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The Second One Thousand Years: Ten People Who Defined a Millennium

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Composed promptly after the hoopla over the millenium, this book sought to distinguish one individual from each century with an essay chosen by the editors of "First Things."

Richard John Neuhaus in writing the preface poignantly comments on how there was not much excitement here in the US outside of Y2K and the Roman Catholic church's Jubilee celebration.

Further RC influence shows up in selecting many from the world of philosophy (Aquinas, Dante, Rosseau, Maimonides) and two popes (John Paul II and Gregory VII). Throw in a Spanish RC backed explorer Columbus, and John Calvin and Abaraham Lincoln and you've got it. Pascal was an excellent choice which goes against this trend, and the article is absolutely marvelous, with quotes such as "Equally dangerous for man to know God without knowing his own wretchedness, and to know his wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer who can cure him of it."

I truly question the selection of the current pope and Calvin. The editors show their bias towards social/political activism in these choices.

The essays are well written and informative even if one questions their century hero.