Belief or Non-Belief?: A Confrontation [Paperback]

Umberto Eco (Author), Carlo Maria Martini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

In this stimulating dialogue these two great men, who stand on opposite sides of the church door, discuss some of the most controversial issues of the day. One is a respected scholar and one of the pre-eminent ecumenical churchmen of Europe; the other the world famous author of The Name of the Rose, a scholar, philosopher and self-decalred secularist, a man who writes with equal ease about Thomas Aquinas and James Joyce, computers and the medieval Templars.

Often adversarial but always amicable, their debate will fascinate many.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This is a heartening book in demonstrating that serious and charitable dialogue between belief and nonbelief is both possible and valuable'. John Habgood, The Tablet

'Perhaps the most important thing about this book is that it was written at all, because it is a model of the way in which a dialogue between believers and non-believers should be conducted.' Karen Armstrong, The Independent

'This is a thoroughly enjoyable, invigorating work.' Times Literary Supplement

'The Eco-Martini correspondence lifts the possibility of intelligent conversation on religion to a new level.' From the Introduction by Harvey Cox, Professor of Divinity, Harvard University

About the Author

Umberto Eco is the celebrated author of numerous novels and works of non-fiction. Carlo Maria Martini is the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Burns & Oates (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826480993
• ISBN-13: 978-0826480996
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,522,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Umberto Eco (born 5 January 1932) is an Italian novelist, medievalist, semiotician, philosopher, and literary critic.

He is the author of several bestselling novels, The Name of The Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, The Island of The Day Before, and Baudolino. His collections of essays include Five Moral Pieces, Kant and the Platypus, Serendipities, Travels In Hyperreality, and How To Travel With a Salmon and Other Essays.

He has also written academic texts and children's books.


Photography (c) Università Reggio Calabria

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, September 26, 2011

By 

Argelia F. Carracedo "Caribeña" (Hialeah, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Belief or Non-Belief?: A Confrontation (Paperback)

Excellent book. The reading helps you to understand different points of view. Academic level made easy and enjoyable. It's a "confrontation" of two friends.

4.0 out of 5 stars A dialogue of mutual respect., September 6, 2011

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James Watrous - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Belief or Non-Belief?: A Confrontation (Paperback)

I read this book several years ago. So my review may be a little rusty. Nevertheless, I remember really enjoying this book. One aspect of the book that I really liked was the mutual respect that Umberto Eco and Cardinal Martini have for each other. Eco is an agnostic (and former Catholic) while Martini is obviously a Catholic priest (he's a Jesuit). Unfortunately, the mutual respect is missing in the work of the so-called new atheists that Eco has in this book. Sometimes it can missing from religious people as well. It one is tired of all the fighting and wants to read a respectful dialogue betwen a secular thinker and a religious thinker then this is a good book to read.