Cathedral-sized reconstruction of one year (September 1986- September 1987) in the life of the Catholic Church in America, by free-lance religion-journalist Briggs (National Catholic Reporter, etc.). A Protestant who believes that Catholicism is ``an essential point of reference for all other branches of Christianity,'' Briggs aims to bring to his study ``the disinterest of a journalist and the interest of a Christian.'' His method helps to maintain the even keel: Instead of spinning a sustained narrative filled with analysis, he glues together hundreds of ``snapshots''—most a few pages in length and depicting every shade of Catholic belief and practice—into a panoramic mosaic of the 60-million-strong American Catholic church. Briggs chose the right year, which begins with a Vatican clampdown on liberal theologian Charles Curran and ends with Pope John Paul II's triumphal US visit. As the months fly by, three forces come into play: the traditional church; the rebellious church, a child of Vatican II; and the general Catholic population, caught between the two. To personalize the struggle, Briggs scatters among his mosaic some ten interviews with archetypal Catholics, including a divorced mother, a professor, a Marine pilot, and a nun who favors women's ordination. He also describes three parishes (inner-city, Midwest suburban, East Coast traditional). The year crackles with news, including Mario Cuomo's run-in with Cardinal O'Connor over abortion; Catholic peace activists' defiance of the US Navy; and various issues that come to a boil, such as feminism, homosexuality, and reproductive technology. The mosaic coalesces into a colossal portrait of the American branch of the oldest, largest organization on earth—a branch splintered by left/right tensions but united in its adherence to the central trunk. Briggs paints both sides fairly and excels at portraying the charisma and tactical acumen that characterize the Pope's tap dance through the battlefield. A companion volume would be welcome to interpret the events. Nonetheless, for those who have the time, a gripper. (Photographs.)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-06-061058-1
Page Count: 608
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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