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The Berrigan Letters: Personal Correspondence Between Daniel and Philip Berrigan
A treasure for those devoted to the causes of peacemaking and social justice, this collection offers insights into the activism of the Berrigans and reveals moving glimpses of their intense devotion to each other and their unbending faith in the face of great adversity. Spanning seven decades, the book includes excerpts of letters between the brothers famed for their social activism, civil disobedience, peacemaking efforts, and sharp critiques of American foreign policy. While many letters address the issues of war and peace, they also touch on other social issues, such as abortion, capital punishment, and politics, as well as ecclesial issues and family and personal relationships, including letters sent in the last weeks and months of Philip Berrigan's life.
- GenresNonfictionReligion
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 27, 2018
Incredible insight into two modern Christian saints
I have read through and own most of the literary work of Daniel Berrigan, with the exception of his poetry books. I bought this book to gain insight into the life of a man I deeply admire, and I was not disappointed. The letters between Daniel and Philip Berrigan reveal so many things.
They reveal the love and support that the two brothers gave each other throughout their lives and their attempts at nonviolent resistance. They reveal how the two brothers kept fighting literally up until their dying days. They reveal the struggles that the brothers had with fame and notoriety, and how they sought to keep that fame from changing them or their mission.
The letter is also revealed that they were human, with feet of clay. We see their disagreements and sometimes even their fights with each other. We see their disillusionment with people not catching on to the vision, or the struggles of living in community, or the struggles of knowing when it was time to stop risking long-term imprisonment sentences. These details help to humanize to men who almost seem beyond of the human race by what they were willing to sacrifice for the rest of us.
A truly masterful work, one that would benefit anyone seeking to learn more about these heroes of the faith, these two saints, even if their saintly lives will never be acknowledged by the Catholic Church.
I have read through and own most of the literary work of Daniel Berrigan, with the exception of his poetry books. I bought this book to gain insight into the life of a man I deeply admire, and I was not disappointed. The letters between Daniel and Philip Berrigan reveal so many things.
They reveal the love and support that the two brothers gave each other throughout their lives and their attempts at nonviolent resistance. They reveal how the two brothers kept fighting literally up until their dying days. They reveal the struggles that the brothers had with fame and notoriety, and how they sought to keep that fame from changing them or their mission.
The letter is also revealed that they were human, with feet of clay. We see their disagreements and sometimes even their fights with each other. We see their disillusionment with people not catching on to the vision, or the struggles of living in community, or the struggles of knowing when it was time to stop risking long-term imprisonment sentences. These details help to humanize to men who almost seem beyond of the human race by what they were willing to sacrifice for the rest of us.
A truly masterful work, one that would benefit anyone seeking to learn more about these heroes of the faith, these two saints, even if their saintly lives will never be acknowledged by the Catholic Church.
October 30, 2016
An interesting book to see what men of strong faith and conviction experienced and stood for during a very tumultuous period of our contemporary history. Vietnam, nuclear arms escalation, climate change, alienation of socially defined groups (race, sexual preferences, etc.), corporate greed, and the beginning of the war in Afghanistan is seen through an evolving relationship that struggled to align the Christian message with a world at war with itself. How the they saw and were treated by the Catholic Church, members of their Jesuit order, and our legal and government systems at times are shocking.
Not a quick book to plow through, especially for those of us whole lived through this time. But, it is a must read to better appreciate what faith, expressed faith, is all about.
Not a quick book to plow through, especially for those of us whole lived through this time. But, it is a must read to better appreciate what faith, expressed faith, is all about.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews