EVANGELICAL CATHOLICISM
Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church
By George Weigel
Basic Books, 2013
291 pages, $27.99
To order: basicbooks.com
Right now, the whole world is focused on Pope Benedict’s resignation and the imminent election of a new pope. Thus, the timing of our greatest observer of the global Catholic Church, George Weigel, could not have been better for the release of his latest book, Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church.
Weigel is best known for his definitive biography of Pope John Paul II. What many people don’t know is that he has written some 18 other books, all of which address in one way or another the state of Christianity — and most particularly of Catholicism.
In my estimation, however, he will be remembered most for this newest entry, not only because of his acute analysis of history, but also because of his keen insights into where the Church is going as she is moved by the Holy Spirit. For example:
“The deep reform of the Catholic Church has been under way for more than one and a quarter centuries. It began with Pope Leo XIII. It continued in one way through the revitalization of Catholic biblical, liturgical, philosophical and theological studies in the mid-twentieth century. It continued in another and at least as important way in the martyrdom of millions of Catholics at the hands of the mid-twentieth century totalitarian systems. … It reached a high-water mark of ecclesiastical drama in the Second Vatican Council. … And it has been brought into sharper focus by the pontificates of two men of genius, Blessed John Paul II and Benedict XVI.”
So where does “Evangelical Catholicism” come in? Weigel puts it this way:
“In the catechetical-devotional Catholicism of the Counter-Reformation Church, the Catholic learned about Jesus Christ through brief catechism formulas that aptly summed up the Church’s doctrine about the Son of God who became the son of Mary. Evangelical Catholicism begins not with knowing about Jesus, but with knowing Jesus.”
As Weigel explains, “Evangelical Catholicism proclaims the great gift of friendship with Jesus Christ, not as one attractive possibility in a supermarket of spiritualities, but as the God-given and unique means of salvation for everyone.”
Weigel proceeds to explain in 10 subchapters how his evangelical vision syncs with getting to know Christ in and through the Church — meaning the sacraments, conversion of life, active participation in acts of charity, communal worship, reading of the word of God and understanding and embracing the Church as hierarchical, with a variety of vocations, all converging on holiness as their goal.
In my opinion, however, the most interesting observation Weigel makes about his book topic is: “Evangelical Catholicism creates its own culture. Because friendship with the Lord Jesus shapes every aspect of a Christian’s life, the friendship is culture-forming.” As such, “Catholicism enters the public square with the voice of reason grounded in Gospel conviction.”
The second part of this book grapples with the reform of the Church. Although Weigel’s ancestry is German, he certainly is no Martin Luther. There is hardly a part of the Church for which he does not have finely honed and thorough recommendations, from the papacy on down, including the Curia, bishops, laity, priests, liturgy — and the list goes on. His advice is sharp and to the point, but also charitable and understanding.
If I could gain entrance into the conclave, I would smuggle in enough copies of Evangelical Catholicism to place one on the chair of each elector, in hopes that they would adopt this masterpiece of Catholic history and thought as a possible guide for the Church’s mission in the centuries ahead.
Father C. John McCloskey is a Church historian and a research fellow
of the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington.
Benjamin Wiker: The Tale of Two Benedicts
Jimmy Akin: Whoa! 1st Century Info About Mark's Gospel!
Comments
Post a Comment
Also read: Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell. I know it’s a plug; it’s not my book. I read it last night and if you’re interested in the New Evangelization, it’s the book of the year on that subject. It explains what’s going on, why people are leaving the Church, and what happened with RCIA over the last 10 years. Very, very important stuff for the Church and for individual Catholics to know.
Agreed, thank you! Weigel is spot on. Reform, indeed deep reform, begins in the soul and works its way out. We began to think better, love better, worship better, reform better…, do all things better. “O Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful…”
How does one that is oblivious to the realities of the Church become “our greatest observer”?
Given the facts that NCR is running this review and that the author, George Weigel, is recommending it to the College of Cardinals at the conclave, here is a sure signal that I and all of us ought to get our hands on this book. After all, does not awareness of history give us a more complete understanding of the present? It should also give us rationale for moving forward in the future as a church and as individuals who make up make up the church. I want to know more about Christ as friend, not just about Jesus Christ.
