A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life

by Zena Hitz

What is happiness? Does life have a meaning? If so, is that meaning available in an ordinary life? The philosopher Zena Hitz confronted these questions head-on when she spent several years living in a Christian religious community. Religious life -- the communal life chosen by monks, nuns, friars, and hermits -- has been a part of global Christianity since earliest times, but many of us struggle to understand what could drive a person to renounce wealth, sex, children, and ambition to live a life of prayer and sacrifice. Hitz's lively and accessible book explores questions about faith, sacrifice, asceticism and happiness through philosophy, stories, and examples from religious life. Drawing on personal experience as well as film, literature, history, biography, and theology, it demystifies an important element of contemporary culture, and provides a picture of human flourishing and happiness which challenges and enriches modern-day life.

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity, Catholic, Theology

Kindle Edition

Published January 12, 2023

Reviews

[Margaret Gipson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitz is a clear thinker and great writer. I often find the idea of religious life a little frightening and personally unappealing, but Hitz does a lovely job of discussing its draw, beauty, and relevance. More broadly, her discussion of human life and search for meaning, and her deft use of a wide diversity of examples, makes for a book that is engaging, thought-provoking, and approachable. Highly recommend!

[Laura Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitz asks "What is Christianity?" and looks to the exemplars of the faith for answers. I've been waiting for this book my whole life. Big time recommend.

[Thomas Zwilling]

A little short for five stars, but I really enjoyed it. There were a few things here and there I didn't agree with, and some topics I wish had gotten more attention, like how people not taking vows can live the religious life or what happens when religious life goes wrong (at the beginning of the book she says that she's focusing on the ideal case in order to understand it, but it goes wrong often enough that I think it warrants some discussion). It's a bit paradoxical, as well, to have a book that looks almost entirely favorably at the religious life written by someone who tried living in a religious community and left before taking final vows that includes several anecdotes from her time as a novice but with minimal discussion of why she ultimately didn't commit to it. I understand not wanting to make it about herself, but if you can include stories to illustrate life in a community and the ways they focus members' passions and attention on their mission, then I think exploring the other kinds of experiences people have of religious life (both lifelong and transient) is also worthwhile.

Ultimately, these gripes are fairly minor, and I think the book succeeds at its goal of deepening its readers' understanding of religious life, whether they are religious or not, attracted to it or not, knowledgeable or not.

[Claire Bentley]

maybe i’ll be a nun

[Michael Baranowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at religion from a philosopher who not only became a Roman Catholic but practiced Christian renunciation in a way very few modern believers do. Full of worthwhile insights, with the most intriguing to me being the suggestion that modern people haven't abandoned the Church because of science, but rather because our relative prosperity has made it easier for us to ignore the contingency of life.

[Fr. Nicholas Blackwell, O. Carm. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly wonderful and down to earth intellectual book that brings the reader into the reality of the Christian witness. The author does not shy away from suffering, pain, and evil. She uses the gift of the human mind that she has done her part in cultivating to show how certain practices can one in becoming open to the divine, even though it appears, when may be standing in darkness. This would be a great book for the Advent or lent season. I highly recommend this book.

[David Selsby · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is something poignant and self-consciousness inducing about writing a review on a book whose central focus is the insidious inanity of most of what we do and think about throughout the day in order to pass that day, like . . . writing a review on a, relatively speaking, random website very few people are going to read. Having said that, or rather, let that idea and the psychological implications of such hover over what follows, "A Philosopher's Looks at the Religious Life" is an enjoyable read with several moments of luminous insight.

The problem, as it were, with this book, and also with Ms. Hitz's previous book "Lost in Thought," is too much of her narratives rely on anecdotes and analysis of other saints, religious, philosophers, historical figures, etc. These anecdotes are . . . fine. If one is not familiar with the figure she's probing, then that's better. If one is familiar with the figure, then the recap is less interesting. Either way, the book sparkles, not always, but more often when she's not summarizing the travails of historical figures, both rather probing her own life and decisions, putting forth her own judgments, and tallying her own commitments.

This feels like a companion book to "Lost in Thought": almost the same length (a tad shorter); both contain two introductory sections, which gives both books an off kilter feel as though Hitz isn't sure how to start (it's not discernible why the prologues and introductions are different from the later chaptered text). These are quibbles, but perhaps this reader is quibbling because the questions the books jab at without making flush contact--Why are we here? What are we doing with our time? Why do we do this or that with our time and not this or that? How are we conditioned to do the things we do with our time?--are thrilling questions that deserve edifying answers.

The prose crackles when Hitz grapples with why she has become dissatisfied with her career, what this ennui tells her about the choices she has made, her priorities, and American social and occupational organization more generally. When Hitz unpacks the angst in her personal life, many of these passages are thrilling. Hitz is a good writer, and her orientation to the world is exciting because it strikes a chord with millions of Americans (Why am I spending my days the way I am? What is meaningful in my life? Where is God? How can I orient my life towards Him?).

Come to think of it, the most exciting part of the book is that Hitz chose what she did for the subject matter and had a go at unpacking the dissatisfaction that brought her to write it (them?)--most of these points can be applied to both books, such is their similarity, at least to this reader. "A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life" is an admirable and valuable undertaking, if not always executed with gusto.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life by Zena Hitz is an interesting, and at times annoying, read that certainly offers some insight into how one person views the religious life.

Using her personal experience at attempting to live such a religious life but backing out before making a full commitment, as well as citing numerous sources from saints to philosophers, we are given a view that generates a lot of thought and reflection. That is the positive, and it far outweighs what made parts of the book annoying for me.

Part of "the religious life," for many, is having a sense of certainty about your religious beliefs. Not simply a "this is what I believe" but a "this is how it is and how the afterlife is." It is this latter camp Hitz falls into, which will be a positive for those readers who feel as she does about the Christian faith, and an annoyance for those such as myself who don't believe such things, and absolutely questions those who speak of their beliefs as facts. Thus, for me, Hitz is an unreliable writer. For many, she will be speaking "The Truth."

No matter where you are on the belief spectrum, there is a lot to consider here. It isn't, or at least doesn't have to be, about a specific religion or, more appealing than religions, theology. It can simply be about learning some of the ways of approaching life, whether you believe in a mystical afterlife with some deity or not.

I would recommend this to readers who like to think about how others approach the big issues in life and the world, take what fits for you, then move on. Those who subscribe to the Christian mythology will like it even more.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Craig Williford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitz is a *fantastic* writer who gives a great introduction & case for a life devoted. Particularly helpful is how she captures & argues for the great contradictions & practices of Christian tradition. Thoughts of annihilation force one onto God. A fast fills the hungry heart. Silence exposes the cacophonous soul. Vows bind one to freedom. This book was very helpful for me understanding parts of traditions I didn’t grow up with. My only complaint is that there is not a lot of philosophical discussion outside the introduction & 1st chapter. Recommended

[Varad · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review of the book for the Washington Examiner:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op...


Wednesday, March 29, 2023

[Erin Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure. Hitz writes with a clarity that speaks to her knowledge of Truth as a person. Thank you for this gift!

[Miguel Panão · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh and insightful perspective on religious life.

[Brody Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because Ms Hitz is awesome!!

[Izzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

i hate this book

[ina.who · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is changing me

[Lilly Ruiter · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this book for my philosophy of religion class. I really liked all of the stories the author shared it was a very easy and accessible read.