La belleza desarmada

by Julián Carrón

Como toda crisis, la actual «nos obliga a volver a plantearnos preguntas y nos exige nuevas o viejas respuestas, pero, en cualquier caso, juicios directos, no preestablecidos» (Hannah Arendt). Es, por tanto, una invitación a abrirnos a los demás y, para los cristianos, una ocasión para verificar la capacidad de la fe para dar respuesta a los nuevos desafíos y mantener un diálogo a campo abierto en el espacio público.
Julián Carrón, responsable actual de Comunión y Liberación, una de las realidades eclesiales más relevantes de las últimas décadas, reflexiona sobre nuestra actual situación de «cambio de época». En este libro nos plantea de qué modo la propuesta cristiana puede ser atrayente para el hombre de hoy y contribuir a la construcción de espacios de libertad y convivencia en nuestra sociedad plural.

El acceso a la verdad sólo es posible a través de la libertad. La historia es el espacio del diálogo en libertad, «lo cual no quiere decir que sea un espacio vacío, desierto de propuestas de vida. Porque de la nada no se vive. Nadie puede mantenerse en pie, tener una relación constructiva con la realidad, sin algo por lo que valga la pena vivir, sin una hipótesis de significado».

Genres: Theology, Catholic, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Faith, Unfinished, Spirituality

312 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2015

About the author

Julián Carrón (born 25 February 1950) is a Spanish Catholic priest, and theologian and the former leader of the Italian Communion and Liberation movement.

Reviews

[Jana Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful series of essays on how to revive faith in the 21st century. Carron says the source of the 21st century human malaise is the loss of the human, of the "I". He focuses his call to action on the need of Catholics to demonstrate the transforming nature of faith, saying it's only in the human and her expression of radical change and joy that a religion can demonstrate its newness, or its relevance to the ills, sorrows, and struggles of each generation, thus attracting new people to the faith. 

I disagreed with a LOT of the claims in this book, but that should come as no surprise. (What am I doing reading a book about reviving Catholic faith?!, you might rightly ask. I bought the book a year or so ago when I saw another person reading it and when my beliefs were more aligned with the views in the book.) Quickly, my three disagreements: Carron is not clear about what constitutes "true" experience, he fails to address seriously the heinous pedophilia problem in the leadership of the Catholic church when saying the church is the solution for suffering (what about when the church is the *source* of suffering?), and his views on marriage, virginity, homosexuality, and the necessity of religious belief for a good and deeply fulfilled life are quite opposed to my way of thinking. Those aside, the writing is beautiful, the ideas coherent within the Catholic framework, the logic mostly sound (with his Catholic assumptions acknowledged), and the way he talks about being human is lovely and quite touching at times. 

[E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Faith is 'verficiation' when it shows its ability to illuminate and bring to fullness the typically human dynamics of reason, affection, and freedom, and so increases the existential certainty essential to an adult in all of life's circumstances."

According to Carron, Christianity should be attractive and appealing to humanity because Christian's should live rich, full, beautiful lives of affection, reason, and freedom.

I don't remember how this book entered my to-read list, probably something in The Christian Century a few years ago. The author is a Spanish Catholic theologian supporting the witness of Pope Francis while also embracing the theology of Pope Benedict. There were a number of areas where I disagreed about the particulars of an ethical and faithful life (marriage for instance) but the broad ideas were engaging and resonated with some of my other theological reading such as Wendell Berry and Stanley Hauerwas. I think I'll make use of some of the ideas and sentences, and always good to keep a little theological diversity in one's reading.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays by a Spanish Catholic priest and ecclesiastical leader. He is trying to address how Catholics can thrive in a secular world. I would probably agree with most of what is in the book, but I found the writing style too philosophical and hard to follow or understand what was meant in many cases.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to the thought of Fr. Giussani & the ecclesial movement he founded: Communion & Liberation. Much of what is addressed is what ails our world and how the event of the Incarnation, our encounter with Jesus Christ and his acting in our lives as part of a community can bring about change.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

GENIUS!! took me so so long to read but worth every moment to treasure and meditate on. Fr. Carron delves into what it means to be human in this liberating and insightful book. Well structured, it builds slowly on human reason and then tackles questions from everyday joys to lifetime struggles. This book points to our great & glorious God

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlights: "'The Eternal Mystery of our Being'" , "Freedom is the Most Precious Gift Heaven Gave to Humanity" and the conclusion

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very important book for Christians living in the current culture. It can be appreciated by anyone regardless of your exposure to CL.

[Jeremy Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and necessary book

[Steve Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Book for our age and ultimately a treatise for being human- the only struggles of the book arise from Carrons syntax, which I assume arise from translation issues.

[Pris Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, every christian should ready it, specially teachers and leaders

[Fr. Jeffrey Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could not finish this book. It failed to captivate me enough to spend the time. Got through page 76.