critically to this work. It seeks, in my opinion, to gloss over some of the ommissions in terms of conflicting material, by making the format flow like a historical novel and a reader can be carried away with that and walk away feeling they have a strong grasp on all that is available in this field. They will not.
   
   Life of David by Arthur Pink would be a good contrast work to see some of the other camp and provide some balance.
   
   Interesting read, but again, read criticically and ask yourself what you're not being told in the midst of it.



4. "King David" introduces the reader to the most central figure of the Old Testament. Author Jonathan Kirsch does an excellent job of fleshing out this legendary figure from the sketchy stories recorded in the Bible. Kirsch follows the biblical writings very closely, unlike other tomes on Biblical subjects which tend to discount the Scriptural accounts. Kirsch starts out with the Scriptural texts and then explains them in light of scholarship concerning the identity and purpose of the various sources and how each may have influenced the final draft of the story. He talks often of the Court Historian, believed to be the primary author, along with later editors who may have supplemented or altered the original text.
   
   This book does a good job at exploring how King David, with all his faults, could be "A man after God's own heart." It tries to part the mists of history to find the flesh and blood man behind the ancient legend. It weaves the scattered Biblical accounts together to form a biography. It explains how David is central to all Biblical characters who follow him.
   
   One standard by which I measure a book is whether it wets my appetite to read more on the subject. I am now reading the David narratives in the Bible. By this measure it passes with flying colors.



5. Kirsch's account of King David's life is highly questionable to say the least. The book is full of conjecture. The flaws in the author's reasoning are apparent on the face of every page. His perception of King David's relationship with God and country is severely unschooled and a danger to follow. Anyone interested in appreciating the true story of "The man after God's heart" would be better off reading the Biblical accounts. Don't waste your money on this quack historian who seems committed to justifying base persuits with the flaws of the great men and women of Biblical antiquity.

5 comments about Stumbling toward Faith (Emergent YS).

1. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is a real look and raw look at a very painful life story. But, it may touch home with some who have shared experiencing pain in their families or even at the hands of "the Church." And, amazingly, God continues to draw this young woman to Himself and gives her faith and hope. SHe is creful to separate church and religion from faith in Christ. I recommend it for anyone who has experienced deep pain in life, yet still wants to believe. I also recommend it for anyone who desires to be shaken out of their a sterile, stagnant Christian faith.



2. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the depths of abuse that some children suffer, and the courage and strength of those who survive.
   
   I intended to read this book slowly, because of the intense material. I kept thinking, "Okay, it's time to stop," and getting pulled in one more page and three more pages. I really like the poetry - it's surprising and concrete and deeply true all at once. I like the lines that stand out in larger type. I like that it starts out with a clear statement of abuse - no veiled hints, no way to pretend it wasn't happening.
   
   I felt very engaged, the whole time I was reading. I didn't really expect that, since I'm not Christian and never have been. I've had that same struggle, though, believing I'm bad and worthless and wondering why "God" didn't save me. I had a solid sense of the narrator in the book, and felt like I was in conversation, and kept wanting to say, "What about...?" and "Here's how I..." and "Yeah! Me too!"



3. Renee Altson's book is marvelous! Pastors, youth workers, lay leaders, and counselors NEED to read this book to understand the trauma of sexual abuse, the pitfalls of fundamentalism, and how God can use all things for His glory. The book has an artistic format, which also features Renee's wonderful poems, as well as glimpses of her life. It is poignant, painful, and well worth your time, thoughts, and contemplation.



4. Renee Alston has poured out her soul to the world in this provocative life story. She takes the reader on a journey through hidden closets and heavy breathing. All the while searching for justice and shalom, she has learned to wrestle with God in the midnight hour. Although the light of day has come, she is left walking with a limp.
   I recommend this book to anyone who dares to read it! I pray it will help to unleash a new sensitivity within the church, and promote honest confessions of doubt and faith.



5. i have avoided writing this review because i would hate to say anything that would keep someone from reading this important book.
   
   the level of abuse and trauma that renee endured at the hands of her father and the church is sickening, and yet she writes with beauty and depth. there are times you wish she'd stop, you can't fathom anyone enduring the horror she did, but you feel a bit braver for having heard her story, shared her journey.
   
   never have i read anyone with the courage and stamina to endure what she has endured. yet her pain is laced with glimpses of hope, beautiful prose and inspiring tender moments of care. it's unlike anything you have ever read.
   
   if you work with children/teens, or in a church or know someone who has been abused this is a MUST READ. never again should this be allowed to happen. renee's abuse had the church's stamp of approval, it must stop, we must hear the child, we must punish the abuser and allow the hurt to grieve at their own pace.
   
   amazingly this is a story of hope, a story of grace and a story of courage. you won't be the same after you read it.

