After The Church

15 years ago

An ?Extra Ecclesiam? Theology

In ?grappling with the meaning of life in a Western post-Christian world? (Rosemary Ruether), Claire?s short work is not to be mistaken for an average self-help book. It is an example of contemporary practice of theologizing ?outside the church,? as she admits. Though short, the book contains pithy, insightful comments arising out of personal experience. The book gives the impression that almost every word is weighed. The enduring value of this work, to my mind, is that Claire invites us to follow her parents? decision in our respective lives. ?They stopped reading the story and stepped into the book? to find a new imaging of God. My initial reading was completed in one afternoon. However, the more enriching reading followed over the period of a few days. I had purchased the book on speculation that I might gain some insight into her father?s theological understanding since I am doing research for a book on the theological similarities and differences among Charles Davis, Leslie Dewart and Gregory Baum. I read this book as a philosopher, but not presupposing any particular school, ie, Thomist, Cartesian, Hegelian, etc. so as not to prejudice my appreciation of her perspective. Were I to discern a philosophy underpinning her thinking, I would identify it as holistic phenomenology. Whether one?s point of departure in reading the book is as a philosopher, a theologian, a social critic, or a wounded soul, there are brief personal statements throughout the book that reveal a great deal about her fidelity to revelation in relating her growth through a variety of human personal experiences. If I have understood her correctly, I draw the conclusion that for some of us we may have to ?leave the church? in order to ?enter the Church? and leave the guilt behind.

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