The Coming Catholic Church: How the Faithful Are Shaping a New American Catholicism [Paperback]

David Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 29, 2004

Rather than chronicling the well-reported sexual abuse scandal or advocating a particular reform agenda, David Gibson shows how the crisis in the church is unleashing forces that will change American Catholicism forever.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Religion journalist David Gibson delivers a controversial state of the union address for the Catholic Church. Although his writing style is journalistic, heavily infused with quotes from big-name sources in the Church, Gibson is not an objective reporter. He clearly believes that the current crisis is not about a lack of faith in God—but, rather, a breakdown of trust in the Church's leadership. Of course, an obvious source of this breakdown is the leadership's failures to stop, prevent, or even publicly acknowledge the fact that Church personnel were sexually abusing children and young people. But he also believes that the ensuing crisis of 2002 was a kind of "perfect storm" where powerful forces of tension that "have been bearing down on Catholicism for decades" converged into an inventible, stormy clash.

Gibson is most controversial when portraying a seemingly indifferent and arrogant Church leadership that is reticent to hold itself accountable to its constituents. Ultimately, he stands most closely beside the diverse and devout lay people of the Church—-seeing them as the instigators of vast and necessary reforms. Historically, change in the Catholic Church has come from the bottom up. But in earlier times that change was kick-started by its influential religious orders of monks and nuns as well as individual champions, such as Teresa of Avila and Hildegarde von Bingen. Nowadays, "with the numbers of nuns and brothers falling even faster than the priests," it is up to the laity to create the revolution from below, according to Gibson. He sees this laity leadership rising out of a movement that is in already in place in America, where the laity now read the Scriptures at Mass, distribute the Host to congregants, teach Catechism classes to the next generation and serve as chaplains in nursing homes and college campuses. While it's too soon after the storm to completely assess the damage or predict the course of the future--Gibson is certainly offering a conversation that this crisis-battered community needs to have. --Gail Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Much has been written about the crisis over sexual abuse that has plagued the contemporary Catholic Church. It is Gibson's contention that this scandal and the subsequent reaction to it are rooted in a much larger and long-term crisis. That the church has been in a state of turmoil for decades is a reality that cannot be ignored. Coupled with this is the fact that American Catholics have always struggled with their dual identity as simultaneous members of both a secular democratic society and a hierarchical religious body. According to the author, the future of American Catholicism is not in jeopardy; rather, the crisis has prompted vigorous debate and afforded an opportunity for healthy change within the three traditional ranks of the church: the laity, the clergy, and the hierarchy. This book provides no pat answers; it merely poses the questions and outlines the possibilities that could usher in a new and more dynamic era in American Catholicism. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; Rev Upd edition (June 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060587202
• ISBN-13: 978-0060587208
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,395,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Medicine for a Church in Need of Healing, September 5, 2003

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Coming Catholic Church: How the Faithful Are Shaping a New American Catholicism (Hardcover)

In the past two years it seems as if more books seem to have been published on Roman Catholicism than at any other time. The most recent books have focusing not as much on the Church, but ht clergy sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the Church and how the Church ought to respond. David Gibson's book The Coming Catholic Church belongs in this genre.

Gibson divides the book into three sections: one devoted to the laity, another devoted to priesthood, and a third section focuses on the episcopacy. Gibson seems very hopeful that the laity can and should play a significant role in reform. He does have some criticisms of the laity and while he does not blame the current scandal on lay people or take a simplistic view that if lay people had more of a say, none of this would have ever happened, he does warn against the danger of putting clergy members on too high a pedestal (something that will probably not happen anytime too soon). Gibson is both sympathetic and critical of the priesthood. He basically sees priests as good hearted people, but also caught in the traps of clericalism. While he supports a married clergy, he also sees the value of celibacy in some cases. He supports a broader membership in the clergy so that the Church will not only be relevant, but will also have enough priests to maintain the Sacramental life of the Church. Gibson is most critical of the bishops, and seems to believe they are hopelessly irrelevant and while he is hopeful of changes in the laity and priesthood, he seems less hopeful as far as the episcopacy is concerned. While he admires Pope John Paul II, he seems to present a thesis that the problem with the bishops is that there are too many John Paul II clones. For this reason he hopes that the Pope's eventual successor will have John Paul II's dedication and enthusiasm, but will also be open to reform.

The book is accurate and well researched something that is probably due to his talent as a journalist. A bit of editing could help, for some parts are a bit repetitious. He has many opinions, but is able to back up his opinions with fact. His voice offers a different perspective, which is probably why I found this book quite significant. Gibson is a journalist, not a theologian, member of the clergy, or religious life. Many of the most recent books about the scandal are written by Church insiders, both liberal and conservative, who often times have an agenda. Gibson has a point of view, but this comes from his love of his Church, and purely from that love. Gibson also offers his point of view from the eyes of a Catholic, but not a life long Catholic. As a convert, Gibson seems to be able to see what is essentially Catholic and offer a fresh and balanced point of view. In my opinion, this is what Gibson attempts to do, and in many ways did it satisfactorily.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars TV Reporting Can't Handle a Church, July 27, 2004

By 

Michael Mulville - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Coming Catholic Church: How the Faithful Are Shaping a New American Catholicism (Paperback)

Don Hewitt (of 60 Minutes) famously tells his reporters to 'tell me a story.' Storytelling may be appropriate for a TV report, but when you take on a complex topic in a book-length analysis, stories can get in the way. The reason is simple: the likely audience for this kind of a book already has their own story. The likely reader of this book already has his own history with the Catholic Church. There is no need to tell stories with human interest, because any story a reporter might tell will pale in comparison with the richness of the reader's own experience.

