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The Comfortable Pew
A critical examination of the Anglican Church and why it has become "bankrupt" spiritually.
- GenresNonfictionReligion
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
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62 people want to read
About the author
Pierre Berton
179 books207 followersPierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian historian, writer, journalist and broadcaster.
From narrative histories and popular culture, to picture and coffee table books to anthologies, to stories for children to readable, historical works for youth, many of his books are now Canadian classics.
Born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon, Pierre Berton worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years. He spent four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. He spent his early newspaper career in Vancouver, where at 21 he was the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He wrote columns for and was editor of Maclean's magazine, appeared on CBC's public affairs program "Close-Up" and was a permanent fixture on "Front Page Challenge" for 39 years. He was a columnist and editor for the Toronto Star, and a writer and host of a series of CBC programs.
Pierre Berton has received over 30 literary awards including the Governor-General's Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times), the Stephen Leacock Medal of Humour, and the Gabrielle Leger National Heritage Award. He received two Nellies for his work in broadcasting, two National Newspaper awards, and the National History Society's first award for "distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history." For his immense contribution to Canadian literature and history, he has been awarded more than a dozen honourary degrees, is a member of the Newsman's Hall of Fame and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
From narrative histories and popular culture, to picture and coffee table books to anthologies, to stories for children to readable, historical works for youth, many of his books are now Canadian classics.
Born in 1920 and raised in the Yukon, Pierre Berton worked in Klondike mining camps during his university years. He spent four years in the army, rising from private to captain/instructor at the Royal Military College in Kingston. He spent his early newspaper career in Vancouver, where at 21 he was the youngest city editor on any Canadian daily. He wrote columns for and was editor of Maclean's magazine, appeared on CBC's public affairs program "Close-Up" and was a permanent fixture on "Front Page Challenge" for 39 years. He was a columnist and editor for the Toronto Star, and a writer and host of a series of CBC programs.
Pierre Berton has received over 30 literary awards including the Governor-General's Award for Creative Non-Fiction (three times), the Stephen Leacock Medal of Humour, and the Gabrielle Leger National Heritage Award. He received two Nellies for his work in broadcasting, two National Newspaper awards, and the National History Society's first award for "distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history." For his immense contribution to Canadian literature and history, he has been awarded more than a dozen honourary degrees, is a member of the Newsman's Hall of Fame and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 25, 2020
Once upon a time in the early 1960s the Anglican Church of Canada asked the renowned and prolific Canadian historian Pierre Berton to write a book examining its denomination. Despite the fact that the post-war era saw a boom in church building and attendance, many within the church feared decline. Berton obliged and produced 'The Comfortable Pew: A Critical Look at Christianity and the Religious Establishment in the New Age.' It might seem odd to ask an atheist to pontificate about the Anglican Church but the Protestant Mainline's hierarchy was a bit wacky and Berton was fond of the wacky tobacky.
The book, controversial at the time of its release, is interesting in providing commentary on the state of Christianity in Canada in the 1960s. Many of Berton's observations and critiques of the Anglican Church are also levelled at other mainline denominations such as the United Church, more evangelical churches, and the Roman Catholic Church. Berton asks some good questions and he is right to point out when Christianity has served as the handmaid of Western cultural imperialism and where it has lagged behind, such as in the fight for racial justice. But overall, the book is a preachy protestation from someone who knows little about theology (who certainly disbelieves in Christian doctrines) and who complains about inflexible dogma (you know, little things like the Virgin birth). He thinks the church is too outmoded and that it needs to update itself to reach younger generations, including using the latest technology and divesting of vestments (interestingly, of course, there is today a noticeable draw of young people to "classic Christianity," witnessed by conversions to Catholicism and high-church Protestantism). Berton bemoans the fact that ministers preach strictly from Scripture and don't address political and cultural issues like nuclear war and sexuality (I am certain he would be a big fan of conservative pastors who preach politics from the pulpit). Berton approves of the vague Christianity-lite of Protestant liberal icons like Paul Tillich, Rudolf Bultmann, and John A.T. Robinson.
'The Comfortable Pew' is abysmally, embarrassingly bad. No doubt this book appealed to baby boomers caught up in the zeitgeist of the 1960s, all too eager to find someone to confirm them in their disinterest, even hostility, to Christian faith. Berton ends by speculating about some hypothetical new saviour who will reform the Church to enter the "new age" and he gripes that the "spirit within" is far more important than orthodox Christianity - perhaps he was smoking the ganja as he wrote this book?
The book, controversial at the time of its release, is interesting in providing commentary on the state of Christianity in Canada in the 1960s. Many of Berton's observations and critiques of the Anglican Church are also levelled at other mainline denominations such as the United Church, more evangelical churches, and the Roman Catholic Church. Berton asks some good questions and he is right to point out when Christianity has served as the handmaid of Western cultural imperialism and where it has lagged behind, such as in the fight for racial justice. But overall, the book is a preachy protestation from someone who knows little about theology (who certainly disbelieves in Christian doctrines) and who complains about inflexible dogma (you know, little things like the Virgin birth). He thinks the church is too outmoded and that it needs to update itself to reach younger generations, including using the latest technology and divesting of vestments (interestingly, of course, there is today a noticeable draw of young people to "classic Christianity," witnessed by conversions to Catholicism and high-church Protestantism). Berton bemoans the fact that ministers preach strictly from Scripture and don't address political and cultural issues like nuclear war and sexuality (I am certain he would be a big fan of conservative pastors who preach politics from the pulpit). Berton approves of the vague Christianity-lite of Protestant liberal icons like Paul Tillich, Rudolf Bultmann, and John A.T. Robinson.
'The Comfortable Pew' is abysmally, embarrassingly bad. No doubt this book appealed to baby boomers caught up in the zeitgeist of the 1960s, all too eager to find someone to confirm them in their disinterest, even hostility, to Christian faith. Berton ends by speculating about some hypothetical new saviour who will reform the Church to enter the "new age" and he gripes that the "spirit within" is far more important than orthodox Christianity - perhaps he was smoking the ganja as he wrote this book?
March 5, 2022
Fascinating to read Pierre Berton's indictment of the established churches and their insularity from moral and ethical issues which should have been of major concern (especially from a Christian perspective). Considering it was published in 1965 his views are remarkably prescient and were considered unorthodox by some and heretical by many. However looking back almost 60 years later, his pronouncements and advice to the church (at their invitation) on some issues are archaic and distinctly out of step with current research and thought although they would have been considered progressive at that time.
September 22, 2021
Definitely not my favourite Berton book. However, one can still appreciate his criticisms of Canada’s Protestant churches - many of which still ring true over 50 years after this book was published. In the aftermath of the Second World War canada saw people return to churches in droves, yet as Berton points out, their Christianity began and ended with the weekly church service. Although this book provides a lot of description of the state of the church there’s not a whole lot of attention drawn to unique Canadian factors that influence church going. Regardless, this book was massively popular at the time and research in the field still references the affect it had.
On a side note, a lot of the observations he recounted as being the Protestant churches’ failures happen to be evangelists and televangelists successes (adoption of technology {first the radio, Amy McPherson, and then the TV, Jim Bakker}, the renewed role of the pulpit and adages for the New Age, etc)…
On a side note, a lot of the observations he recounted as being the Protestant churches’ failures happen to be evangelists and televangelists successes (adoption of technology {first the radio, Amy McPherson, and then the TV, Jim Bakker}, the renewed role of the pulpit and adages for the New Age, etc)…
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews