Hans Urs von Balthasar once said that theology should be done on one's knees, suggesting that the attitude it should create in the reader or hearer is one of adoration and praise for the divine mystery. Few contemporary theologians achieve this effect, but here Kevin Seasoltz comes close. This book is a profound but simply written mediation on the central mysteries of the Christian faith—the trinity, redemption, the eucharist, human participation in the divine life and solidarity with one another--in a contemporary idiom. It begins with the notion of gift giving, which ever since Marcel Mauss's Essai sur le don has been the subject of intense discussion among ethicists, cultural anthropologists, and political scientists, as well as among philosophers like Jacques Derrida and theologians like Jean-Luc Marion. Seasoltz takes up these contemporary notions of gift giving and teases out various facets of the divine gifts of word and sacrament, of the Spirit, of communion and community. As Seasoltz says in one summary sentence: "The mystery of the Trinity is made accessible to us above all in the eucharist, for it is there in a special and ongoing way that we are drawn into the very life of God and into the lives of each other."
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"From his rich background in the field of liturgical studies and many years as editor of Worship, Kevin Seasoltz has drawn together multiple resources on a number of important theological, liturgical, and pastoral issues in a single volume. The book's focus on God's gift giving provides a valuble lens for reframing some of the major theological topics of our day, including what it means to speak of the Eucharist as sacrifice, how to speak of the cross in a world of violence, the relationship of word and sacrament, and the role of the Spirit throughout creation and within the liturgy." - Mary Catherine Hilkert, OP, Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame
(Mary Catherine Hilkert )"Social scientists of all stripes, some philosophers (including deconstructionists), and an increasing number of theologians have become infatuated with 'gift-giving.' Gifts, they find, offer important clues into the character of the giver, the recipient, and the ties that bind them to each other and to their culture. Seen as a gift-giver, God's being and relationship to creation take on new meaning. Kevin Seasoltz rethinks the significance of sacrifice, Jesus as victim, word and sacrament, the gift of the Spirit, and sundry other gifts of which we are beneficiaries. Without mentioning the word, he has produced a fresh and engaging treatise on grace that will appeal to serious readers wanting to keep abreast of current developments in theology." - Berard L. Marthaler, OFMConv, Profesor Emeritus, Catholic University of America
(Berard L. Marthaler )"Seasoltz, the longtime editor of Worship, is finely attuned to the problems the idea of sacrifice can present; in particular, he is familiar with the critique of certain crude understandings of the 'sacrifice of the Mass.' His book includes a wonderful chapter on the gift of the Holy Spirit, a subject now seriously considered in Catholic theology after a long period of Christomonism in the Western church, when the Third Person of the Trinity often seemed to figure only as an afterthought...Finally, Seasoltz provides a rich account of sacramental and liturgical theology. The book's footnotes are the product of a careful and exhaustive scholarship...and Seasoltz's exemplary exposition is clear and free of jargon...The author's success in bringing the concept of gift to bear on so many theological topics will make this book useful to any educated Catholic, but especially to those who preach, teach, or conduct spiritual exercises."-Lawarence S. Cunningham, Commonweal, January 18, 2008
(Lawarence S. Cunningham )"This highly regarded editor of Worship and Berakah award winner cogently makes the case that "God lives primarily for giving, giving to the extent of giving his only Son who in turns gives the fullness of his life for his people...Our response to that gift is meant to be eucharist" (235). To arrive at that conclusion, Seasoltz carefully examines the conceptual foundations behind it. In the process, her tackles many complex issues and refuses to sidestep thorny and contentious ones...Seasoltz' gift for historical insight is especially evident in his chapter on "God's Gift of Word and Sacrament." —Dwight W. Vogel, Doxology, 2007
(Dwight W. Vogel )"In a book that will be accessible to Catholic and Christian believers with at least some theological background, Benedictine Kevin Seasoltz approaches the mystery of God and God's work in our world from the point of view of gift-giving...it is clear that the author is a liturgist who loves this aspect of Christian living and knows how to indicate its relevance in a general way to ethics and even politics. However, one misses the lack of real engagement with 'nitty-gritty'...This is a thoughtful book, fruit of much scholarship and wisdom." —Gerry O'Hanlon, The Furrow, March 2008
(Gerry O'Hanlon )"If you are planning to read only one book on the theology of the Eucharist in the near future I would heartily recommend this book to your consideration...Seasoltz is wide-ranging in his reading. He is also extremely literate, making excellent use of literature, art and music along the way. I hope that this book is used widely in college and seminary courses." —John F. Baldovin, Worship, May 2008, Vol. 83 No. 3 (John F. Baldovin )
"An informative book that raised some good issues." --Catholic Library World (Lynn M. Browne )
