Jaws of Death: Gate of Heaven

by Dietrich von Hildebrand

Written as its 86-year-old author contemplated his own death, this book confronts death in all its aspects, showing how you can view even its horrible dimensions in the light of Christ and, by doing so, achieve a genuine, lasting readiness for death. "Covers almost every imaginable aspect of death and dying which is relevant to the Christian". St. Anthony Messenger

Genres: Catholic, Philosophy, Christian, Religion

148 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1991

About the author

Dietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic philosopher and theologian who was called (informally) by Pope Pius XII "the 20th Century Doctor of the Church."

Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.

The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."

Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.

Reviews

[Catherine Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I began this book, I was admittedly a bit apprehensive. Sometimes Christian discourse on death can seem to be so insistent on the fulfillment of the afterlife that it minimizes the pain and horror that death brings. I was refreshed to read Dietrich von Hildebrand criticizing this very attitude in the opening chapters. He is able to direct the reader to a very compelling account of hope while accepting the tragedy of death.

My one criticism comes in with this treatment of suicide. While his view is respective to his time and theological developments have since been made, it is always a bit jarring to read such accounts. His discussion of the ethical dimension of suicide was rather limited to the view relevant to his time. Editorial footnotes were insightfully added to direct the reader to contemporary developments. I did find his phenomenological commentary on suicidal ideation very insightful.

This book is a worthwhile read for all those who will die, are processing the tragedy of a loved one, or are curious about the uniquely Christian understanding of death. The reader does not need any particularly advanced prior knowledge of the subject to enjoy this text.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by the well-known German Catholic theologian, this book looks at death from both a natural and a Christian perspective. He discusses how philosophers have looked at death, and how the Christian Church sees it. He argues that death is an evil that was defeated on the Cross, but still explains the fear and awe that most people (including Christians) feel at the coming judgment. Written shortly before his own death, this book is a good meditation (similar to CS Lewis' "A Grief Observed") although much of the material will probably be familiar to a well-read Christian.