Denver Catholic

18 DECEMBER 22, 2018-JANUARY 25, 2019 | DENVER CATHOLIC Perspectives Books for Christmas T ake a stand against the elec- tronifi cation of everything — give (real) books this Christ- mas. Some recommendations: Paul: A Biography, by N.T. Wright (Harper- One): Dr. Wright's remarkable ability to explicate the New Testament gives famil- iar passages new depths of meaning. His recon- struction of what Saul of Tarsus experi- enced on the Damas- cus road is deeply moving, even thrilling. And in this season of Catholic anger and grief, Wright's analysis of Paul's pastoral struggles is a helpful reminder that the Church has always been something of a mess. Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church, by John W. O'Mal- ley, SJ (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press): Father O'Malley completes his concil- iar trilogy (which includes works on Trent and Vatican II) with a nicely rendered account of Vatican I that's fair to all those involved in some serious ecclesi- astical elbow-throwing. Now that ultramontanism — an excessively Petrocentric concept of the Church — has migrated from the starboard to the port side of the Barque of Peter, Vatican I is also useful in explain- ing why that 19th-century council's work had to be completed by Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. The Disputed Teachings of Vatican II: Continuity and Reversal in Cath- olic Doctrine, by Thomas G. Guarino (Eerd- mans): As the Church continues to debate the legacy of the Second Vatican Council, Father Guarino's carefully crafted argument that Vatican II was a coun- cil of development, not rupture, is a much-needed antidote to some current oversimplifi cations. It's the perfect gift for both the Tradinista millennial who has no idea why Vat- ican II was necessary and for those who believe the Catholic Church does "paradigm shifts." The Last Homily: Conversations with Fr. Arne Panula, edited by Mary Eberstadt (Emmaus Road): Want a window into why the New Evangeli- zation has engaged hundreds of young profes- sionals in the nation's capital over the past decade or so? Mrs. Eberstadt's conversa- tions with the leader of that e¯ ort, recorded in the months before his death, introduce those who never met Father Arne to a model priest and spiritual director — and remind those who knew and loved him how privi- leged we were to enjoy his company and to glimpse sanctity and intelli- gence working in tandem. How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art, by Eliz- abeth Lev (Sophia Institute Press): You've never really seen a painting or a sculpture until you've "seen" it through the discerning eye of Elizabeth Lev, a master teacher and guide. In our confused culture, beauty just might create new path- ways to truth and goodness; Professor Lev's story of how something like that happened 500 years ago is thus evangelically challenging and pastorally suggestive for missionary disciples today. In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown, by Nathaniel Philbrick (Viking): At a moment in which Amer- ican public o³ cials too often act like petulant toddlers, it's good to remem- ber that character counts in politics and that insight, courage, and selfl essness can rally the confused, the cowardly, and the self-centered to act for the common good. That was Washington's great accomplishment in the months leading up to the decisive American victory at Yorktown in Octo- ber 1781: By force of character, he held together a tottering revolution even as he displayed a shrewd understanding of how seapower shapes history. Vatican Flags: Keys & Crowns Since 1800 – The Flags of the Papal States and Today's Vatican, by Wil- liam M. Becker (North American Vexillogi- cal Associ- ation): I've been a fl ag bu¯ since childhood. But until a f ew months ago, I hadn't known there was a discipline called "Vexillology" (the study of fl ags), or that it had an association. I'm glad I found out, as Father Becker's beautifully illustrated book is full of wonderful fl ags (like the naval ensign fl ying on a papal warship), even as it o¯ ers a brief course in modern Vat- ican history. Get it from the associa- tion by going to the "Shop" tab at the Web site: nava.org. Corduroy Mansions, The Dog Who Came in from the Cold, and A Conspir- acy of Friends, by Alexander McCall Smith: This series of charm- ing novels features a winsome Pimlico terrier named Freddie de la Haye and a cast of human characters whose foibles McCall Smith treats with humor and deep sympathy. It's the literary equivalent of comfort food. And as this year has taught us, we all need that from time to time. The Catholic Di¶ erence George Weigel is a distinguished senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. GEORGE WEIGEL

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