Telling a story can get in the way of analysis. In one arc, Gibson tells the story of Wilton Gregory, the bishop who headed the post-scandal Episcopal conference. As Gibson presents it, Gregory's story is almost a fall from grace. Gibson presents Bishop Gregory as the insider who sensitively sees the need for the hierarchy to confront itself. However, in this story, the hierarchy is the villain. Instead of Gregory redeeming the hierarchy, the hierarchy uses Gregory to further protect and isolate itself. This makes a compelling story (even assuming it's true) but what's missing is analysis.

There are, in the bishop's dilemma, two important values to protect, but which are currently at odds. The first value is the pressure to hold predatory priests accountable. The second value is to protect innocent and honest priests from unfair accusation. Not being a member of the clergy, Gibson is plainly unaware of why that second value is so important. It isn't always personal vanity. Because of the business he's in, a priest's personal reputation is vital. Unfortunately, a reputation is the easiest thing for an enemy to destroy, simply by offering accusations that leave a stain. It doesn't matter whether such accusations stand up to proof; the accusation alone does the damage. It's also clear that Gibson doesn't appreciate how often a priest's reputation comes under attack. Plenty of people would gladly start/spread every rumor about a priest. (Ask any priest.) Most people would be surprised at how often, and how vicious, these attacks actually occur. About this, Gibson says little.

The bishops, we all agree, went too far in protecting their priests' reputations. Of the two values (accountability and protection), many bishops chose wrong. Therefore, what's truly needed in this book is a thorough discussion of how to draw that line. It isn't easy. You can't believe every accusation, but you can't dismiss them all, either. You can smugly say that the bishops drew the line poorly, but that's not enough. You have to further explain how to draw the line properly. That takes analysis, and sober reflection.

That's what this book is lacking. This book is basically a story, not an analysis. In this story, the laity are heroes who will one day triumph over the tyrannical bishops and nefarious Vatican curia. That may be a story, but it isn't analysis.

53 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tough, fair, brilliant -- and very welcome!, June 30, 2003

By 

Deacon Thom (Forest Hills, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Coming Catholic Church: How the Faithful Are Shaping a New American Catholicism (Hardcover)

Until now, the books about the current crisis in the Catholic Church have come from two flanks: the crotchety right, blaming everything on a lack of fidelity or those rascals behind Vatican II (George Weigel et al) ... and the defiant left, blaming everything on an ailing Pope who refuses to get with the program (Gary Wills et al).

Now, at last, comes a balanced and clear-eyed view from the vast middle -- not only that, but it comes from a convert with a passion and genuine affection for his beleaguered Church.

David Gibson's "The Coming Catholic Church" manages to synthesize two centuries of triumph and turmoil in the American Catholic Church into a coherent, intelligent and altogether revelatory work that, at this moment, stands as a definitive account of how the church got where it is today -- and where it may be headed tomorrow. Drawing on history, sociology, theology and just plain good storytelling, Gibson presents the most complete and compelling picture of the modern church that I've found (and I've slogged through a lot of them!) He brings to the book a journalist's eye and a committed Catholic's concern, and the result is an invaluble document that should be required reading for every American Catholic, both lay and religious.

Gibson gives equal time to arguments from conservatives and progressives, and avoids taking sides; both, he suggests, have their strengths and weaknesses, and neither is completely right or wrong. That gives the book a credibility and balance that I found most welcome. And he divides his book clearly into three sections: the laity, the clergy, and the hierarchy, showing the fundamental role each must play in the Church, how each has reacted to the recent scandals, and how each will be challenged to change its relationship with the other if the Church is to be renewed and reformed.

"The Coming Catholic Church" will help readers see the Church as the wonderful, flawed, monumental and maddening institution it is and always has been -- and understand, perhaps for the first time, why. What you will find here are tales of a confused and conflicted clergy, an angry and impassioned laity, and the defensive and sometimes helpless hierarchy.

What you will also find is a quiet but insistent plea: we are all in this together, and must work together to renew our Church. The book's ultimate theme is one of hope and redemption -- the triumph of Easter over the despair of Good Friday.

I can't overstate how important and necessary this book is. I'm sending one to every Catholic I know, with the urgent message: "Read this. Now."

I can't state it any plainer than that. For any Catholic who cares about the Church, and wants to know what the future may hold, pick up this book. It's all there. Read this. Now.