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Whose Church?: A Concise Guide to Progressive Catholicism
In the spring of 2007, Daniel C. Maguire was condemned by U.S. bishops for his progressive writings, because, the New York Times reported, Maguire's pamphlets on abortion and same-sex marriage "are written in a very popular and lively style, and from what the bishops knew, they were very widely distributed." Praised by Ms. Magazine as one of "40 male heroes who took a chance for women," Daniel C. Maguire is a noted theologian and ethicist whose controversial views and irreverent style have rankled conservatives for nearly thirty years. In this pithy guide to progressive Catholicism, Maguire shows how tragically far conservative Catholic politics have strayed from the best Catholic social teaching. Whose Church? takes special aim at the "pelvic politics" that have dominated official Catholicism, skewering the Church hierarchy's rigid positions on sex and reproduction and revealing a "spiritually healthy" alternative approach that is fully in line with Catholic tradition. Whose Church? offers deeply informed and incisive theological arguments in favor of gender equality, affirmative action and antiracism, opposition to war, and the fight against poverty and economic inequality. Full of humor, passion, and intolerance for injustice, Whose Church? is a manifesto for Catholics and for progressives everywhere―showing the way forward at a critical juncture in the history of the U.S. Catholic Church and in progressive politics more generally.
178 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 5, 2012
I read this book as a complement to my "traditional" readings on Catholicism for a paper. I knew I was getting a 'progressive' view, and that 'progressive' ≠ traditional. (That's obvious to me, but not necessarily to some reviewers I've seen.) And I LOVED IT. I love his humor. I fully embrace that I am a progressive, and I chose to study Catholicism for this paper partially to challenge myself to find *something* that might resonate with me in this tradition that often speaks for the far-right. What I found is that Catholicism does not need to mean the far-right. It does not need to mean just the "pe!vic issues", as he puts it. Social justice, poverty, environment, economic disparity - these are all traditional Catholic values, too - more so than the hot button issues being spouted about today. Not only does Maguire make the case for these other values, he cites sources - scripture, 'sacred tradition' teachings, and reality - to show that the traditional teachings of the Catholic church are much more nuanced than what the Vatican is harping on today.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to delve a little deeper into your own Catholic faith and truth or for anyone wanting to learn about Catholicism and what the tradition really teaches (though I would recommend a book on the traditional doctrine as well, for context).
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to delve a little deeper into your own Catholic faith and truth or for anyone wanting to learn about Catholicism and what the tradition really teaches (though I would recommend a book on the traditional doctrine as well, for context).
October 19, 2010
Daniel C. Maguire is a treat. I love his irreverent humor as mixed with his sacramental way of living. I read this book as an ex-roman-catholic, wanting to see if there was anything to reconnect with. I didn't find anything.
Still, the book is a good solid read for those who still feel tied to the Roman church but feel outside its oppressive theology and tradition.
Still, the book is a good solid read for those who still feel tied to the Roman church but feel outside its oppressive theology and tradition.
December 4, 2023
What a great book!!! Really refreshing to read a progressive take on Christianity, which is actually true to the origins and texts of the religion (and proves it!) This book came out in 2008 so could feel a good bit dated at times (especially with certain terms and phrases), but sadly really really relevant still in 2023 at other times. I took pictures of quite a few pages in this book, and this is someone who undeniably knows his bible and catholic history. Really wonderful to read. The chapter reallocating the military budget to education, transportation, healthcare, and so on almost had me in tears fr. We could do SO MUCH BETTER SO EASILY. Its insane.
I wish he had expanded on certain topics a little more, like abortion for example. But overall, really well done. I also sometimes felt a little lost in his references (the author maybe assumed his audience knew a little Too much) and occasionally throughout the book it felt like he was picking up a conversation he was having with someone else, leaving the reader feeling a couple steps behind. A couple of times there was repetition leading to ditched threads. Also it could stray a little far from religion and the bible at times. However, I still thought there was a lot of good work AND its not like there is a ton of this literature out there!!
Still, this book was hard to put down! It gave me both validation, and a lot to think about. Rarely, if ever, do I read both the introductions and the acknowledgements. Would absolutely recommend this book to any other progressive catholics struggling with their faith, and their understanding of the faith which feels so at odds with the frequent public representation of the faith (which I feel is so, so, so far from the message of Jesus whether you believe in him as God, a prophet, or just a historical figure. What people preach about Him and what he Actually is recorded as saying are two Very different things these days).
I wish he had expanded on certain topics a little more, like abortion for example. But overall, really well done. I also sometimes felt a little lost in his references (the author maybe assumed his audience knew a little Too much) and occasionally throughout the book it felt like he was picking up a conversation he was having with someone else, leaving the reader feeling a couple steps behind. A couple of times there was repetition leading to ditched threads. Also it could stray a little far from religion and the bible at times. However, I still thought there was a lot of good work AND its not like there is a ton of this literature out there!!
Still, this book was hard to put down! It gave me both validation, and a lot to think about. Rarely, if ever, do I read both the introductions and the acknowledgements. Would absolutely recommend this book to any other progressive catholics struggling with their faith, and their understanding of the faith which feels so at odds with the frequent public representation of the faith (which I feel is so, so, so far from the message of Jesus whether you believe in him as God, a prophet, or just a historical figure. What people preach about Him and what he Actually is recorded as saying are two Very different things these days).
July 21, 2019
Maguire presents a humorous, fun-to-read defense of progressive Catholicism. However, he does so in a way that discards with core aspects of theology. That leads me to downgrade my rating heftily. At one point, he questions the Virgin birth. That's a no-go in Catholicism, and to me, it makes sense why the bishops have basically run him out on a rail. It was a cool read though and some chapters like the one about how we treat creation and the one about racism resonated with me. However, I found that he was a little too reliant on humor at times and could have based his work more on Bible. Nonetheless, I emerge from reading "Whose Church" with the inspiration to look more into leftist thought within the Church. I'd probably recommend delving into the fundamental works of Liberation Theology, but this is a good starter.
February 9, 2020
Pretty cringe. It's more interesting to me when I see Catholics trying to fit progressive/liberal ideas within a framework of orthodoxy. This book was basically like "I'm Catholic but believe none of it and literally all of it is dumb. Here's some actually kinda woke thoughts on race, capitalism, etc but I will tie none of it into any Catholic thought besides a few proof texted Bible verses". Avoid.
July 12, 2014
Maguire is a hell of an author and a stellar writer, but I found Whose Church? lacking on several fronts.
Maguire sets himself up as eminently qualified to critique the opinions of the conservative Catholic hierarchy because he -- unlike many of them -- is actually a theologian, rigorously steeped in the long, diverse, and honorable history of Catholic thought on justice and human dignity. For instance, he knocks the well-known atheist writer Sam Harris for being only a neuroscientist unqualified to write at length about the threat posed by Quranic texts should Muslims ever acquire a nuclear weapon. I agree with Maguire's criticism of Harris' outrageous remarks, but in point of fact Maguire doesn't give us much more actual theology in this book than Harris would have.
I would love to have gotten this theology from him, since I found myself nodding in agreement with 99% of what Maguire had to say. (He tackles the ever-relevant topics of sexism, racism, war, environmentalism, and human sexuality and makes a cogent argument that the Church certainly needs to revisit its position on sexuality in particular soon -- not to fill the pews again, as is crassly said by some, but to stay true to the Church's own teachings on human dignity.)
Maguire is quite eloquent, but doesn't underpin what turns out to be a lengthy, fiery op-ed piece with actual quotations from Catholic theology. At best, we get citations from Catholic folk practice and a reality check for the bishops from the actual life of the laity: that's all legit and interesting, but what you get here is not at all like what you would get in a book by Pope Benedict, for instance. You might disagree with Benedict, but you can hardly deny that, as a writer, he draws copiously on a long tradition, cites his sources, and gives you much more than an opinion piece. Catholicism being so diverse, I'm sure that Maguire's views are also well-grounded -- I just don't know where, because he doesn't really tell us.
The book would also have benefitted by having more of a dialogue with orthodox positions on controversial issues -- and let's just say it, the "pelvic issues" are the big ones. Maguire, a former priest, criticizes a lot of long-standing Catholic positions, and I don't necessarily disagree with him, but he makes no attempt in this admittedly "concise guide" to explain why the orthodox stance is what it is. I came to Christianity as an adult, partly through the writings of conservative Catholics like G.K. Chesterton whom I (a liberal) didn't even suspect were conservative (so poisoned is our attitude to that word), so I wish Maguire hadn't blown them off -- he mostly makes us think they're hounds out for the kill. Where this book really would have shined is if it had been an actual dialogue rather than an undeniably spirited monologue.
