Review by Booklist Review
Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia Chaput begins his book with a long essay on death. Because American culture tries to deny its truth and inevitability, he is not afraid to remind readers of their final chapter. Indeed, death threads through many of the essays, but this is not a depressing book. He incorporates movies, books, theology, Holy Scripture, and stories of saints with deftness; it is also timely, mentioning the police murder of George Floyd and COVID-19. At its heart, this is an apologetics for Christian faith, in general, and Catholic Christianity in particular. His stances on what constitutes marriage and family are narrower than many may appreciate. Still, one can admire the way his thought gathers and builds on subjects like community, intimacy, and forgiveness. One chapter is devoted to the responses he received from Catholic friends when he asked them what the church means to them. For those unconvinced of the reality of purgatory and hell, Chaput offers words on those, too. Throughout, his writing affirms that things worth dying for make life worth living.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Chaput (Strangers in a Strange Land), former Roman Catholic archbishop of Philadelphia, draws on his memories and the works of classic writers in this erudite if rambling reflection on "things worth dying for... things worth living for, the things that give life beauty and meaning." Chief among these, for Chaput, is love and service of God, and he also praises family, friends, and both secular and religious communities. He takes inspiration from a line from J.R.R. Tolkien stating that great tales never end, but rather "the people in them come and go as their part's ended," in his contemplation of his role in the "drama of the Christian story" at age 75 and Cicero's argument that death is not an evil but "deliverance from the burdens of the material world." The strongest section digs into the tension in Christian thought that holds death as both desirable (because it brings union with God) and terrible (as a result of Adam and Eve's sin in Eden). A weaker portion is his simplistic critique of contemporary culture, which Chaput sees as full of yearning for transcendence. The book also suffers from dubious assertions about the similarities between Jewish and Christian theology, such as his claim that both religions hold the story of Moses and the burning bush as God's first self-revelation in the Hebrew Bible. While fans of Chaput's homilies or previous works will enjoy this, it's unlikely to win new ones. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Reflections on what is most important to a life of faith. Chaput, the former Archbishop of Philadelphia and first Native American Archbishop in U.S. history, takes the opportunity of his recent retirement to share his thoughts on what makes life meaningful. Though the narrative is broad in scope and often scattershot, the author is introspective, genuine, and sometimes inspiring. "When we talk about things worth dying for," writes the author, "we're really talking about the things worth living for, the things that give life beauty and meaning. Thinking a little about our mortality puts the world in perspective. It helps us see what matters, and also the foolishness of things that, finally, don't matter. Your hearse, as my father might say, won't have a luggage rack." Chaput expounds on justice, divine revelation, family, nation, church, friendship, and the Christian journey. Throughout, he exhorts readers to live the Christian life with sincerity, placing these significant elements of life first and making their importance clear to others. Chaput displays a traditionalist voice to counter many trends of popular and political culture. The author's main strength is his effective combination of his experiences as both a pastor and a leader, exploring highly personal instances of emotion, frailty, endurance, and vision along with broader views on the state of the Catholic Church and the future of American society. His musings range from current trends in popular culture to the realms of theology and philosophy, and he cites a wide variety of writers and artists, including Horace, Roger Scruton, Elie Wiesel--and of course, plenty of Bible verses. Though prone to calling out what he sees as wrong with culture today, Chaput's overall view is one of faithful optimism. "The Church is always weak," he writes, "but her Lord is always strong." Heartfelt, worthwhile thoughts from a seasoned church leader. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
