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A Line Through the Human Heart: On Sinning and Being Forgiven
Who does not long for a “sinless” world where nothing we do goes wrong, nothing we do has dire consequences for others, nothing we do need make us sorry? But we do not live in such a world. Furthermore, if we give the matter some thought—as is done in these pages—we come to see that in such a world we would not even really want to live.
Rather than talking endlessly of mercy, helping the poor, legislating ever more and newer “rights,” we will find it most refreshing to become—for a time at least—realists. If we turn a clear eye inward, we find that the source of most human ills lies, not surprisingly, within our own souls, in our habits, in our conception of what we are.
A Line Through the Human Heart is not a systematic treatise on sin and all its consequences. It is, rather, a compilation of many short reflections upon the issues that never fail to arise for all people, especially those fully aware that they are living in an imperfect world. This is a book of quiet insight that enables us to look at the reality of this world, a reality we ourselves have too often abused, for only in this way may we come to see it as something flawed, which we can begin to repair simply by our act of acknowledging what is right, what ought to be, what we want to be—beings whose sins are forgiven.
“Fr. Schall offers us a 21st century syllabus of errors all too common in our culture and country: errors about who and what man is as a rational creature in a fallen world; errors about the reality of sin and the need for forgiveness and mercy. Here, as in his other books, Fr. Schall shows that true happiness for man consists in knowing who he is and ‘what is’—that he find the truth about God, man, and the world.”—Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J., editor emeritus of Homiletic & Pastoral Review
“At a time when sin and forgiveness—as well as the related roles of punishment, mercy, and compassion—are widely misunderstood, Fr. Schall draws on the Great Philosophical Tradition and Christianity to illuminate the connection between sin and free will. With his customary clarity, logical rigor, and concision, he explains why justice requires the acknowledgment of wrongdoing and punishment, demonstrating that any attempt to define sin away results, ironically, in a world at war with reality, in which forgiveness would be impossible.”—Anne Carson Daly, scholar and educator, former president of Mount Saint Mary College
Rather than talking endlessly of mercy, helping the poor, legislating ever more and newer “rights,” we will find it most refreshing to become—for a time at least—realists. If we turn a clear eye inward, we find that the source of most human ills lies, not surprisingly, within our own souls, in our habits, in our conception of what we are.
A Line Through the Human Heart is not a systematic treatise on sin and all its consequences. It is, rather, a compilation of many short reflections upon the issues that never fail to arise for all people, especially those fully aware that they are living in an imperfect world. This is a book of quiet insight that enables us to look at the reality of this world, a reality we ourselves have too often abused, for only in this way may we come to see it as something flawed, which we can begin to repair simply by our act of acknowledging what is right, what ought to be, what we want to be—beings whose sins are forgiven.
“Fr. Schall offers us a 21st century syllabus of errors all too common in our culture and country: errors about who and what man is as a rational creature in a fallen world; errors about the reality of sin and the need for forgiveness and mercy. Here, as in his other books, Fr. Schall shows that true happiness for man consists in knowing who he is and ‘what is’—that he find the truth about God, man, and the world.”—Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J., editor emeritus of Homiletic & Pastoral Review
“At a time when sin and forgiveness—as well as the related roles of punishment, mercy, and compassion—are widely misunderstood, Fr. Schall draws on the Great Philosophical Tradition and Christianity to illuminate the connection between sin and free will. With his customary clarity, logical rigor, and concision, he explains why justice requires the acknowledgment of wrongdoing and punishment, demonstrating that any attempt to define sin away results, ironically, in a world at war with reality, in which forgiveness would be impossible.”—Anne Carson Daly, scholar and educator, former president of Mount Saint Mary College
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2016
22 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
James V. Schall
91 books86 followersFr. James V. Schall, SJ was Professor of Political Philosophy at Georgetown University.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
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February 17, 2017
First off, I want to say that Fr. Schall is one of my favorite living priests today. He is sometimes nicknamed the "Old-Skool Jesuit". While an interesting name, he is merely a faithful and humble priest trained in the Ignatian spiritual fashion. I want to publicly thank him for his ministry as well.
This is a book on sin and much that relates to it. It is a discourse that involves some of the wisdom of Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Chesterton, Lewis, Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. It is filled with immense wisdom, and there were a few nuggets that really knocked me over the head, points I had not even realized before, but were staring me right in the face the whole time. The appendix in this book, 15 lies, is worth the price of this book alone. It is essentially a syllabus of errors for our country. If every single Catholic took those lies to heart, we would immediately see how western society is crumbling and we Catholics could unite to be the force for change in the world, in a very intentional and effective way.
The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is the layout of the book. Fr. Schall is basically borrowing from his many blog posts and making each post a chapter. While I understand that Fr. Schall has written so much on his blog posts, and how it saves much time to compile it like this, I really would have preferred a more intentional narrative work with his blog posts as citations. I get it though, that takes more time. Still, what is in this book is a treasure.
This is a book on sin and much that relates to it. It is a discourse that involves some of the wisdom of Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Chesterton, Lewis, Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. It is filled with immense wisdom, and there were a few nuggets that really knocked me over the head, points I had not even realized before, but were staring me right in the face the whole time. The appendix in this book, 15 lies, is worth the price of this book alone. It is essentially a syllabus of errors for our country. If every single Catholic took those lies to heart, we would immediately see how western society is crumbling and we Catholics could unite to be the force for change in the world, in a very intentional and effective way.
The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is the layout of the book. Fr. Schall is basically borrowing from his many blog posts and making each post a chapter. While I understand that Fr. Schall has written so much on his blog posts, and how it saves much time to compile it like this, I really would have preferred a more intentional narrative work with his blog posts as citations. I get it though, that takes more time. Still, what is in this book is a treasure.
Displaying 1 of 1 review