Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bralick@osgiliath.endor.cs.psu.edu (Will Bralick) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: The Bible and Us: a book review; comments on Mary and Protestantism Message-ID: Date: 4 Sep 90 07:47:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Self Similar Lines: 50 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article hedrick@cs.rutgers.edu writes: | | I'd like to recommend a book that addresses a number of question that | are under discussion here. It's "The Bible and Us", written jointly | by Father Andrew Greeley and Rabbi Jacob Neusner... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~oops | ... It is also an attractive presentation of Andrew Greeley's | vision of Catholic Christianity. ~~~~~~~~~ Is there a nihil obstat or imprimatur? I would wager there isn't. Assuming that there isn't, please be clear that Greeley is speculating for himself and is not presenting Roman Catholic doctrine. | It is thus a good answer to a ~~~~? | question asked by Walsh (which will appear tonight), as to whether | changes in the Catholic Church have left any distinctive Catholic | spirituality. ~~~~~~~~ If it is authoritative, then it may address questions of Roman Catholic spirituality. If it isn't (and I suspect that it isn't), then it is likely as valuable an exposition of Roman Catholic spirituality as Greeley's novels. In short, I'd look elsewhere for Roman Catholic spirituality. Regards, Will bralick@cs.psu.edu with disclaimer; use disclaimer; It was a curious idea ... that the Church should adapt the faith to suit the world rather than the other way around, or that the "contemporary" intellectual ... should expect to find being a Christian comfortable. -- Anne Roche Muggeridge [There is no imprimatur. Since the book is half a presentation of Jewish ideas, I suspect it wouldn't be eligible. On the other hand, it is not clear that an imprimatur would make that much difference. It does not make a book authoritative. As many notices of imprimatur caution us, "The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the nihil obstat or imprimatur agree with the content, opinions, or statements expressed." I believe Greeley is controversial in ways that are probably not doctrinal or moral error. That certainly does not mean that all Catholics would agree with him, nor that he is stating authoritative Catholic positions. He certainly doesn't claim to be making authoritative statements, particularly not in matters of doctrine (for which he refers the reader to Catholic catechisms.) --clh]