The Church always was about evangelical Catholicism but got side-tracked by POWER by the corruption of each age, always had Her Saints and reformers in papacy and hierarchy and its religious men and women leaders. Clericalism, abuse of power by bishops and laity after Vat 11 who saw their call to baptismal-confirmation Grace: religious women who equated ordination with power, rather than service, aping the officious clericalism of too many parish priests, all skewed the best efforts. The abuse scandal and the exaggerations by lawyers and media scared the bishops and ruined whatever good relations they had with their diocesan clergy who saw many of their numbers dumped with neither due process nor human dignity, some with canon lawyers out for blood and their civil lawyers out to protect the bishop. The anti-Christ has a new bat with which to hit the “Church” over the head and many still fall for it with cries of cover-up and false ideas of how many were actually guilty. The election of BXV1’s successor is riddled with that garbage as the real agenda is overlooked for the most part. The Bishop of Rome succeeds the flawed cowardly denying cursing Simon son of John who was converted and went on to die for His Master His Elder Brother Jesus whom the Holy Spirit inspired to call Him THE CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. And died upside down to prove it.
Thank you Fr. McCloskey. I have been greatly impressed by the books of George Weigel beginning with the biography of Pope John Paul II and especially with Against the Grain. He ranks along with my admiration of preeminent philosophers Alice and Dietrich von Hildebrand as the preeminent theologian in the world today
“Evangelical Catholicism begins not with knowing about Jesus, but with knowing Jesus.” “Evangelical Catholicism creates its own culture…”
Please, enough of this heretical nonsense. To know Jesus, we have first to know bout Him. If we want to know someone we just met, we have to first know about that person: where did he come from; who are his parents; what does he do; who is he; what are his views? We will never know some one we just met.
Catholics don’t need newly created, fuzzy, Jesus and I, feel good cultures and novelties.
Catholic culture is built on a Tradition of over 2,000 years.
Catholics are called to UNION WITH GOD
not “Jesus and I” feel good emotions.
“The Father and I are One” Jesus said
Catholics are called to evangelize by example in obedience to Mother Church.
Especially her priests are called to uncompromisingly preach the unadulterated Gospel that Jesus commanded them to preach:
“Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
Quotes from George Weigel’s book sounds very much of what Pope St. Pius X speaks of in his Encyclical on Modernists, both laity and priests.
One would do well to read this too. ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS X ON THE DOCTRINES OF THE MODERNISTS:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_x/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-x_enc_19070908_pascendi-dominici-gregis_en.html
Also the Catechism on Modernists explaining this Encyclical http://archive.org/stream/catechismonmoder00lemiuoft/catechismonmoder00lemiuoft_djvu.txt
. All that you read in this article is explained here:
We in the Archdiocese of Denver have that opportunity of reading George Weigel’s thoughts and insights every week. It then seems my only regret is the Denver Catholic Register does not devote a full page to Mr. Weigel’s analysis rather than its brief 1/3 tabloid page. Better pick up more of his books for deeper insights. His thoughts are well thought out and well written. Wish my thoughts were equal.
JMJ Its my understanding that the New Evangelization is to begin with me. My own internal evangelization. Before I can evangelize others I must evangelize myself. I can’t give what I don’t have. Its starting over. Going back and purify myself by going to Confession, receiving the Eucharist, fasting, praying, and alms(money/Corporal Works of Mercy). Continuous study of the CCC and all its references. Only in this way can we begin to evangelize the world. I remember reading about the Crusades in Thomas F. Maddens The New Concise History of the Crusades where he speaks of the second Crusade as being a disaster. On page sixty-one he writes “no one was more disappointed than St. Bernard. The crusade built on his prestige and reputation had been an unmitigated fiasco…” “For his answer, Bernard looked no further than the Old Testament. The armies of Christendom failed because of the sins of Europe. God withheld victory from his knights to chastise them and all Christians. The fault lay not with Bernard or the pope, but with every sinful man and woman who brought down the wrath of God. If crusades were ever to succeed, he argued, Europe must purify itself.” And so it is with the crusades of today like the Pro-Life movement, HHS Mandate, Re-election of President Obama, so called Catholic Universities leading our children out of the Church and causing so much divisiveness and chaos. One evening I was asked to work the admissions table for two CYO playoff basketball games. I offered free admission to anyone that could tell me the First Commandment. Out of thirty people only one man could tell me. It starts with me. Purify my soul by frequent confession and Eucharist, prayer(Adoration), fasting, alms. Look at St. Joan of Arc when she called for everyone to go to Confession, Eucharist. The battle of Lepanto. I am a soldier of the Christ by my Confirmation and a member of the Church Militant. Viva Cristo Rey
Imitation of Christ is free and is a better book.
