Fr. Aidan Nichols brings his breadth of learning and critical acumen to bear on Catholic life and practice in the secularised culture of the countries of the ‘North Altantic’ civilisation in his new book, Christendom Awake. The usefulness of his critique is not confined to these countries: we too might benefit. The book is a careful analysis of deficiencies which the author perceives in current Christian thinking, worship, ethics and social life. He is concerned to describe and assess secularising trends, trace their origins, and suggest ways of improvement. And while the call is addressed to ‘Christendom’ it is especially the Catholic Church he has in mind.
He ventures into areas of liturgy, doctrinal awareness, Christian philosophy, government, marriage and the family, feminism, religious life, abortion, reclaiming the Bible, ecumenism, prayer and attitudes to time and eternity. Be warned, this book is not easy reading, especially in areas that are not already familiar. One wonders whether it is not intended mainly for specialists. At times his argument enters a maze of abstractions, and there is a liberal use of technical terms. However, it is worthwhile persevering. The wide range of authors’ works cited in support of his criticisms and positive suggestions is particularly stimulating. He brings them into the conversation ever so smoothly and deftly, whether they be theologians or philosopher-journalists, historians, poets or sociologists, from bygone eras or the nineties, east or west, Catholic or Protestant.
While he is careful to examine each specialised area in terms appropriate to its special character, there is a consistent theme running through the whole book: the re-call to God-centredness in Christian culture. The Trinity, grace, the sacraments and the sacred are invoked over against the trend of an all-pervading secular humanism. What is to be done? Fr. Nichols titles all chapters with ‘Re-’ words, thus emphasising Christendom’s past doctrinal and cultural achievements. The challenge is how to make a Re-turn to something already well known and well practised in the Christian past and exciting adventure today? Chesterton did it wonderfully in the 1920s and 30s with wisdom and wit. And Fr. Nichols is having a go at it, courageously, in our time. This would be an excellent resource for group discussion.
Christendom Awake
by Aidan Nichols, (T&T Clarke, 1999)