2 comments about Francis of Assisi: The Saint: Early Documents, Vol. 1 (Francis of Assisi: Early Documents).

1. Scholars and lovers of Francis of Assisi will find much to treasure in this first volume of the early documents series. Detailed footnotes add to the reader's understanding of Francis and early Franciscans, while providing insight into the editors' specific decisions. All of the saint's writings are included, as are the preserved texts of his earliest followers. This outstanding work is entirely adequate on its own, but also serves as a superb supplement (and corrective) to the many related publications available. Essential to the academic and spiritual study of Francis.



2. This first volume of a projected 3 volume edition of documents pertaining to the life and order of Saint Francis will easily become the source for all followers of Christ through the inspiration of this timeless saint. It provides the best translations and most recent scholarship on the life and times of the saint. In many way St. Francis is the most universal and beloved of Chirstian saints. Often called to second Christ as his life exemplifies the ideals of Christian service. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Jesus Without Religion.

1. I'm going to go out on a very short limb here and speculate that no one in history --- no one --- has been more misunderstood, more subject to misinterpretation, and more burdened with layers of distortion than has the person of Jesus Christ. This is not to suggest that there is but one crystal-clear image of Him that we can consider to be accurate. But most of us have to admit that our perception of Jesus is clouded by add-ons, a host of cultural and religious elements that serve as barriers to seeing Him as He truly is.
   
   Writing primarily for seekers and new believers, Rick James helps remove those barriers by presenting Jesus' words and actions in the ever-important context of the culture in which He lived. James strips biblical stories of their distortions, lays them bare and then clothes them with insights into the meaning that would have been clearly understood by the people of Jesus' time.
   
   Example: the parable of the Good Samaritan. Seekers --- if they've ever heard the actual account at all --- may come to the story with some vague understanding that Jesus was making a point about how we should treat each other. Good point, but not the main one. The main point, as James describes it, was an "insulting kick in the groin" to the priests and Levites scattered among the crowd that was listening not to a morality tale told by Mr. Rogers but to a scathing indictment leveled by the King of kings. The priest and Levite in the parable ignore the victim on the road due to their blind allegiance to the Law; by contrast, the Samaritan, so despised by the Jews, goes above and beyond in helping the man. James's point is clear: this is a picture of Jesus without religion. And its meaning was not lost on the Jewish religious leaders who heard the parable. ("You can tell seditious little stories for only so long until people wise up and say, 'Hey, I think he's talking about us.' And of course he was," James writes.)
   
   James, the publisher of Campus Crusade for Christ's student-oriented CruPress, not surprisingly writes in an engaging, accessible style designed to appeal primarily to the Campus Crusade and InterVarsity demographic that is evident in the organizations' names. Even so, all but the stodgiest post-college readers should appreciate his sense of humor and understand his contemporary cultural references. (On the choosing of the 12 disciples: [this] "communicated a message to the effect of 'Here is the true Israel' or 'I'm putting the old Israel up for auction on eBay' or something. Understandably, this less-than-subtle message would not have been warmly received by Israel's leaders.")
   
   JESUS WITHOUT RELIGION includes an appendix that would seem out of place except for the fact that the book is intended as an evangelistic tool --- not just for reaching seekers but also for helping confused believers sort out the contradictory images of Jesus that have appeared in the secular media in recent years. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense to feature an appendix addressing the veracity of the New Testament texts, the role of Gnostic literature, and the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Among the specific questions raised, and answered, are these: When were the books of the New Testament written? How do we know our New Testament is accurate? Were there other gospels not included in the New Testament, and if so, why were they excluded?
   
   For those seekers who are almost there but not quite ready to commit, JESUS WITHOUT RELIGION is a good supplementary read. It may not answer all their questions about Jesus, but it hits the high points and does so in a thoughtful but easy-to-understand way.
   
   --- Reviewed by Marcia Ford



2. The subtitle of this book is "What Did He Say? What Did He Do? What's the Point?" This is an excellent summary of what this book is about. I give this book 5 stars because the author set out to answer those questions, and that is exactly what he did.
   
   This book is an introduction to Jesus, to the real Jesus, the one you meet in the pages of the Bible. It isn't about the latest alleged discovery. It isn't yet another expose on who Jesus really was. It is a clear, readable presentation of what the Bible says about Jesus, and an observation that the story we find there is actually pretty persuasive. There is no denying the impact Jesus has had on the world. Who hasn't heard his name? Who doesn't at least have some idea that he was some great religious teacher who lived long ago? Get rid of the vague notions you have about Jesus and get introduced to the Jesus of the Bible. If you haven't met the real Jesus, or if you aren't sure that you have, then this book is for you.
   
   One last tip: read the preface too. And the appendix.

2 comments about Billy Graham: His Life and Influence.

1. There's little doubt that Billy Graham has had a significant impact on culture and world evangelism. In the book Billy Graham: His Life and Influence, David Aikman explores Graham's life and philosophies that led him to become one of the most influential voices of our time. What I appreciated most about Aikman's work is that he doesn't attempt to paint Graham as the perfect saint who could do no wrong. Like all men, Graham had his struggles and trials...
   
   Contents:
   A Life Of Influence; A Child of the 1920s; Conversion and the First Steps; A National Phenomenon; Harringay and the World; Theology and Race; Communism - A New Approach; The Presidents - Part 1 - Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon; The Presidents - Part 2 - Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan; The Presidents - Part 3 - George H. W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush; National Consoler; Family and Legacy; Acknowledgments; Notes; Index
   
   Aikman defines his territory and goal for the book and sticks with it very well. Rather than attempt to be a comprehensive biography of Graham's life, he recommends you read William Martin's A Prophet with Honor. Instead, he delves into how Graham grew from a small-town fundamentalist evangelist to become a globally-known evangelist and respected statesman, with regular access to every president since Eisenhower as well as many world leaders. Graham's ever-present goal was to be able to preach the gospel wherever he was, with no restrictions on what he could and couldn't say. That's easier said than done, as he broke new ground by being allowed to preach in Russia and China, places where freedom of religion was not practiced. The balancing act was trying to not offend his hosts by denouncing their governments, while trying not to offend the American government who didn't want him to be used as a propaganda tool during the Cold War. While ultimately he was able to preach, his attempts to balance those conflicting forces were not always well executed.
   
   Within American culture, he gained a level of accessibility to presidents not duplicated by any other single person in history. While his relationships with each president varied in terms of closeness and trust, he was always there to provide counseling and wisdom when needed. In his later years, this counseling and consoler role played out in public during the 9/11 tragedies and his addresses given during national remembrances. Given the American public's disdain for mixing politics and religion, it's amazing that Graham was accepted in this role. If you were to try and replicate his experience in today's society, my guess is that the media would shred him over any minor misstep or misstatement. But given that his stature was developed and earned in a much different atmosphere than today, he's been able to retain his dignity and honor in these more cynical times.
   
   Aikman is sympathetic to Graham's image, but he's not afraid to look at areas where things didn't work out as Graham would have believed. For instance, Graham was very close friends with Richard Nixon, and still has problems reconciling the Nixon he thought he knew as a friend with the Nixon revealed on the Watergate tapes. Overseas trips to communist countries often had him giving views on religious freedom that didn't accurately portray the reality of the persecution that was occurring. Aikman summarizes many of these issues as the outcome of Graham's apparent need to be liked by people. Rather than be blunt and confrontational on issues where it might have been warranted, he often sidestepped the issue to avoid dissension. But measured against the whole person, Graham comes across as a sincere man of God, far from perfect, but always willing to follow God's leading and commands to share the gospel with others.
   
   I'd recommend this book for both Christians and non-Christians who are interested in Billy Graham, the person. You'll come away with a much deeper appreciation for someone who has given their life for what they believe...



2. Billy Graham: His Life and Influence
   David Aikman, former Time Magazine senior correspondent, has written a very readable and comprehensive life of the famous evangelist. Graham's progress from farm boy to friend and counselor for presidents is an American success story on one level. On another, his career illuminates the Protestant religious temper of a majority of the people in the United States during the twentieth century. That temper contributed to Graham's success, but as an evangelist, Graham also shaped the spirit and direction of his times.
   
   The book is well balanced. Aikman notes both Billy Graham's strengths and weaknesses as he chronicles Graham's life and its impact on society in America and in other nations over more than fifty years. He also portrays Ruth Graham Bell, Billy's remarkable wife, and gives the reader insights into the partnership which enabled Graham to succeed.
   
   The book is fascinating reading whether one is a devoted Graham admirer or not since it offers a remarkable analysis of Graham's influence on culture and events during the last century

5 comments about Loyal Dissent: Memoir of a Catholic Theologian (Moral Traditions).

1. Ay chiwawa, I love this book!



2. Curran, applauds himself! How humble, charitable and self loathsome can a "moralist" who disagrees withthe virtue ethics of thou shalt not actually be as some who right him make Curran to be? Persons who write here like he is a rock in the Roman Catholic Church; when you go against Peter you, divide the sense of Christ's meaning of the Church. Most importantly, when it is a disagreement under the premise of 'thou shall not kill' and the underlying presumption of the human ethic overseeing the birth process when the position taken puts the power ethic at the mercy of Mankind. This is foolish as if the human race could see 100% accuracy the outcome of every life or turn of godly omniscence, that even VIF wouldn't work unless God permitted it to remain a part of the mother.
   
   In all cases, then Curran has at the least distanced himself from the heart of the church, that as a Sacred Heart Priest, which should be first in the life of the priest and in the eyes of the faithful.
   
   A priest is not more a social activist than he is authentically adhering to protect the lives of all, implicit or tacitly 'as if,' and he is deciding for those who are blinded in their sin. Even if he says he would not choose it for himself. Priests are inherent of the Kingdom of God first and social ethics, second. When there was a choice Jesus chose the cross; not the high style road of self glorification, and Jesus Christ could have been made King of the fed crowd of thousands, more than once. He is not the like those pagan gods of appetites, but the God of Heart and Right Judgement!
   
   And then, take the time to pray for him.



3. Fr. Curren is always eloquent and always on target.That he should also have been the victim of Papa Ratzi makes his writing all the more relevant for those of us who are distressed that the reforms of Vatican II have been thwarted by the Curialists. I must read for any reform minded Catholic.



4. The learned and respected and courageous Catholic priest the Reverend Father Charles Curran, ordained in Rome in 1958, one of the most respected writers, scholars and teachers of CAtholic moral theology, here collects his autobiographical thoughts, as this book is subtitled Memoir of a Catholic Theologian.
   
   This book is necessary reading and meditation for every Roman Catholic practicing in America today, to understand our journey as Church on the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, the ultimate goal of our earthly institution, with all of its faults and glories. I highly recommend especially the final chapters, after he was written all that he had to say clearly and academically regarding his part in the recent history of the Church, and can then simply let go and do what he does best: teaching and preaching insight into the reality of Jesus Christ and the Presence of God's Holy Spirit immanent amongst us. The final chapters are indeed most instructive and consoling for us, members of a Church ever vibrant and living and struggling to realize the Gospel mission given us by Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to understand the message of Christ in our troubled times of turmoil and of war and other immoralities, and to bring the meaning of our commitment to Christ's Kingdom in our lives and world.
   
   Please read this book with great prayerfulness and respect for this incredibly courageous, committed and intelligent American priest and scholar, and gentleman, as he bears strongly the Cross of our Church in the modern world. We have much to learn from his words, and much consoling comfort to draw here from this deep well of wisdom and grace.
   
   It is so good to read those final chapters, in the increase of peace. May they bring you, too, peace and comfort and strength for the hard road ahead, this trail of tears in our exile. May they draw us all of us together to perceive the action of God working amongst us all, to draw us ever closer unto the eternal Kingdom of peace and justice and nonviolent, compassionate love in God's eternal mercy. As Father Curran courageously loves, and forgives, may we too learn to bear the strength to love, and to forgive, to embrace all of our differences and misunderstandings and deep fallibilities, and transcendentally to bear our Pilgrim Church ever onwards to the ultimate and eternal Kingdom of God under the guidance of the teachings and liberating sacramental presence of Jesus Christ and the consoling Holy Spirit.
   
   Read this book as Lectio Divino, and contemplate carefully its lessons. This greatest of American Catholic Moral Theologians is a wonderful and true teacher.
   Pacem in terris.



5. Like long hair on young men, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton, Rod Stewart, and the actor who played Greg Brady, Father Charles Curran is vying for a comeback on the public stage. Now in his 70s, he attempts to justify himself in "Loyal Dissent" (2006). In his magnificent encyclical on moral theology, "Veritatis Splendor," what did Pope John Paul II have to say about moral theology and Curran's work?
   
   
   "An Overall and Systematic Calling into Question of Traditional Moral Doctrine" (JP II, 1993) or "Loyal Dissent" (Curran, 2006)?
   
