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Title details for Night of the Confessor by Tomas Halik - Available

Night of the Confessor

Christian Faith in an Age of Uncertainty

by Tomas Halik
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Tomáš Halík is a wise guide for the post-Christian era, and never more so than in his latest work, a thought-provoking and powerful reflection on the relationship between faith, paradox, change, and resurrection.
As the challenges of cultural secularization and dwindling congregation size confront religious communities across North America and Europe, and the Catholic Church in particular, Tomáš Halík is a prophetic voice of hope. He has lived through the political oppression and intolerance of religion that defined Communist Czechoslovakia, and he draws from this experience to remind readers that not only does crisis lead to deeper understanding but also that any living religion is a changing religion. The central messages of Christianity have always seemed impossible, from peace and forgiveness in the face of a harsh world to love and self-sacrifice despite human selfishness to the victory of resurrection through the defeat of the cross. Acceptance of paradox therefore is the way forward, Halík explains. It is a difficult way that offers an unclear immediate future, but it is ultimately the only honest way.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 10, 2012

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780307952820

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780307952820
      • File size: 2237 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 14, 2011
      At the end of the first chapter, Halík (Patience with God) invites the reader not to continue unless he or she is able to explore the Christian faith in terms of paradox. A Catholic priest who has heard a lifetime’s worth of confessions, he has gleaned certain elemental attributes that bespeak deep truths about God, faith, and obedience. Halík speaks out of the experience of living under religious oppression in Communist Czechoslovakia, which may account for the book’s mournful tone. Christianity, he says, means following the “one who did not evade the darkness.” He rebukes the preening and prancing faith healers whose ministries before crowds betray narcissism and megalomania. Faith, as delineated here, is not easy; not fancy; not about formulas, platitudes, or rewards. His theme is mystery, a timely antidote to otherwise predictable notions about authentic belief. Read slowly, it makes sense, if the reader is willing to suspend systems, pietisms, and preconceived categories within the Christian faith, a challenge that does not disappoint.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from February 1, 2013

      Halik, a Catholic priest who was active in the Czech Republic's underground church and was general secretary to President Vaclav Havel, is a notably unsentimental observer of the contemporary scene. Additionally, he is a tart, experienced commentator here on the central issues of Christian theology, touching on politics, sociology, films (especially noteworthy are his remarks on Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ), and immortality. VERDICT A welcome voice, at once grounded in Catholicism and free of cant and over-reliance on tradition; highly recommended for the inquiring reader.

      Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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