Jesuits: A Multibiography [Paperback]

Jean Lacouture (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

In this magisterial account, Jean Lacouture portrays the sweep of five hundred years of world history, from the dungeons of the Vatican to the jungles of South America to the royal courts of Europe and Asia. Jesuits: A Multibiography is history with a human face, the fascinating tales of men of the spirit who participated in the actions and passions of the modern world, a "world bursting its seams." "Be all things to all men," said the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius of Loyola, to his followers. "Go and set the world ablaze!" The often picaresque story takes us to the Paris of Rabelais, where Ignatius, with a handful of his fellow students, formed what would become the Society of Jesus. We follow Francis Xavier to Japan and Matteo Ricci to China. We watch as the Society grows into Christendom's most powerful order, and as the "Black Legend" of a calculating, Machiavellian Jesuitry leads to its abolition in 1773 (it was restored forty years later). We see the great characters of history and culture-Pascal, Voltaire, Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great-play their parts. One of Jean Lacouture's most poignant portraits is of the twentieth century's most famous and beloved Jesuit, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a scientist-priest whose humanistic conclusions put him at odds with the Church. Lacouture's wide-ranging narrative illuminates Pope John XXIII's reforms and the Jesuit-inspired liberation theology movements in Central and South America. With the papacy of John Paul II, a riveting drama unfolds as the Jesuits are brought under new constraints.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Lacouture, a French journalist and biographer (De Gaulle. Vol. 1: The Rebel, 1890-1944, LJ 11/15/90), here presents a series of biographies of prominent Jesuits from the founder, Ignatius of Loyola, down to such modern disciples as Karl Rahner, Daniel Berrigan, and Robert Drinan. Condensed from the two-volume French original, the translation is marred by some inaccuracies and poor word choices. Showing a definite liberal bias and offering anachronistic criticisms, Lacouture writes in an abrasive, journalistic style, speaking of "Church busybodies" and "the noises coming out of Rome," and making no bones about the fact that he disagrees with the exclusion of women from the Roman Catholic priesthood. At the end, Lacouture raises the question of why men would choose to be Jesuits and cannot answer it. He offers a lot of interesting facts but little understanding. Suitable only for the most comprehensive collections.?Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, N.J.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Quite apart from its obvious appeal as an informative history of the Jesuit order, this "multibiography" (first published in French in 1991) is a collection of entertaining stories that will appeal even to audiences that do not have a special interest in Jesuit history. The historical development of the Society of Jesus since its sixteenth-century inception coincides so closely with the history of European expansion that a thorough account of the Jesuits has world historical significance--particularly to the extent that prominent Jesuits were trailblazers in a gradual shift from a straightforward Christian apologetics of conquest to reflection on the significance of cultural contact. Insofar as particular stories of particular people and places are the best sources of global insight, this is an especially valuable work. It includes a helpful chronology and an excellent basic bibliography (weighted toward French sources but still useful in English) for readers who wish to pursue more specialized research. Steve Schroeder --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 564 pages
• Publisher: Counterpoint (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887178600
• ISBN-13: 978-1887178600
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #894,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Critical but edifying: the enigma remains., August 25, 2000

By 

Joseph S. O'Leary - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jesuits: A Multibiography (Paperback)

What makes the Jesuits tick? No doubt the answer lies in the spirit of abnegation and service inculcated by the Spiritual Exercises, with the extraordinary sense of creative freedom that flows from it. Xavier, Ricci, Teilhard, the Jesuit martyrs in El Salvador, and many other of Lacouture's subjects enact this gospel paradox before our eyes in his vivid pages. Yet, with a slightly irritating Gallic coyness, Lacouture also insinuates a darker side to the Jesuit experiment. Conscious of how naturally blind obedience comes to the human animal and how calamitous its role has been in recent history, Lacouture suggest that the glorification of obedience to the Pope and to the superior has been a tragic shackle on Jesuits and their church (particularly after the nineteenth century restoration of the Society, under the auspices of ultramontanism and political reaction). Lacking theological qualifications, Lacouture does not query the biblical basis of the cult of obedience, contenting himself with vague allusions to masochism. That dark strain in his narrative reaches a painful climax in his account of John Paul II's treatment of Pedro Arrupe. The Jesuit exclusion of women (even of Madeleine Sophie Barat's Sacred Heart Sisters, formed on Ignatian principles) also comes in for some judicious criticism. Apart from a knowing pen-portrait of De Lubac, the book does not pay much attention to the great line of Jesuit theologians and philosophers. Their external lives would add little color to this multibiography, yet their intellectual adventures were perhaps as exciting as anything recounted here. On all fronts the Society of Jesus represents a precious heritage of Christianity and of Western civilization, and one can only pray for whatever radical adjustments are required to prevent it being squandered.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling history, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jesuits: A Multibiography (Paperback)

Uninfluenced by internal church politics and emotions, Jean Lacouture's book takes you on a most fascinating tour through one of the church most compelling histories. Objective but never moralistic, lengthy but never boring, Lacouture recreates the time and the very space in which the Jesuits emerged, oversaw and finally fell victim to their own success. The most comprehensive part, as far as I see it, is when the author describes the French connections of the Jesuits. The most compelling part, however, is Lacouture's description of their overseas endeavours in Asia and South America. Although rich in content and imagination, the Jesuit reductions in South America deserve more attention that a single chapter. Only by travelling to these overseas places, I guess, the author was able to capture the climate in which the Jesuits lived. I recommend this book strongly for anybody interested not only in church history but also in the academic debates of the centuries covered by the book. Rgds, Johannes van de Ven

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, engrossing, April 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jesuits: A Multibiography (Paperback)

I picked this book up because of a growing interest in the life of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (portrayed in "Jesuits"). I was hoping to get a 'fleshed out' story of his life and Order, and figured knowing _something_ about Jesuits would be a good place to start.

What I didn't expect was a brilliant book, heavily researched and written like a novel. Lacouture is witty, engaging and provocative in his recounting of centuries of Jesuit history. His attention to de Chardin was beautiful, but I found a whole society worth viewing in this 'multibiography'.

This is highly recommended to people who enjoy history, the story of the Church, reading in general, chocolate, little furry animals and nice words. In other words, all of you.

BTW, I'm an atheist. This is fascinating even without a spiritual draw. And Lacouture is very objective and fair in his writings.