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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life in the Church,
By
This review is from: A Love for Life: Christianity's Consistent Protection of the Unborn (Paperback)
The recent pronouncements of such political figures as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator (now Vice-President-Elect) Joseph Biden on theological matters concerning abortion have focused attention on the historic claims of the Church concerning whether the "termination of a pregnancy" is inherently sinful. One might wonder why those of the political elite would care about theological history but Pelosi and Biden, both Catholic, were at pains to defend themselves against charges of being "bad Catholics" in an election year. In view of suggestions by many Catholic bishops that supporting abortion rights was a communion-breaking offense, both attempted to present the history of Catholicism as much more nuanced on the issue.
Of course, no one has ever confused either with an expert on Church history. Indeed, their claims are totally absurd. But it is one thing to state their absurdity and another to demonstrate it. Dennis DiMauro has ably done the latter in A Love for Life as he examines the history of the Church regarding its view on the abortion issue. By the end of the book, he has convincingly demolished the claims of those whose wishful thinking would allow them to promote abortion as an issue where the Church has been historically divided. Beginning with the most ancient sources, DiMauro mines both Scripture and Christian tradition to bring together all the elements of a view on life that challenged the "culture of death" existing in the pagan Roman Empire and triumphed over it. The author points out how the pro-life position was the consistent Christian view throughout the patristic, medieval, and Reformation periods among all Christian traditions and only weakened in recent times as some within the Church have forsaken the historic morality of Christendom for one more amenable to the newly emerging "culture of death" of our own times. The author also points out that the division among Christians on this issue is much overplayed. Most of the "pro-choice" support is within the rapidly disappearing "mainline" churches of the West. It is elsewhere that Christendom is on the rise and there the pro-life position is dominant. Given the mainline churches retreat on a whole host of issues, it can be effectively argued that they merely represent the lapsed faith of dying churches. It might be helpful if every pro-choice politician read A Love for Life before commenting on the "diversity of opinions" within Christianity on the abortion issue. It will probably not change their minds - their views are clearly formed without any Christian source - but it might give them pause before they make clearly insupportable claims. Whatever may be their reasons for supporting abortion, they cannot blame it on Christ.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Christian Book Reviews,
By
This review is from: A Love for Life: Christianity's Consistent Protection of the Unborn (Paperback)
Reviewed by Albert McIlhenny
The recent pronouncements of such political figures as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator (now Vice-President-Elect) Joseph Biden on theological matters concerning abortion have focused attention on the historic claims of the Church concerning whether the "termination of a pregnancy" is inherently sinful. One might wonder why those of the political elite would care about theological history but Pelosi and Biden, both Catholic, were at pains to defend themselves against charges of being "bad Catholics" in an election year. In view of suggestions by many Catholic bishops that supporting abortion rights was a communion-breaking offense, both attempted to present the history of Catholicism as much more nuanced on the issue. Of course, no one has ever confused either with an expert on Church history. Indeed, their claims are totally absurd. But it is one thing to state their absurdity and another to demonstrate it. Dennis DiMauro has ably done the latter in A Love for Life as he examines the history of the Church regarding its view on the abortion issue. By the end of the book, he has convincingly demolished the claims of those whose wishful thinking would allow them to promote abortion as an issue where the Church has been historically divided. Beginning with the most ancient sources, DiMauro mines both Scripture and Christian tradition to bring together all the elements of a view on life that challenged the "culture of death" existing in the pagan Roman Empire and triumphed over it. The author points out how the pro-life position was the consistent Christian view throughout the patristic, medieval, and Reformation periods among all Christian traditions and only weakened in recent times as some within the Church have forsaken the historic morality of Christendom for one more amenable to the newly emerging "culture of death" of our own times. The author also points out that the division among Christians on this issue is much overplayed. Most of the "pro-choice" support is within the rapidly disappearing "mainline" churches of the West. It is elsewhere that Christendom is on the rise and there the pro-life position is dominant. Given the mainline churches retreat on a whole host of issues, it can be effectively argued that they merely represent the lapsed faith of dying churches. It might be helpful if every pro-choice politician read A Love for Life before commenting on the "diversity of opinions" within Christianity on the abortion issue. It will probably not change their minds - their views are clearly formed without any Christian source - but it might give them pause before they make clearly insupportable claims. Whatever may be their reasons for supporting abortion, they cannot blame it on Christ.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
National Right to Life Review,
This review is from: A Love for Life: Christianity's Consistent Protection of the Unborn (Paperback)
A History of the Christian Church's Witness against Abortion
A Love for Life Dennis DiMauro Wipf and Stock Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 144 pages Reviewed by Laura Echevarria While reading Dennis DiMauro's book, A Love for Life, I kept thinking, "I wish I had this the years I was director of Media Relations for National Right to Life." Mr. DiMauro's book about Christianity and abortion would have been of great use to my department. We would often receive calls from individuals or reporters interested in the views of abortion by religious denominations. While we did have denominational statements available through National Right to Life or our friends at the National Pro-Life Religious Council, Mr. DiMauro's book is brilliant in its simplicity and would have been of great help. Dennis DiMauro knows the issue of abortion and the positions of various denominations well. He is the secretary of the National Pro-Life Religious Council and president of Northern Virginia Lutherans for Life. He is also a doctoral student in church history at the Catholic University of America. He knows and understands the history and views of the various denominations on the abortion issue and, through his book, does a great service for anyone interested in abortion and religion. Experts in the field sing the praises of A Love for Life. No higher source of praise for a book of this nature is Michael J. Gorman, author of the brilliant examination of Abortion and the Early Church. "In this brief but comprehensive and well-researched book, Dennis DiMauro traces the history of the Christian church's pro-life position, born from its Scriptures and theologically consistent until the latter part of the twentieth century," Dr. Gorman writes. "DiMauro also demonstrates that the pro-life position represents the majority of the Christian world, even as he points to powerful pro-life voices within Christian traditions that are currently pro-choice. Christian people and churches on all sides of the abortion debate need to grapple seriously with these realities, and the first step in doing so is to read this book." Adds Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, "Up until now, you might have thought you knew the outstanding Christian tradition in defense of children in the womb. But that was before you picked up this book." Mr. DiMauro begins by condensing church history on the issue, the views of major theologians since the Reformation, and then explains the distorted views of pseudo-religious groups such as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Mr. DiMauro then moves on to the background, history, and present status of the abortion issue in each of the major Christian denominations in the United States. He even helpfully provides the readers with the official statements of each denomination in the appendices. Mr. DiMauro examines the positions held by modern denominations in the United States beginning in the 1960s--the years immediately preceding Roe v. Wade--and following through to the present. Interwoven are highlighted quotes from a variety of sources including those from individuals well known within (and without) their denominations and religious affiliations. For example, there is this stunning quote from Fr. Pavone: "In giving His Body, Christ teaches the meaning of love. I sacrifice myself for the good of the other person. Abortion teaches the opposite of love: I sacrifice the other person for the good of myself!" A Love for Life also includes a breakdown of the number of members in both pro-life and "pro-choice" denominations and concludes that Christianity in the United States is primarily comprised of pro-life churches and denominations. As of the year 2000, 72% of people who were members of a church were affiliated with a pro-life church or denomination. Mr. DiMauro concludes with an appeal to "pro-choice" Christians who may read his book. He quotes Methodist theologian Stanley Hauerwas who once said, "Abortion is not about the law, but about what kind of people we are to be as the Church and as Christians." Do yourself a big favor and purchase A Love for Life. It can be purchased at many book stores, at Amazon.com.
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