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Jon M. Sweeney

Nicholas Black Elk: Medicine Man, Catechist, Saint (People of God) Paperback – December 15, 2020

by Jon M. Sweeney (Author)

4.5 40 ratings

Part of: People of God (26 books)

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Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk (1863—1950) is popularly celebrated for his fascinating spiritual life. How could one man, one deeply spiritual man, serve as both a traditional Oglala Lakota medicine man and a Roman Catholic catechist and mystic? How did these two spiritual and cultural identities enrich his prayer life? How did his commitment to God, understood through his Lakota and Catholic communities, shape his understanding of how to be in the world?

To fully understand the depth of Black Elk’s life-long spiritual quest requires a deep appreciation of his life story. He witnessed devastation on the battlefields of Little Bighorn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee, but also extravagance while performing for Queen Victoria as a member of “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Show. Widowed by his first wife, he remarried and raised eight children. Black Elk’s spiritual visions granted him wisdom and healing insight beginning in his childhood, but he grew progressively physically blind in his adult years. These stories, and countless more, offer insight into this extraordinary man whose cause for canonization is now underway at the Vatican.

Part of series

People of God
Print length

144 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Liturgical Press
Publication date

December 15, 2020
Dimensions

5.38 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

0814644163
ISBN-13

978-0814644164
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In our time of huge religious and cultural division, Sweeney's book gently but powerfully offers a way forward."

"Amid a plethora of diverse and conflicting narratives, author Jon M. Sweeney presents the rich spiritual legacy of Nicholas Black Elk with straightforward clarity for novice readers. In so doing, the author draws upon the scholarship of numerous authors, from Nebraska poet laureate John G. Neihardt to anthropologist Raymond D. DeMallie and religious studies scholar Michael F. Steltenkamp, SJ, among others. He deftly introduces young Black Elk’s great childhood vision, his tireless support for his people’s wellbeing, and his lifelong quest to better know and serve the Great Spirit. With diverse examples, the author explains how Black Elk embraced Christianity and pursued a robust catechetical career among his people while grounded in his Lakota culture and identity."

"This important, informative book honors the complexities of conversion and inculturation. It will be an inspiring read for any spiritual seeker."

"Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk lived a complex life during a complicated time. Jon Sweeney skillfully relates the monumental cultural and spiritual losses the Lakota people endured from US governmental colonialism as he simultaneously traces Black Elk’s lifelong quest of the Holy. From a transcendent childhood vision to a Native healing practice to Catholic baptism and ministry, Black Elk walked his own ‘good red road’ as a Lakota Catholic, integrating both faith traditions into his spirituality. Readers may come away understanding that this holy man—who prayed comfortably with both a Rosary and a pipe—well deserves to be named the first US Native American male saint."

"Sweeney harnesses his gifts as a storyteller and puts Nicholas Black Elk where he belongs: with the greatest saints and mystics of the Christian tradition. A book for everyone, whether those looking for an introduction to Black Elk's life or experts looking to see unseen facets of his witness."

"Pope Francis has challenged all of the baptized to understand themselves as missionary disciples. If we are looking for modern saints to pattern ourselves after, there are few more profound examples of missionary discipleship than Nicholas Black Elk."
St. Anthony's Messenger

"This book is a quick read, which gives a well-researched snapshot of both the real history and the personal story of a remarkable man."
Catholic Books Review

"This book is highly recommended as an introduction into the life and cause of Nicholas Black Elk and Lakota life."
Benet Exton, OSB, Sooner Catholic

About the Author

Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and one of religion’s most respected writers. His many books include James Martin, SJ: In the Company of Jesus, in the “People of God” series; The Pope Who Quit, which was optioned by HBO; and The Pope’s Cat, a popular fiction series for children. He edited A Course in Christian Mysticism by Thomas Merton, published by Liturgical Press. Sweeney writes regularly for America in the US, and The Tablet in the UK. He is the publisher at Paraclete Press in Massachusetts, and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his wife and daughters.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Liturgical Press (December 15, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0814644163
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0814644164
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.38 x 0.25 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #971,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,341 in Inspiration & Spirituality
- #4,970 in Religious Leader Biographies
- #7,434 in Catholicism (Books)

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4.5 40 ratings

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Jon M. Sweeney

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Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and author. He's a popular interpreter of the life and work of Francis of Assisi, and author of more than 40 books including "St. Francis of Assisi" with a foreword by Richard Rohr, and "The Complete Francis of Assisi" used by Third Order Franciscans. HBO optioned the film rights to Sweeney's book on the medieval Pope Celestine V, "The Pope Who Quit."

In 2021, he published "Thomas Merton: An Introduction to His Life, Teachings, and Practices," with St. Martin's Press in print and ebook, and Penguin Random House Audio in audiobook; and "Feed the Wolf" in hardcover. In 2022, his biography of Mother Teresa - "Teresa of Calcutta: Dark Night, Active Love" - published in September.

The long-awaited third volume of his co-authored Meister Eckhart poem-meditations, "Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness and Light," is to be published March 1, 2023.

He has been interviewed on CBS News, WGN-TV, Fox News, and CBS Saturday Morning, and by publications online ranging from CNN to Romper. He's a practicing Catholic who also prays regularly with his wife, a congregational rabbi. He loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. He would never say he's "spiritual but not religious." He is also the father of four and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sweeney is codirector, with his rabbi-wife, of The Lux Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary in greater Milwaukee; is Editor at Large for Orbis Books; and Contributing Editor for books at SpiritualityandPractice.com.

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Anthony Fisher

Important and complicated story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

Sweeney's account of Black Elk was excellent. He represents very well the controversies surrounding this Medicine Man and potential Saint--did he *truly* convert to Catholicism? Was he a traitor by acquiescing to the beliefs of the colonizers? Sweeney takes a look at a ton of primary sources and contradictory secondary sources to paint some kind of picture of who the man actually was. It is definitely worth your time if you are interested in learning more about Black Elk and/or the relationship between the Church and Native American belief and culture (both the good and the bad)

3 people found this helpful

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Kathy Thomas

A biography of Catholicism

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

The author begins by saying he isn’t going to talk about Black Elk’s Lakota spirituality, but about his life and conversion to Catholicism. In fact, he doesn’t talk much about Black Elk’s beliefs at all, except for some odd presumptions about what he thinks Black Elk felt. It’s not terrible and the writing is easy to read, but it’s not a book about Lakota or Catholic spirituality or about Black Elk’s. It’s more about the history of the US and Catholic relationships with the Lakota people, with emphasis on positive things Catholicism did hidden in a bit of shame.
It’s not what I was looking for.

4 people found this helpful

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Fr. Nicholas

Good factoids but generally disappointing.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 1, 2021

Verified Purchase

The author gives excellent facts and provides wonderful primary sources to help the reader begin to understand the person that is Nicholas Black Elk. Yet, as the author writes, “And as I said, every writer has an agenda. I’m sure that I do, too.” Oh, he does, and it comes through clearly and at times quite heavy-handedly. His own bias about things took me, at times, outside of learning about Nicholas Black Elk. The author also puts emotional aspects onto his subject without giving evidence for it and has a way of playing fast and loose with different identity groups. Overall, the text offers some remarkable facts and information about Nicholas Black Elk which are great. The author also gives some great resources about other writers to turn to and read. However, I find his style of writing and the selective sourcing to be two things that detract from this book's intention. I just found myself disappointed in what I read, not unhappy about the subject but about how the author approached it. After reading this text, I find myself wanting to learn more about Nicholas Black Elk.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

an oblate

a clear portrait and nuanced presentation

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 4, 2021

this is an excellent little volume. not a comprehensive and scholarly book, but a clear and accessible biography to enjoy and learn from at the same time. the author seems to be having a genuinely good time telling us nick black elk's story.
i like especially how sweeney walks the reader thru black elk's life chronologically, then takes a step back in the last few chapters to give us a sense of how different communities approach black elk.
i assume plenty of folks with a vested interest will have trouble with sweeney's unwillingness to take "sides", but to be honest about black elk's "double belonging" (to a traditional lakota world and catholic christianity) the idea of "sides" is a skewed if not simply inaccurate way to approach his life. the church is bigger and more mysterious than many of us assume in our day to day lives, and figures like black elk remind us of this. at the same time, sweeney's acknowledgement of the harsh effects of american imperialism on indigenous americans _and_ that christianity can't be written off as merely a tool of imperialism will trouble some folks too.
the hard reality of a complex human life resists easy categories, and a portrait of a man who did just that is what sweeney gives us. that catholic authorities have started servant of God nicholas black elk's cause for canonization shows that the church recognizes this complexity too.
highly recommended.

7 people found this helpful

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