Finally, Maguire disappointed on the abortion issue, which he actually almost entirely failed to engage in this book. (Though I understand he's written an entirely separate book bringing religion to the defense of abortion.) The few times he did bring the issue up here, I'll be honest, I found his position inconsistent with his otherwise admirable liberal principles. (i.e., Maguire did not change my opinion that abortion supporters often, in spite of their best intentions, play right into the hands of the worst type of conservative). He also fails to mention anywhere in his "concise guide" the fact that many long-standing Catholic progressives fell out of the Democratic Party in the 1970s and '80s in response to the party's support of abortion. There are many strains of Progressivism, not just the "Chomsky-Zinn mold."
In his beautiful defense of women's role in the Church and his attack on entrenched sexism, Maguire quotes Jean-Paul Sartre to the effect that women are less susceptible than men "to treating as abstract that which is concrete." To their credit, women are not blowing up Federal buildings under the mental grip of intellectual abstraction, but I hardly see how the language surrounding the abortion debate can't be considered euphemistic and abstract in the worst way, on both sides of the argument. "Pro-choice," "pro-life," "a woman's right to choose" -- whatever your stance, you can hardly deny that the language here is all a deliberate twisting of the concrete and a linguistic mindfuck in the service of pretty-sounding mantras. Likewise, Maguire evades any mention of an earlier generation of feminist progressives who were strongly opposed to abortion. The Progressive movement so justly concerned with diversity often seems extraordinarily unaware of the diversity of voices within its own ranks and history.
Abortion is a complex, bitter issue, of course, and there's obviously a need to recognize all kinds of nuances on this topic, in particular, but I was disappointed that Maguire -- such a great writer and compelling thinker -- made passing references to abortion, then totally failed to engage it head on, though he does somewhat engage contraception here. I might have been cool with this if Maguire was a polite dinner guest or a delicate Facebooker frightened to rock the boat, but not in this otherwise rambunctious and interesting book, and not from someone with such an obvious devotion to justice.
Maguire sets himself up as eminently qualified to critique the opinions of the conservative Catholic hierarchy because he -- unlike many of them -- is actually a theologian, rigorously steeped in the long, diverse, and honorable history of Catholic thought on justice and human dignity. For instance, he knocks the well-known atheist writer Sam Harris for being only a neuroscientist unqualified to write at length about the threat posed by Quranic texts should Muslims ever acquire a nuclear weapon. I agree with Maguire's criticism of Harris' outrageous remarks, but in point of fact Maguire doesn't give us much more actual theology in this book than Harris would have.
I would love to have gotten this theology from him, since I found myself nodding in agreement with 99% of what Maguire had to say. (He tackles the ever-relevant topics of sexism, racism, war, environmentalism, and human sexuality and makes a cogent argument that the Church certainly needs to revisit its position on sexuality in particular soon -- not to fill the pews again, as is crassly said by some, but to stay true to the Church's own teachings on human dignity.)
Maguire is quite eloquent, but doesn't underpin what turns out to be a lengthy, fiery op-ed piece with actual quotations from Catholic theology. At best, we get citations from Catholic folk practice and a reality check for the bishops from the actual life of the laity: that's all legit and interesting, but what you get here is not at all like what you would get in a book by Pope Benedict, for instance. You might disagree with Benedict, but you can hardly deny that, as a writer, he draws copiously on a long tradition, cites his sources, and gives you much more than an opinion piece. Catholicism being so diverse, I'm sure that Maguire's views are also well-grounded -- I just don't know where, because he doesn't really tell us.
The book would also have benefitted by having more of a dialogue with orthodox positions on controversial issues -- and let's just say it, the "pelvic issues" are the big ones. Maguire, a former priest, criticizes a lot of long-standing Catholic positions, and I don't necessarily disagree with him, but he makes no attempt in this admittedly "concise guide" to explain why the orthodox stance is what it is. I came to Christianity as an adult, partly through the writings of conservative Catholics like G.K. Chesterton whom I (a liberal) didn't even suspect were conservative (so poisoned is our attitude to that word), so I wish Maguire hadn't blown them off -- he mostly makes us think they're hounds out for the kill. Where this book really would have shined is if it had been an actual dialogue rather than an undeniably spirited monologue.
Finally, Maguire disappointed on the abortion issue, which he actually almost entirely failed to engage in this book. (Though I understand he's written an entirely separate book bringing religion to the defense of abortion.) The few times he did bring the issue up here, I'll be honest, I found his position inconsistent with his otherwise admirable liberal principles. (i.e., Maguire did not change my opinion that abortion supporters often, in spite of their best intentions, play right into the hands of the worst type of conservative). He also fails to mention anywhere in his "concise guide" the fact that many long-standing Catholic progressives fell out of the Democratic Party in the 1970s and '80s in response to the party's support of abortion. There are many strains of Progressivism, not just the "Chomsky-Zinn mold."
