In the Redeeming Christ (Ave Maria Press)

Welcome back to Stuart's Study. Today, I'm pleased to review another book from Ave Maria Press, entitled In the Redeeming Christ. This book is part of their Christian Classics imprint. There's something about reading an old book that takes you back to the time it was written. This is true of fiction and nonfiction alike. And while I enjoy most all of the present Catholic authors out there, it is spiritually enlightening to read what the previous generations thought and taught as well.

In the Redeeming Christ starts with an introduction by Dr. Scott Hahn, which provides a brief biography of Fr. Durwell and the time he lived in. Living from 1912 to 2005, he certainly experienced almost the entire 20th Century. At the young age of 27, he made two important insights regarding theology. 1. Jesus' Resurrection was not receiving proper attention. 2. The Pascal Mystery of Jesus should be the center of Catholic theology. This shaped his theological teachings and writings, including this book. In the Redeeming Christ is broken into five parts:

• Principles of Christian Life
• The Sacraments of Christian Life
• Christian Virtues
• Our Master in the Christian Life
• Mary Amongst Us

The five sections mentioned above allow the book to flow smoothly, as they outline the way faith grows within a person. First, one must be presented with the ideas of salvation, redemption, and sanctification, which are key tenets of Christianity. One's faith then begins to deepen through life in the Church. The Bible, the Mass, and the Sacraments help us live this life.  Once a faith is well established and practiced, the fruits of that faith, virtues, bear witness to our life in Christ.  As always, when we need some guidance in our faith journey, we are able to look to Mary, who is the perfect example of what the Church is supposed to be - the bride of Christ.

The most helpful portion to me was the chapter, "Faithfulness to Prayer," which can be found in the section on Christian Virtues. I feel that prayer is an area of my life in which I would like to grow, so I am always interested in books or talks that provide insight on prayer. Of particular interest to me was Fr. Durwell's explanation on the origin of Christian prayer. I never put much thought into the subject, honestly, but he explains that the Church's prayer was born when Jesus cried aloud on the Cross, "Abba, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." This echoes back to what I said earlier about the Paschal Mystery being the center of Catholic theology.

If you're looking for an explanation of what it truly means to live in Christ, you will want to read In the Redeeming Christ. It is a lengthy book at near 300 pages, so it will take you some time to work your way through it. However, it is also straightforward, explaining things at a level that is easily understood. When you complete the last page, you will feel like you have a better understanding of how to live a Christian life and realize that it is only possible by having Christ at the center of your life.

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Did you see Cardinal Dolan on The Colbert Report?

Check out the videos here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Be sure to purchase Cardinal Dolan's e-book Praying in Rome at a steal for $1.99, and check out my review of the e-book here.

Angelico Press: The Tumbler of God: Chesterton as Mystic

If you have been keeping up with Catholic news at all, you will be aware that "permission for the first step in a possible canonization process has been granted for the cause of G.K. Chesterton." (Zenit.org) For fans of Chesterton, myself included, this is definitely reason to celebrate. I also figured it would be a good time to review a book about the man himself entitled The Tumbler of God: Chesterton as Man and Mystic, available from Angelico Press.

When one thinks of great mystics of the Catholic faith, we think of people like St. Padre Pio, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux to name a few. Gilbert Keith Chesterton is probably far from people's minds, but Fr. Robert Wild looks to add him to the list of mystics with his book The Tumbler of God. For those who find the title unusual, I refer you to Chesterton's work on St. Francis or just reading Chapter 6 of this book.

The book starts off by explaining who Chesterton was and what went on inside of his head. Fr. Wild then draws upon different authors, including Karl Rahner and Thomas Merton, to provide different definitions of mysticism and to examine how well Chesterton would fit into these molds. The author then takes the time to explain what exactly constituted Chesterton's mysticism. If I understand it correctly, Chesterton's mysticism stemmed from seeing reality for what it is and glorifying the Creator. The rest of the book then deals with the mysticism found in some of Chesterton's important writings, such as Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man.

I am usually able to pick one chapter in a book as my favorite, but I was unable to narrow it down to just one with this book.  Two stood out in particular to me. The first was the chapter on Chesterton's work Orthodoxy. This is one of my favorite Chesterton works, so the extra insight I gained on it from this chapter was helpful and kindled a spark in me to approach this work again with new eyes. The other chapter I particularly liked was the final chapter, which made a case for Chesterton's sainthood. As Fr. Wild points out, Chesterton isn't your typical mystic or saint, but that's doesn't make him any less of a mystic or saint. It just goes to show that God made us all unique, and we all have the potential for sainthood.

This entire book was written like a thesis by Fr. Wild. With a first person point of view, you are able to hear the author's passion, enthusiasm, and zeal for the great man that G.K. Chesterton was. It was a truly enlightening book which strengthens the case for canonizing Chesterton as well. So whether you are a seasoned reader of Chesterton or someone looking to start reading his works, you will find gold when reading this 5 star book. I look forward to the future with the hope that we will one day have a Saint Gilbert.

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