Selected Reviews from the January 30 Issue of PW

by Staff, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 2/1/2006

Catholic Matters: Confusion, Controversy, and the Splendor of Truth
Richard John Neuhaus. Basic Books, $25 (272p) ISBN 0-465-04935-4

Readers acquainted with Neuhaus’s previous books and his work with the magazine First Things will be most interested in this latest tome on the state of the Catholic Church. A former Lutheran pastor who became Catholic in 1990 and a priest in 1991, Neuhaus has emerged as a leading voice among those considered to be faithful to the Church’s Magisterium, or teaching authority. Here, Neuhaus challenges the oft-heard statement, “Yes, I am a Catholic, but I think for myself,” explaining how fidelity to the church begins with thinking for oneself so one can think with the church. He expands on this by exploring the role of conscience, drawing a distinction between doing what one wants and discerning and acting upon the truth. Neuhaus also discusses the church’s authority, emphasizing that it is never invoked to require people to believe what is false. Other topics include the eerily prophetic Humanae Vitae, the 1968 papal encyclical on artificial contraception; the loss of Catholic identity when Friday abstinence from meat faded from practice; and how news reporting on the Second Vatican Council shaped its meaning for many American Catholics. Neuhaus devotees and others interested in the issues he raises will find here a thoughtful exposition of Catholicism’s present moment. (Mar.)

Traditions of the Ancients: Vintage Faith Practices for the 21st Century
Marcia Ford. Broadman & Holman, $14.99 paper (240p) ISBN 0-8054-4076-3

Protestants looking for a little more ritual and liturgy in their religious lives without going too far out on a limb will find this easy introduction to be just the thing. A writer, editor, and occasional PW contributor, Ford offers a collection of 28 practices grounded in biblical tradition or early Christian worship. Many of these rituals have fallen by the wayside in modern Protestants’ religious practice. These include praying for the gift of tears and bereavement; using silence and solitude; and employing fixed-hour prayer, memorial meals, spiritual mentoring, and more. Written in a pleasant, conversational style, the book offers some interesting ideas to readers wishing to climb out of ruts in their prayer and worship habits. Ford makes it safe for evangelicals to borrow back a little of the high church liturgy and ritual from Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, as well as from Judaism. Want to feel physically wrapped in the love of God? Try wearing a prayer shawl. Want to pray unceasingly, but don’t know how to start? Try reciting the Jesus Prayer. The book may be best appreciated by Baby Boomer Protestants who will resonate with Ford’s own religious journey. (Apr.)