In his beautiful defense of women's role in the Church and his attack on entrenched sexism, Maguire quotes Jean-Paul Sartre to the effect that women are less susceptible than men "to treating as abstract that which is concrete." To their credit, women are not blowing up Federal buildings under the mental grip of intellectual abstraction, but I hardly see how the language surrounding the abortion debate can't be considered euphemistic and abstract in the worst way, on both sides of the argument. "Pro-choice," "pro-life," "a woman's right to choose" -- whatever your stance, you can hardly deny that the language here is all a deliberate twisting of the concrete and a linguistic mindfuck in the service of pretty-sounding mantras. Likewise, Maguire evades any mention of an earlier generation of feminist progressives who were strongly opposed to abortion. The Progressive movement so justly concerned with diversity often seems extraordinarily unaware of the diversity of voices within its own ranks and history.
Abortion is a complex, bitter issue, of course, and there's obviously a need to recognize all kinds of nuances on this topic, in particular, but I was disappointed that Maguire -- such a great writer and compelling thinker -- made passing references to abortion, then totally failed to engage it head on, though he does somewhat engage contraception here. I might have been cool with this if Maguire was a polite dinner guest or a delicate Facebooker frightened to rock the boat, but not in this otherwise rambunctious and interesting book, and not from someone with such an obvious devotion to justice.
December 14, 2016
not that progressive, not original, uses the r word
December 8, 2012
This book was exactly what it promised to be: a concise overview and wake-up call for progressive Catholicism, specifically, and progressive Christians, in general. Don't be shocked to find that discussions on same-sex marriage and abortion merit short mentions instead of detailed analysis. This book doesn't shy away from the hard issues, not at all; but it does make you think about how complicit we can be to such evils as gender and racial inequality, poverty, war, and environmental degradation. If you want to know if there is anything Catholicism can bring to the discussion and end of these issues, read this book.
October 6, 2011
Picked this one up at the dollar store. A good concise treatise on progressive catholicism. Like water to a thirsty man in the desert. I especially liked Maguire's discussion of "pelvic issues". This book beats all hell out of listening to homophobic homilies and complete denials of child abuse.
And, "Let's face it. Calvinists never produced a liqueur like the Benedictine monks did, much less the Christian Brothers brandy. Nor do their rituals contain a benedicto cervesio, a holy blessing of beer."
And, "Let's face it. Calvinists never produced a liqueur like the Benedictine monks did, much less the Christian Brothers brandy. Nor do their rituals contain a benedicto cervesio, a holy blessing of beer."
January 4, 2016
I agree with Editor, Rita Nakashima Brock "Maguire offers social teaching for all who care about the poor, about the oppressed, about ending war, about reproductive rights, about the environment..--those who seek to live out the best in Catholic social teachings."
As Daniel Maguire says he hopes "This book is a wake-up call to the somnambulant religious left.
I think it should be required reading for both the left and right wings of the Catholic Church!
As Daniel Maguire says he hopes "This book is a wake-up call to the somnambulant religious left.
I think it should be required reading for both the left and right wings of the Catholic Church!
February 18, 2009
Refreshing and passionate. Maguire might go a little far on some issues, but he makes powerful points on others.
The writing style's maybe a little too chatty and informal, but he uses that well rhetorically, getting away with more sharp digs than he might otherwise.
Worth reading even if you're not "progressive" or a Catholic. A sure-fire discussion starter.
The writing style's maybe a little too chatty and informal, but he uses that well rhetorically, getting away with more sharp digs than he might otherwise.
Worth reading even if you're not "progressive" or a Catholic. A sure-fire discussion starter.
January 11, 2009
I like how this guy thinks...read more.
March 26, 2011
Uneven and rather unfocused, but the good parts are very, very good.
May 19, 2015
It an excellent look at some of the hot topic issues of the Church that challenges preconceptions on what it means to be Catholic.
January 14, 2016
Bit of a letdown. More of a guide to Maguire's personal politics than anything to do with the Catholic Church. Needs a little more meat on the bone.
December 21, 2016
Completely fine book, but I don't know why I read it. It's more of a primer for folks who may not have thought about the issues that he brings up (environment, sex, gender, war).
October 9, 2015
Dead on!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews