Customer Reviews

A Generation Betrayed

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A worthwhile book for the theologically and educationally well-informed in the combat zone of liberal vs. traditionalist Catholicism. Keane has chosen two particularly thorny types, ultraliberal lay Catholic Boston College professor and author Thomas Groome and ultrafeminist wannabe linguist Elizabeth Schüssler-Fiorenza, for target practice. He hits bull's-eye after bull's-eye.

The careful reader will discern that the undermining of beliefs of all sorts is not limited to Catholic schooling but is found at all levels of American, yea, even Western education in general. Ever since the Revolution of '68 there have been forces at the professorial level transforming the thinking of students. The students, in turn, have endeavored to transform society into a purely secular concept.

As a theolinguist, I paid particular attention to Schüssler-Fiorenza's approach. Neither she nor Groome is a professional linguist--and it shows. In Chapter 7 (on the Trinity) it becomes immediately obvious that neither Groome and Fiorenza nor Keane understands the crucial difference between grammatical gender and human sex differentiation.

The book examines the extent to which Groome was philosophically influenced by noted--and some not so noted--liberal theologians. It also outlines Schüssler-Fiorenza's indebtedness to certain prominent feminists.

This is not a book for the uninformed. Unlike the Anglican Communion, the Catholic Church has a magisterium and can prevent or counteract the spread of the theology of heretics and apostates run amok, like former priest Groome and Schüssler-Fiorenza or retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong.

The typesetter needs to add the umlaut to his stock of diacritics.

Eamonn Keane has done Catholics a great service in his penetrating analysis of the writings of two key figures in recent religious education - Thomas Groome and Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza. Dripping with degrees and accolades these two have managed the deconstruction of the Catholic faith while supposedly teaching it. Groome in particular has bamboozled Catholic education offices into using his books as texts. Influenced by the Chilean Marxist Paulo Freire, Rahner and Boff he'suspects' divine Revelation, the Papacy, the ministerial priesthood, the sacraments - in fact everthing but himself. Keane presents what the church does teach and shows how far removed it is from Groome's politically based pedagogy. Excellent investigative writing by Eamonn Keane - Introducton by Msgr Wren, Foreword by Donna Steichen, Preface by Bishop Bruskewitz

Keanne's book looks at the writings of two Boston College professors on Catholicism, one a radical feminist, Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza, and the other a laicized priest, Thomas Groome. As is not uncommon in our time, both claim in some way to still be Catholics while at the same time rejecting central doctrines of the faith. Keanne undertakes a systematic analysis beginning with a look at the philosophical (e.g., Hegelian) and ideological (e.g., Paulo Freire) foundations of their thought. He then examines Fiorenza's and Groome's writings in the light of Catholic doctrine. Keanne has a talent for sythesizing the authors' positions using selections from a number of their works. More space in Keanne's book is dedicated to analyzing Groome's thought. This is because Groome's catechetical methodology has been widely used in the postconciliar years and has influenced many. Even though Groome rejects key portions of Catholic doctrine, his works are considered to be a model by many in the Catholic religious education establishment in the United States and other parts of the English-speaking world (Keanne is Australian). Keanne displays a mastery of Catholic theology and faithfulness to the Church in exposing Groome's decades-long project to deconstruct the faith (or "Christian Story/Vision" as Groome calls it). This book is a must-read for anyone with a serious committment to catechetics from the elementary school level on up to adult formation. The reliability of Keanne's information is borne out in the abundance of reference material. Each chapter has at least 100 footnotes, very many of which are from Vatican II documents and papal encyclicals and other papal documents. It is shocking and disheartening to see and understand how so many Catholics have been defrauded of their right to receive the faith. "A disciple of Christ has the right to receive `the word of faith' not in mutilated, falsified or diminished form but whole and entire, in all its rigor and vigor," said Pope John Paul II in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Catechesi Tradendae. Reading Keane we can see how many have received a mutilated "word of faith." His clear, concise, and systematic exposition helps us take stock of where we are and how we got here, and how to go forward. Keanne has done a great service to faithful Catholics and all those interested in receiving the "word of faith" unmutilated.

Having finished Eamonn Keane's Generation Betrayed, this one from "down under" deserves to be on the "must have" list for any catechist, particularly those who know of the infamous Thomas Groome. I, as a book marker-upper, have filled my copy with stars, exclamation points, indignant commentary, and encircled page numbers.

This text helps bring him to light. It also exposes the fundamental errors (and formal heresies) that he and Elizabeth Schussler-Fiorenza commit, although the primary focus remains upon Groome. It is also extremely valuable from an apologetic standpoint (much of it is written in point-counterpoint format).

So, if I may so recommend, get yourselves a copy of this book. It will help anyone to recognize bad catechetical material and erroneous philosophical underpinnings. With this book, catechists will better be able to categorize the thought of Groome: modalist, gnostic, liberation theologian, feminist theologian, marxist, dissenter, experience-based catechist; and catechists will better be able to pinpoint the primary deficiencies in his thought: Sacred Scripture, the doctrine of the all-male priesthood, contraception, the hierarchy of the Church, just to name a few.

Reading this book was like a stroll down memory lane, unfortunately. I guess the problems for the church in Australia are pretty well identical to the problems of the U.S. church. Makes sense.

The author proves thoroughly and with much evidence that, because of Groome and the like, Catholics are now more ignorant of the truths of their faith than probably ever before.

Get this book, says one of the betrayed.