"Seasoltz, the editor of Worship, offers the reader a wonderful example of an ecumenically minded Catholic theology against the backdrop of the contemporary debate over the nature of gift giving. Citing seminal thinkers such as Derrida and Marion, Seasoltz moves quickly to explore possible meanings of God's giving, in sacrifice and atonement word and sacrament, Spirit and church. He allows a range of theological excursions, on panentheism, the (im)possibility of violence and suffering on the part of God, to inform his inquiry into these particular gifts, and remains in dialogue throughout with theologians across a wide spectrum. In each chapter, Seasoltz returns to the Eucharist as a central activity embodying both the gifting of God and the gratitude of a church which appropriately responds in worship and fellowship (leading one to wish for a deeper investigation into the nature of giving as a debt to be repaid). Because of this focus, his work may be of greater value to those interested in sacramental theology (such as seminarians) than those concerned with the phenomenology of gift giving, although his point seems to be that the latter leads to the former within a Christian theology. A reader interested in any of the aforementioned gifts, however, will find something of worth in Seasoltz's offerings." --D. Allen Tennison, Religious Studies Review, September 2008
"Kevin Seasoltz, OSB, who is one of the foremost American scholars on liturgy and worship and whose previous book A Sense of the Sacred: Theological Foundations of Christian Architecture and Art (Continuum, 2005) won First Place for liturgy in the Catholic Press Association's Awards in 2006, now 'gifts' us with another magnificent book, this time on God's Gift-Giving...God's Gift Giving is a deeply learned book. There is practically no significant theologian, past and present, whose insights have not been discussed and appropriated. Yet the book is highly readable and even spiritually edifying. But if you think you have not had sufficient theological background to fully understand the first five chapters, then by all means read the last one. There Seasoltz unfolds some implications of the theology of God's gift-giving for pastoral practice and spirituality. Your heart will be warmed by his wisdom, compassion, and inclusiveness." --Peter C. Phan, Catholic Books Review, 2009
"From his rich background in the field of liturgical studies and many years as editor of Worship, Kevin Seasoltz has drawn together multiple resources on a number of important theological, liturgical, and pastoral issues in a single volume. The book's focus on God's gift giving provides a valuble lens for reframing some of the major theological topics of our day, including what it means to speak of the Eucharist as sacrifice, how to speak of the cross in a world of violence, the relationship of word and sacrament, and the role of the Spirit throughout creation and within the liturgy." - Mary Catherine Hilkert, OP, Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame
(, )"Social scientists of all stripes, some philosophers (including deconstructionists), and an increasing number of theologians have become infatuated with 'gift-giving.' Gifts, they find, offer important clues into the character of the giver, the recipient, and the ties that bind them to each other and to their culture. Seen as a gift-giver, God's being and relationship to creation take on new meaning. Kevin Seasoltz rethinks the significance of sacrifice, Jesus as victim, word and sacrament, the gift of the Spirit, and sundry other gifts of which we are beneficiaries. Without mentioning the word, he has produced a fresh and engaging treatise on grace that will appeal to serious readers wanting to keep abreast of current developments in theology." - Berard L. Marthaler, OFMConv, Profesor Emeritus, Catholic University of America
(, )"Seasoltz, the longtime editor of Worship, is finely attuned to the problems the idea of sacrifice can present; in particular, he is familiar with the critique of certain crude understandings of the 'sacrifice of the Mass.' His book includes a wonderful chapter on the gift of the Holy Spirit, a subject now seriously considered in Catholic theology after a long period of Christomonism in the Western church, when the Third Person of the Trinity often seemed to figure only as an afterthought...Finally, Seasoltz provides a rich account of sacramental and liturgical theology. The book's footnotes are the product of a careful and exhaustive scholarship...and Seasoltz's exemplary exposition is clear and free of jargon...The author's success in bringing the concept of gift to bear on so many theological topics will make this book useful to any educated Catholic, but especially to those who preach, teach, or conduct spiritual exercises."-Lawarence S. Cunningham, Commonweal, January 18, 2008
(, )"This highly regarded editor of Worship and Berakah award winner cogently makes the case that "God lives primarily for giving, giving to the extent of giving his only Son who in turns gives the fullness of his life for his people…Our response to that gift is meant to be eucharist" (235). To arrive at that conclusion, Seasoltz carefully examines the conceptual foundations behind it. In the process, her tackles many complex issues and refuses to sidestep thorny and contentious ones…Seasoltz' gift for historical insight is especially evident in his chapter on "God's Gift of Word and Sacrament.” —Dwight W. Vogel, Doxology, 2007
(, )"In a book that will be accessible to Catholic and Christian believers with at least some theological background, Benedictine Kevin Seasoltz approaches the mystery of God and God's work in our world from the point of view of gift-giving…it is clear that the author is a liturgist who loves this aspect of Christian living and knows how to indicate its relevance in a general way to ethics and even politics. However, one misses the lack of real engagement with 'nitty-gritty'…This is a thoughtful book, fruit of much scholarship and wisdom." —Gerry O'Hanlon, The Furrow, March 2008
(, )“If you are planning to read only one book on the theology of the Eucharist in the near future I would heartily recommend this book to your consideration…Seasoltz is wide-ranging in his reading. He is also extremely literate, making excellent use of literature, art and music along the way. I hope that this book is used widely in college and seminary courses.” —John F. Baldovin, Worship, May 2008, Vol. 83 No. 3 (, )
“An informative book that raised some good issues.” –Catholic Library World (, )
“Seasoltz, the editor of Worship, offers the reader a wonderful example of an ecumenically minded Catholic theology against the backdrop of the contemporary debate over the nature of gift giving. Citing seminal thinkers such as Derrida and Marion, Seasoltz moves quickly to explore possible meanings of God’s giving, in sacrifice and atonement word and sacrament, Spirit and church. He allows a range of theological excursions, on panentheism, the (im)possibility of violence and suffering on the part of God, to inform his inquiry into these particular gifts, and remains in dialogue throughout with theologians across a wide spectrum. In each chapter, Seasoltz returns to the Eucharist as a central activity embodying both the gifting of God and the gratitude of a church which appropriately responds in worship and fellowship (leading one to wish for a deeper investigation into the nature of giving as a debt to be repaid). Because of this focus, his work may be of greater value to those interested in sacramental theology (such as seminarians) than those concerned with the phenomenology of gift giving, although his point seems to be that the latter leads to the former within a Christian theology. A reader interested in any of the aforementioned gifts, however, will find something of worth in Seasoltz’s offerings.” –D. Allen Tennison, Religious Studies Review, September 2008
“Kevin Seasoltz, OSB, who is one of the foremost American scholars on liturgy and worship and whose previous book A Sense of the Sacred: Theological Foundations of Christian Architecture and Art (Continuum, 2005) won First Place for liturgy in the Catholic Press Association’s Awards in 2006, now 'gifts’ us with another magnificent book, this time on God’s Gift-Giving…God’s Gift Giving is a deeply learned book. There is practically no significant theologian, past and present, whose insights have not been discussed and appropriated. Yet the book is highly readable and even spiritually edifying. But if you think you have not had sufficient theological background to fully understand the first five chapters, then by all means read the last one. There Seasoltz unfolds some implications of the theology of God’s gift-giving for pastoral practice and spirituality. Your heart will be warmed by his wisdom, compassion, and inclusiveness.” –Peter C. Phan, Catholic Books Review, 2009
About the Author
R. Kevin Seasoltz, OSB, is perhaps the leading Roman Catholic liturgical scholar in the English-speaking world. Editor of Worship for 18 years, professor of liturgy at the Catholic University of America for 25 years, and now professor of liturgy at St. Johns's University, Collegeville, he is the author of 4 books and over 200 academic articles and has lectured extensively throughout the English-speaking world. His "Sense of the Sacred: Theological Foundations of Christian Architecture and Art" won first place in the category of liturgy for the Catholic Press Associations's 2006 Awards
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
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This review is from: God's Gift Giving: In Christ and Through the Spirit (Paperback)
This book covers several areas of theology, including spirituality, the Trinity, Sacraments, Pneumatology, and more. For anyone who has ever had a class from Father Kevin, this book is as rich and encompassing as his lectures. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read in any of these areas.Particularly useful to me was the final chapter, "God's Gift Giving: Some Pastoral Implications." I suppose after having read the entire book this chapter took on more meaning than it would have by itself, but I still think it is the most useful chapter of the book as practical theology. This is not to take away from the rest of the book. Rather it is another dimension of the theology the author develops in this material. I agree with the assessment that there is one lack in the book and that is no bibliography. The book is full of scholarly and interesting citations, some of which I followed up on immediately and was glad I did. A complete bibliography, however, would have been most welcome. This is a book that deserves a wide audience and I strongly recommend it.
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soul making, priestly story, pastoral implications, eucharistic table Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Jesus Christ, New York, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, Liturgical Press, New Testament, Word of God, Some Pastoral Implications, Old Testament, Spirit of God, God's Gift of Sacrifice, God's Spirit, Son of God, God's Word, The Power of Sacrifice, San Francisco, Last Supper, Paulist Press, John's Gospel, Oxford University Press, Creator Spirit, Second Vatican Council, Fourth Gospel, Roman Catholic Church, The Tablet New!
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soul making, priestly story, pastoral implications, eucharistic table Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Jesus Christ, New York, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, Liturgical Press, New Testament, Word of God, Some Pastoral Implications, Old Testament, Spirit of God, God's Gift of Sacrifice, God's Spirit, Son of God, God's Word, The Power of Sacrifice, San Francisco, Last Supper, Paulist Press, John's Gospel, Oxford University Press, Creator Spirit, Second Vatican Council, Fourth Gospel, Roman Catholic Church, The Tablet New!
Books on Related Topics Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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