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Disarmed And Dangerous: The Radical Lives And Times Of Daniel And Philip Berrigan
What transformed Daniel and Philip Berrigan from conventional Roman Catholic priests into "holy outlaws," for a time the two most wanted men of J. Edgar Hoover's FBI? And how did they evolve from their traditionally pious, second-generation immigrant beginnings to become the most famous (some would say notorious) religious rebels of their day?Disarmed and Dangerous, the first full-length unauthorized biography of the Berrigans, answers these questions with an incisive and illuminating account of their rise to prominence as civil rights and antiwar activists. It also traces the brothers' careers as constant thorns in the side of church authority as well as their leadership of the ongoing Plowshares movement?a highly controversial campaign of civil disobedience against the contemporary arms trade and nuclear weapons.Murray Polner and Jim O'Grady plumb the Berrigans' contradictions: among them, Philip's secret marriage, while he was still a Josephite priest, to Elizabeth McAlister, then a Catholic nun, which led to their dismissals by their respective religious orders and Philip's excommunication from the church; and Daniel's speech faulting Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and the resulting criticism loosed upon him from pro-Israeli Americans and many of his allies on the left.Disarmed and Dangerous is a fascinating study of brothers linked by faith and the dreams of peace and social justice in a century bloodied by war, mass murders, and weapons of immense destructive power. It is, above all, an original contribution to modern American history that is sure to be widely read and discussed.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 1997
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August 30, 2017
A fascinating portrait of two men whose lives seem to have been forgotten by most Americans, with our fake news, short attention spans, and "crisis of the day" mentality. The author clearly admires the Berrigans but gives time to opposing viewpoints and acknowledges that the Berrigan brothers were sometimes troubled by doubt and self-righteousness. Still, the dedication Daniel and Philip Berrigan demonstrated to the subject of global peace is worth remembering and being inspired by. One passage, in particular, stood out for me - speaking of Phil Berrigan's opposition to the Vietnam War, the author writes, "His anger about the killing affected his every waking moment." It is that tireless dedication that impressed me the most about the Berrigans. Despite harsh criticism, harassment from authorities, and much harsher sentences than were typical for their acts of protest, the Berrigans never wavered in their commitment to peace. And even, late in life, when they acknowledged they would probably not be able to change the world, they remained committed to doing what was right simply because it was right. We live in a world obsessed with goals, returns, and rewards. Maybe if we all focused more on doing good just because it is good, we might actually achieve peace in our time.
February 13, 2023
A MARVELOUS SUMMATION OF THEIR DEEDS AND WORDS
The authors wrote in the first chapter of this 1997 book, “they are religious pacifists who condemn every act of violence… Since their 1968 burning of draft files in Catonsville, Maryland, during the height of the Vietnam War… their sense of the times, like their tactics, hasn’t changed. This leads Catholic pacifist and historian Gordon Zahn to say that the civil disobedience… and especially the higher-stakes ‘Plowshares’ actions with their inevitably lengthy prison terms---yield ‘diminishing,’ or even self-defeating, returns. Other activists agree, saying that there are better approaches to peace-making than getting locked up for … years at a time. The Berrigans counter that ‘imprisonment could hardly be more to the point.’ … how could one living under ‘sane’ leaders threatening violence on a grotesque and epic do otherwise? And if the jails aren’t overflowing with prisoners of conscience… so what? At least they’re trying… Their faith depends on their politics… in the mid-1960s, when the Berrigans started to take to the streets, and Phil became the first American priest to go to jail for giving political offense…” (Pg. 9, 12, 15)
They recount that Phil explained, “‘My experience in the [military] service showed me that there was nothing better I could do with my life than devote myself to helping blacks.’ … the Josephites had been founded at the turn of the century as the only American order of priests dedicated to serving black Catholics.” (Pg. 84)
They note, “[Dan] and Phil tried to join in a Freedom Ride in 1961 but both were forbidden by their superiors to take part. In 1963, the brothers were invited to join with other clergy in attempting to integrate the faculties at the Jackson, Mississippi, airport. Again, Dan’s superior flatly turned him down. But Phil gained permission…” (Pg. 100-101)
They point out, “As progressive Catholics were contemplating strategies for opposing the Vietnam War, they naturally turned to Thomas Merton for guidance. Merton’s opinions on war, peace, and faith were extremely influential among the growing number of priests, nuns, seminarians, and other Catholics with the church’s role in society and the moral timidity of its hierarchy… Thomas Merton thought highly of the Berrigan brothers… Merton and Dan developed a friendship beyond the ordinary.” (Pg. 106-107)
They also report, “in a time of creeping tension between black militants and white civil rights workers, Black Power spokesman Stokely Carmichael said there was one priest in American who could be trusted. ‘Phil Berrgan,’ he declared, ‘is the only white man who knows where it’s at.’” (Pg. 116)
They explain, “Phil… kept secret from Dan his relationship [marriage] with Liz [Elizabeth McAlister]. But in Dan’s case, all evidence points to the fact that he has been true to his vow of celibacy.” (Pg. 159) Dan also voiced “support of ousted Jesuit John McNeil, author of ‘The Homosexual and the Church’ and founder of the gay Catholic group Dignity.” (Pg. 161)
After the 1968 Catonsville raid, “Perhaps no public disputation was more painful and revealing of the early signs of strain within the religious left than the theologian Rosemary Ruether’s serious and disparaging comments… Dan replied… Neither he nor Phil … wanted to isolate themselves or excommunicate their antagonists… ‘my brother… is refused bail… the prosecutor has named him a public menace… No one of us remember when he did any harm to any man. But a war which seemed… a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand, has all but engulfed us.’” (Pg. 211)
…
Dan was ordered to report to prison in April 1970, but he instead went underground: ‘I wasn’t avoiding punishment,’ Dan later explained, ‘just delaying it and protesting the war.’”(Pg. 222) “Accompanied by two allies… They drove for thirty minutes to an empty cabin. The next morning they moved on to a farmhouse… The hunt continued… Dan popped up here and there.” (Pg. 224-225)
During the trial, Liz and Phil’s relationship was revealed, and two of their priest co-defendants “felt they had been betrayed by… Liz and Phil’s love relationship, particularly since Phil had been so strong a supporter of clerical celibacy.’” (Pg. 283)
A 1973 speech by Dan which had some strong anti-Israel statements: “Dan didn’t help matters by proclaiming, ‘I am a Jew, in resistance against Israel,’ as if trying… to equate his own suffering with the history of millions of Jewish victims… Once Dan’s words were aired in public, and despite his best intentions, they precipitated anger among Jews because of the [Catholic] church’s historic anti-Semitism.” (Pg. 309-311) They add, “Two decades later, he believed people still held the speech against him…” (Pg. 324)
They report, “Phil and Liz and the Jonah House community had begun a series of actions that would eventually number a hundred or more, here and abroad, and would last well into the nineties, though they were rarely reported in the broadcast or print media.” (Pg. 336)
They say of Phil’s Plowshares movement, “To drastically shrinking media attention, they tenaciously insisted that the government’s nuclear weapons’ first-strike strategy was a crime… Throughout the eighties and nineties, Phil and his miniscule, fearless, loyal band walked into military camps, only naval and air force bases, into the mouths of war industries with astonishing ease, prepared to accept occasional draconian punishments far great than that meted out to many violent criminals…” (Pg. 347)
They conclude, “Dan and Phil were gifts, transient perhaps, possibly myopic in what they thought might be accomplished, but gifts nonetheless. When they finally pass from this life, we will need a new generation of Berrigan brothers to remind us once more… that they tried to do as beckoned by the prophet Amos…’hate the evil, and love the good. And establish justice in the gate.’” (Pg. 352)
This book will be “must reading” to anyone studying the Berrigan brothers, and their movement.
The authors wrote in the first chapter of this 1997 book, “they are religious pacifists who condemn every act of violence… Since their 1968 burning of draft files in Catonsville, Maryland, during the height of the Vietnam War… their sense of the times, like their tactics, hasn’t changed. This leads Catholic pacifist and historian Gordon Zahn to say that the civil disobedience… and especially the higher-stakes ‘Plowshares’ actions with their inevitably lengthy prison terms---yield ‘diminishing,’ or even self-defeating, returns. Other activists agree, saying that there are better approaches to peace-making than getting locked up for … years at a time. The Berrigans counter that ‘imprisonment could hardly be more to the point.’ … how could one living under ‘sane’ leaders threatening violence on a grotesque and epic do otherwise? And if the jails aren’t overflowing with prisoners of conscience… so what? At least they’re trying… Their faith depends on their politics… in the mid-1960s, when the Berrigans started to take to the streets, and Phil became the first American priest to go to jail for giving political offense…” (Pg. 9, 12, 15)
They recount that Phil explained, “‘My experience in the [military] service showed me that there was nothing better I could do with my life than devote myself to helping blacks.’ … the Josephites had been founded at the turn of the century as the only American order of priests dedicated to serving black Catholics.” (Pg. 84)
They note, “[Dan] and Phil tried to join in a Freedom Ride in 1961 but both were forbidden by their superiors to take part. In 1963, the brothers were invited to join with other clergy in attempting to integrate the faculties at the Jackson, Mississippi, airport. Again, Dan’s superior flatly turned him down. But Phil gained permission…” (Pg. 100-101)
They point out, “As progressive Catholics were contemplating strategies for opposing the Vietnam War, they naturally turned to Thomas Merton for guidance. Merton’s opinions on war, peace, and faith were extremely influential among the growing number of priests, nuns, seminarians, and other Catholics with the church’s role in society and the moral timidity of its hierarchy… Thomas Merton thought highly of the Berrigan brothers… Merton and Dan developed a friendship beyond the ordinary.” (Pg. 106-107)
They also report, “in a time of creeping tension between black militants and white civil rights workers, Black Power spokesman Stokely Carmichael said there was one priest in American who could be trusted. ‘Phil Berrgan,’ he declared, ‘is the only white man who knows where it’s at.’” (Pg. 116)
They explain, “Phil… kept secret from Dan his relationship [marriage] with Liz [Elizabeth McAlister]. But in Dan’s case, all evidence points to the fact that he has been true to his vow of celibacy.” (Pg. 159) Dan also voiced “support of ousted Jesuit John McNeil, author of ‘The Homosexual and the Church’ and founder of the gay Catholic group Dignity.” (Pg. 161)
After the 1968 Catonsville raid, “Perhaps no public disputation was more painful and revealing of the early signs of strain within the religious left than the theologian Rosemary Ruether’s serious and disparaging comments… Dan replied… Neither he nor Phil … wanted to isolate themselves or excommunicate their antagonists… ‘my brother… is refused bail… the prosecutor has named him a public menace… No one of us remember when he did any harm to any man. But a war which seemed… a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand, has all but engulfed us.’” (Pg. 211)
…
Dan was ordered to report to prison in April 1970, but he instead went underground: ‘I wasn’t avoiding punishment,’ Dan later explained, ‘just delaying it and protesting the war.’”(Pg. 222) “Accompanied by two allies… They drove for thirty minutes to an empty cabin. The next morning they moved on to a farmhouse… The hunt continued… Dan popped up here and there.” (Pg. 224-225)
During the trial, Liz and Phil’s relationship was revealed, and two of their priest co-defendants “felt they had been betrayed by… Liz and Phil’s love relationship, particularly since Phil had been so strong a supporter of clerical celibacy.’” (Pg. 283)
A 1973 speech by Dan which had some strong anti-Israel statements: “Dan didn’t help matters by proclaiming, ‘I am a Jew, in resistance against Israel,’ as if trying… to equate his own suffering with the history of millions of Jewish victims… Once Dan’s words were aired in public, and despite his best intentions, they precipitated anger among Jews because of the [Catholic] church’s historic anti-Semitism.” (Pg. 309-311) They add, “Two decades later, he believed people still held the speech against him…” (Pg. 324)
They report, “Phil and Liz and the Jonah House community had begun a series of actions that would eventually number a hundred or more, here and abroad, and would last well into the nineties, though they were rarely reported in the broadcast or print media.” (Pg. 336)
They say of Phil’s Plowshares movement, “To drastically shrinking media attention, they tenaciously insisted that the government’s nuclear weapons’ first-strike strategy was a crime… Throughout the eighties and nineties, Phil and his miniscule, fearless, loyal band walked into military camps, only naval and air force bases, into the mouths of war industries with astonishing ease, prepared to accept occasional draconian punishments far great than that meted out to many violent criminals…” (Pg. 347)
They conclude, “Dan and Phil were gifts, transient perhaps, possibly myopic in what they thought might be accomplished, but gifts nonetheless. When they finally pass from this life, we will need a new generation of Berrigan brothers to remind us once more… that they tried to do as beckoned by the prophet Amos…’hate the evil, and love the good. And establish justice in the gate.’” (Pg. 352)
This book will be “must reading” to anyone studying the Berrigan brothers, and their movement.
August 8, 2022
3.5 stars. Can’t remember how this ended up in my to-read’s but I’m glad I finally picked it up. Was less interested in the religious training and aspects of the brothers lives, and fascinated by their anti-war activism and commitment to nonviolent social justice. Of course, the fact that they were priests does add a layer of intrigue to their history, especially when the authors compare them to Dorothy Day, Gandhi, and even Joan of Arc.
Book dragged a bit and could have used a little finessing in the writing. Nonetheless a decent history of Dan and Phil Berrigan. I appreciate that it helped to deepen my understanding of a sector of American resistance to the Vietnam War.
Book dragged a bit and could have used a little finessing in the writing. Nonetheless a decent history of Dan and Phil Berrigan. I appreciate that it helped to deepen my understanding of a sector of American resistance to the Vietnam War.
March 8, 2011
"Disarmed and Dangerous" was fascinating, though a bit uneven. Considerable pages were devoted to tracing the ancestry of the brothers going back several generations. But that did not shed much light on the evolution of the Berrigan Brothers' unorthodox view of what they came to believe SHOULD be the role of the church- fostering social justice and resisting war and the "war machine". The influence of their father and mother, the former on their tenacity (some would say rigidity) the latter on their character and empathy was well told. The bulk of the book insightfully portrayed both the intensity of the times (Vietnam and civil rights struggles) the complex nature of each brother and how they reacted to the maelstrom they were both immersed in and which they, indeed, helped to create. From confronting the immorality of the Vietnam war, the brothers moved on to the "bigger picture", the insanity of the nuclear arms race and how it was (still is) inextricably linked to continuing unequal social justice . As well-written, insightful and absorbing this account was, the later anti-nuclear activities of the brothers was not as well-chronicled nor explored.
None-the-less, After reading the book, one comes much closer to under-standing these remarkable men and to admire them, despite their flaws (notably, unreasonable expectations that others would demonstrate the same level of commitment that they manifested). That commitment included imprisonment, and much hardship, both physical and emotional.
The "picture" that emerges of the Berrigans is complex, yet it is compellingly clear that the brothers' example, will, intellect and leadership and powerfully shaped the dialogue and dynamics of the antiwar movement in a unique way. They had no equals in their time.
I once heard Phillip Berrigan speak, only a few feet away from me, prior to a large group of us all being arrested (in Groton, CT.) for protesting the Trident submarine, a black, foreboding nightmare, designed to rain down nuclear warheads on our "enemies". Sadly, the submarine launched ballistic missile submarines still roam the seas and the military-industrial complex and armaments still (as President Eisenhower said before leaving office) still constitutes "humanity hung on a cross of iron".