I was reading this book at the time of Pope Benedict’s announcement, and immediately thought, “I wish every Cardinal would read this book before the Conclave!”
I am an Evangelical-AngloCatholic priest who has been greatly blessed by the witness and writings of the last two Pope’s, and I find Weigel’s vision of Evangelical Catholicism VERY appealing.
Can’t wait to read Mr. Weigel’s latest book!
There is too much public discussion in the media by a few cardinals on this matter. What happened to silence until the election? It`s gotten to be like a day at the track or a circus in town. Very disappointing.
In reality, Catholicism is, by it’s very nature, “evangelical.”—And “through and through,” Pope Benedict XVI, Emeritus, is the epitome of what it means to be “Catholic.” But, on top of that, for eight years he was the successor of the “one” to whom Jesus said: “You are Peter….” How could the Catholic Church be other than evangelical? The problem is not the Church, it is individuals within the Church—if/when we foget who we are! All Members of the Body of Christ are called to proclaim the Gospel in “deed” first of all, but also in words. I understand what Weigel is trying to highlight, but I would not want to see a new division between “Catholic” and “Evangelical Catholic.” We already have some of that in Archbishop Lefebrist’s “Pius X Society.”
Hopefully, you print this comment.
“Evangelical Catholicism begins not with knowing about Jesus, but with knowing Jesus.” “Evangelical Catholicism creates its own culture…”
To know Jesus, we have first to know about Him. If we want to know someone we just met, we have to first know about that person: where did he come from; who are his parents; what does he do; who is he; what are his views? We will never know some one we just met.
Catholics don’t need newly created, fuzzy, Jesus and I, feel good new cultures and novelties.
Catholic culture is built on a Tradition of over 2,000 years.
Catholics are called to UNION WITH GOD.
“The Father and I are One” Jesus said
Catholics are called to evangelize by example in obedience to Mother Church.
Especially her priests are called to uncompromisingly preach the unadulterated Gospel that Jesus commanded them to preach:
“Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
Quotes from George Weigel’s book sounds very much of what Pope St. Pius X speaks of in his Encyclical on Modernists both laity and priests.
One would do well to read this too. ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS X ON THE DOCTRINES OF THE MODERNISTS: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_x/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-x_enc_19070908_pascendi-dominici-gregis_en.html
Also the Catechism on Modernists explaining this Encyclical http://archive.org/stream/catechismonmoder00lemiuoft/catechismonmoder00lemiuoft_djvu.txt
. All that you read in this article is explained here:
Maybe George Weigel should be pope!
Right on Father! This topic was on my mind prior to logging on the computer. George is right AGAIN. As a former protestant, I know our Catholic Church is the one true church. My observations indicate that Catholics know the HOW to worship, meaning when to kneel, bow, recite memorized prayers, etc; they are missing the WHO. In formation, catholics are taught WHAT TO BELIEVE through memorization and never ask “what they believe.” This education is continued in weekly homilies with the priest continuing to inform, but never asking the most important question “What do YOU believe?” That question would cause people to think. What is evangelization? It means personalization.
Sorry, the church does not save us from hell, Jesus saved us through his sacrifice on the cross.
Brilliant! Unless we Catholics accept that our faith “must be deeper than the Scribes and Pharisees,” that it is an interior communion with God in our souls, realized through prayer, then the living faith of Christ will always be just another voice, another opinion, philosophy, idea, sounding off in the market place.
How to help Catholics enter into the reality of the faith as “...the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen,” is the real challenge facing our Church. Like the Western world we live in, Christianity has become for many a head game, an abstract thinking about God (evenly very deeply for some), but not a knowing God. “Know God, know peace,” as the t-shirt says.
Patrick O’Connor, Banff, Alberta, Canada
George Weigel is wise.
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give The National Catholic Register permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.