   Without naming names, Veritatis Splendor reviewed errors put forth by Father Curran and others. As per its Introduction, "It is no longer a matter of limited and occasional dissent, but of an overall and systematic calling into question of traditional moral doctrine." Veritatis Splendor applauded those who faithfully responded to Vatican II's call for a renewal of moral theology, while acknowledging that there had also "developed certain interpretations of Christian morality which are not consistent with `sound teaching' (2 Tim 4:3)". The Holy Father beautifully restated the Church's moral doctrine, while critiquing errors: "since Apostolic times the Church's Pastors have unambiguously condemned the behaviour of those who fostered division by their teaching or by their actions."
   
   JP II warned that "Certain currents of modern thought have gone so far as to exalt freedom to such an extent that it becomes an absolute, which would then be the source of values". He also warned that constant teaching on marriage, family, and sexuality was under siege, noting the erroneous, dualistic nature of the attack: "This moral theory does not correspond to the truth about man and his freedom....the body, which has been promised the resurrection, will also share in glory.... A doctrine which dissociates the moral act from the bodily dimensions of its exercise is contrary to the teaching of Scripture and Tradition. Such a doctrine revives, in new forms, certain ancient errors which have always been opposed by the Church, inasmuch as they reduce the human person to a `spiritual' and purely formal freedom.... body and soul are inseparable: in the person, in the willing agent and in the deliberate act, they stand or fall together ". JP II reassured us of "the immutability of the natural law" and "the existence of `objective norms of morality' valid for all people of the present and the future, as for those of the past."
   
   Recalling Vatican II, JP II reminded us that we must properly form our conscience: "As the Council affirms: `In forming their consciences the Christian faithful must give careful attention to the sacred and certain teaching of the Church.... the authority of the Church, when she pronounces on moral questions, in no way undermines the freedom of conscience of Christians....The Church puts herself always and only at the service of conscience, helping it to avoid being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine proposed by human deceit (cf. Eph 4:14), and helping it not to swerve from the truth about the good of man, but rather, especially in more difficult questions, to attain the truth with certainty and to abide in it."
   
   
   "Loyal Dissent" (Curran, 2006) Must Give Way to "Loyal Assent" (JP II, 1993).
   
   JP II discussed the genuine renewal of moral theology: "authentic theology can flourish and develop only through a committed and responsible participation in and `belonging' to the Church as a `community of faith'....Moral theologians are to set forth the Church's teaching and to give, in the exercise of their ministry, the example of a loyal assent, both internal and external, to the Magisterium's teaching in the areas of both dogma and morality....the fact that some believers act without following the teachings of the Magisterium, or erroneously consider as morally correct a kind of behaviour declared by their Pastors as contrary to the law of God, cannot be a valid argument for rejecting the truth of the moral norms taught by the Church....It is the Gospel which reveals the full truth about man and his moral journey, and thus enlightens and admonishes sinners; it proclaims to them God's mercy, which is constantly at work to preserve them both from despair at their inability fully to know and keep God's law and from the presumption that they can be saved without merit. God also reminds sinners of the joy of forgiveness....Moral theologians, who have accepted the charge of teaching the Church's doctrine, thus have a grave duty to train the faithful to make this moral discernment, to be committed to the true good and to have confident recourse to God's grace....Dissent, in the form of carefully orchestrated protests and polemics carried on in the media, is opposed to ecclesial communion and to a correct understanding of the hierarchical constitution of the People of God. Opposition to the teaching of the Church's Pastors cannot be seen as a legitimate expression either of Christian freedom or of the diversity of the Spirit's gifts".
   
   
   "I'll Get on My Knees and Pray We Don't Get Fooled Again" (Pete Townshend, 1971)
   
   After Veritatis Splendor, why do we continue to settle for counterfeits? Father Curran remains best known for the dissent which he orchestrated to Humanae Vitae. Opening Humanae Vitae 39 years later, it boggles the mind as to how anyone - particularly one so blessed with intelligence as Father Curran - could possibly miss that encyclical's prophetic nature. The seamless connections it shows between the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life, marriage and family, and social issues seem to fly over so many heads. To a significant extent, this is the sad and tragic legacy of Father Curran. Thanks to God's mercy, it need not be his fate: "No absolution offered by beguiling doctrines, even in the areas of philosophy and theology, can make man truly happy: only the Cross and the glory of the Risen Christ can grant peace to his conscience and salvation to his life."