A book Recommendation you should not pass up
"The Afternoon of Christianity: The Courage to Change"
In addition to my weekly column, I will occasionally make a few book recommendations near the beginning of each week. Hopefully, some of the suggestions spark an interest in organizing book discussion groups, one of the many ways we engage and learn from each other. Provide support insights and a sense of community.
When we think about working to bring about the Kingdom of God and using the JOC methods and teachings, it is crucial to remember how others see See-Judge-Act in our world to help us learn to work to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven here and how.
I want to introduce you to an excellent book by Tomas Halik: The Afternoon of Christianity: The Courage to Change by Tomas Halik.
Professor, Msgr. Tomáš Halík is a Czech Roman Catholic priest and professor of Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Charles University in Prague. He specializes in the philosophy and sociology of religion, inter-religious dialogue, and dialogue between believers and nonbelievers.
“Postmodernity, the post-secular age, is an opportunity for the self-transcendence of Christianity, for a deepening of spirituality, for a mature faith capable of accepting the paradoxes of human existence.” ~ Tomas Halik
As a church, we must refocus on spiritual diagnostics. This is a place well-suited for JOC work and techniques. Spirituality is about the history of the Church. Therefore, we need to become intimate with history and understand why and where we see spirituality in the gospels: what motivates us to ACT, help change the world, and bring about the Kingdom of Heaven.
I'm increasingly persuaded that Catholicism's renewal in the Church, especially in the West, where we see turmoil, will be rooted in the Church's rich contemplative tradition, which the laity will drive.
"The Church needs all of its lay-folk, not the clergy, to bring the kingdom of God into the present-day world.” ~ Louis J Putz CSC 1957
Spirituality From the beginning of our Christian roots and history, we knew what was happening in our communities was new; whether it was a new religion, philosophy, or school of learning, it all pointed to a new WAY. It is how we often talk about it; sometimes, we do not know what it means in the sense of spirituality: "I am the Way." Think about the interconnection of that statement as a Christian. Through spirituality, we constantly return to this vision throughout history, especially in our personal lives.
"I was compelled to re-immerse myself in the history of Christianity and sociological and theological reflections on the changes in the contemporary religious scene. I took advantage of two study fellowships at the University of Notre Dame and study and lecture tours in a number of European countries, the USA, South America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. Everywhere I met with theologians, sociologists, and church leaders, and in dialogue with them, I tried to broaden my European perspective." ~ Tomas Halik
As followers of Jesus, we try to understand how we can see, judge, and act. We are discovering the spirituality of the Church. The Church is a mystery; we know where the Church is now, but all too often, we do not know where she was and was not in the world.
“Anyone who thinks about the future of our civilization and realizes that we need not only technological advances but take care of the spiritual quality of life.” ~ Tomas Halik
Through spirituality, we believe and confess that the Church is a mystery, a sacrament, and a sign. Most importantly, we understand the Church as a vision of the Kingdom of God here and now. All too often, we stray from that vision as humans. Through the Church and spirituality, We discover the Universal Christ. The Church is a dynamic sacrament, a way to achieve that goal.
"To the Christian faith, God appears as a wounded God—not the apathetic God of the Stoics, nor God as a projection of our desires or a symbol of the power ambitions of a person or a nation. It is a sympathetic God, i.e., co-compassionate, co-suffering, co-passionate." ~ Tomas Halik
Photo: Book Cover.
Thank you, Richard. In the past, when you have recommended a book to be read, I have done so and not been disappointed. At present I am reading Halík’s Night of the Confessor. I have found myself challenged by his description of Christianity as a religion of paradox. Here is a link to a conversation between him and Fr Frank Brennan, an Australian Jesuit priest, known as “the meddling priest”: https://www.youtube.com/live/XXoccU0We8o?si=h97QrnZhX8D6DVv6 I will continue reading his books with my SJA glasses on in “conscious” mode. Again, thank you.