Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin [Paperback]

Ursula King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

Lavishly illustrated with photos and selections from Teilhard's writing, this is the biography of this century's most fascinating religious figures. This is the ideal introduction to the life and thought of this modern Catholic mystic whose powerful vision and life-affirming spirituality speak even more vitally to the concerns of our time.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Teilhard de Chardin, a 20th-century Jesuit priest and paleontologist, is a favorite theologian of contemporary notables such as Al Gore, Mario Cuomo, Marshall McCluhan, and cyberguru John Perry Barlow. Cuomo has said, "Teilhard made negativism a sin. He taught us how the whole universe--even pain and imperfection--is sacred." Ursula King, in Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin, has written an accessible, entertaining, and lavishly illustrated biography of Teilhard. His writings were all but ignored during his lifetime, but now serve as a lifeline for people of faith struggling to define divine imperatives for ecological responsibility and technological engagement.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Orbis Books (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570751773
• ISBN-13: 978-1570751776
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Congregations & Orders

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Before you read the works of Chardin, read this!, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin (Paperback)

This is a fine introduction to the prolific life and writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the most important theologian of the 20th century. Chardin's theology, banned for years by the Vatican, was at least a hundred years ahead of it's time. A geologist, palenthologist, mystic, spiritual lover, he proposed that Darwin's theories of evolution were not contrary to God's revelation but actually was Revelation.

King's book does a good job of detailing Chardin's life, his passions, his pursuits, his beliefs and his science. Though dry and slow at times, the author does help to illuminate the theology of someone who isn't easy to read. Though he lived a rich life, Chardin's writing can be somewhat cold and too scientific at times for the layreader to understand. This book, however, is good solid primer and should be the starting point for anyone interested in a man ahead of his time.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Universe And Mankind Are Both Evolving Towards Perfection, February 26, 2006

By 

Peter Kenney (Birmingham, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin (Paperback)

Ursula King's biography of Teihard de Chardin is a fascinating book written in a style which makes a difficult subject seem quite understandable. King weaves the story of Teihard's life around snapshots of his constantly maturing vision of God, the universe and mankind.

Known for his original concepts such as the ongoing evolution of both the universe and mankind towards perfection and the existence of a global network of self-awareness, Teihard was always regarded as a loose canon by the Vatican. Consequently, not much of his work was released during his lifetime except for those relatively few items which were privately published and distributed among a circle of his friends. Since his death in 1955 all his books and essays have been made available to the general public. Teihard nurtured close, supportive relationships with a small number of caring females and left many letters which reveal the importance of these women in his life.

Although at times he is difficult to comprehend, there is no doubt that Teihard ranks as one of the most prominent thinkers of the twentieth century. The fact that he is recognized as a famous and respected scientist as well as a mystic, greatly increases his significance.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to De Chardin, June 27, 2002

By 

Carlos De La Torre (Miami, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin (Paperback)

This is a great introduction to those who want to know more about this great man. No doubt as time go by his original thinking will be recognized, The author does a good job touching all periods of his life along with his writing. A lot of photos. But if you what to know De Chardin use his writings for prayer.