Faithful to the Future: Listening to Yves Congar

by Brother Emile of Taizé

Faithful to the Future examines the true nature of Christian Tradition and particularly how it implies a fidelity not only to the past but to the future as well - tradition appears to be inseparable from creativity and reform. Congar's sense of the future and his conviction that something very important is happening in history led him to re-emphasize forgotten dimensions of Christian tradition, especially those that value the human person. When Congar reflected on Church authority and how it is best exercised, he was not thinking about a power that curtails freedom. Seeking to rediscover what is specific to Christianity, he described authority as a reality that is at the service of growth, where paying attention to the unknown and the unexpected is of the utmost importance. Congar was one of the greatest artisans of Vatican II and his writings are characterized by the urgent call for the reforms made necessary by a changing world, and by an understanding of catholicity - a sense of the Church that is not sectarian, but that lives and thinks "according to the whole". This volume explores the four themes that are prominent in Congar's writings, namely tradition, reform, catholicity and authority. The book does not assume a detailed knowledge of Congar's writings but addresses a difficulty that is frequently encountered in the present time - no one better than Yves Congar has shown that the Church is not a "system".

234 pages, Paperback

First published November 21, 2013

Reviews

[Vaida Baranovė]

We should all be grateful to Brother Emile for writing this magnificent book about a man whose vision changed not only the Catholic Church but also the way many people after him saw and still see religion itself. The ideas of Yves Congar are timeless and yet, very timely for our days, this very decade. He teaches us to see the living Church of the living God as a community, a family, a flock, guided by One Shepard. In a secularized world, focused on the subject, it’s easy to give in to thinking that both secularization and subjectivity are dangeous for the Church instead of focusing on how beneficial they can be. Congar was brave enough to see it and work with it. And he teaches us this courage as well. Courage to be faithful to the future.

[João Maia]

Uma excelente introdução ao pensamento eclesiológico de Yves Congar. Pela visão ecuménica do irmão Emile, conhecemos os grandes princípios do entendimento teológico que sustentam a visão de Igreja que subjaz à compreensão do Vaticano II. Uma boa leitura para quem tem curiosidade sobre o tema, não necessitando de grandes conhecimentos teológicos e filosóficos anteriores.

[Matthew Stanley]

This book is thoroughly enjoyable. It provides a brief but illuminating glimpse into the life and heart of a man who truly loved the Church. The text is also written by a brother who clearly loves Congar and values Congar's contribution to the Church.