And though the world seems, now, not to notice, the evil and insanity of the arms race will always be indelibly seared into the recesses of moral consciousness. And this is in no small way because of Daniel and Phillip Berrigan. I highly recommend "Disarmed and Dangerous"!
None-the-less, After reading the book, one comes much closer to under-standing these remarkable men and to admire them, despite their flaws (notably, unreasonable expectations that others would demonstrate the same level of commitment that they manifested). That commitment included imprisonment, and much hardship, both physical and emotional.
The "picture" that emerges of the Berrigans is complex, yet it is compellingly clear that the brothers' example, will, intellect and leadership and powerfully shaped the dialogue and dynamics of the antiwar movement in a unique way. They had no equals in their time.
I once heard Phillip Berrigan speak, only a few feet away from me, prior to a large group of us all being arrested (in Groton, CT.) for protesting the Trident submarine, a black, foreboding nightmare, designed to rain down nuclear warheads on our "enemies". Sadly, the submarine launched ballistic missile submarines still roam the seas and the military-industrial complex and armaments still (as President Eisenhower said before leaving office) still constitutes "humanity hung on a cross of iron".
And though the world seems, now, not to notice, the evil and insanity of the arms race will always be indelibly seared into the recesses of moral consciousness. And this is in no small way because of Daniel and Phillip Berrigan. I highly recommend "Disarmed and Dangerous"!
November 28, 2015
I really enjoyed this lively and readable biography of Dan and Phil Berrigan. The authors provide an overview of the Berrigan brothers' lives from childhood until late middle age with an emphasis, of course, on the 1960s and 1970s when the brothers were most famous for their resistance efforts against the Vietnam War. The authors carefully trace the path that leads the brothers to radical activism, including major acts of civil disobedience. Their path was not easy or simple, and they suffered for their actions as did many other activists in the Catholic Left. Moreover, there were always moral complexities. Is destroying draft files nonviolent? Is breaking into buildings nonviolent? Is it acceptable to prevent office staff from calling the cops? Or to physically hold a staff member? Indeed, there are several moments in each of the brothers' lives when they crossed a moral line, which the authors do not sugarcoat or try to defend. What matters most, as the book makes clear, is that both brothers stood up for a moral cause when the nation sorely needed people to stand up. I wish the book went into greater depth about the relationship between the women's movement and the anti-war and anti-armaments movements, although it is clear neither brother, despite good intentions, understood the implications of feminism. Also, in the chapter about Daniel Berrigan's speech about Israel and Palestine, the book makes little effort to historicize and contextualize the Palestinians' plight in regard to Israel. (To their credit, though, the authors defend Berrigan against charges of anti-Semitism and defend the idea that people have a right to criticize Israel.) Altogether, I found this book to be delightful. It provided me with valuable insights into the 1960s anti-war movement that I was lacking before.
January 1, 2022
The subjects: fascinating. The book: not great. The two authors did not collaborate enough, and the book was poorly edited. The authors were constantly swapping tenses, sometimes even within the clauses of a single sentence. I recognize that the Berrigan brothers were still alive at the time of writing, but that does not excuse the constant shifting.
Additionally, they jumped around in time unnecessarily, lingered too long on unimportant details, and rushed through or skipped over important ones. There was a whole chapter on the Berrigan ancestral history, but Daniel Berrigan's work ministering to AIDS patients got a single paragraph. Uneven, at times frustrating, and not a book that does a good job at taking the longer view.
Additionally, they jumped around in time unnecessarily, lingered too long on unimportant details, and rushed through or skipped over important ones. There was a whole chapter on the Berrigan ancestral history, but Daniel Berrigan's work ministering to AIDS patients got a single paragraph. Uneven, at times frustrating, and not a book that does a good job at taking the longer view.
September 9, 2009
I don't know why this book moved me so deeply. I guess because I remembered the Berrigans from when I was in high school and now, all these years later, to read about them and discover that they went on fighting and protesting for the rest of their lives. I gave the book 4 stars because the author does go off track and wander around a bit then suddenly introduces new information that seemingly comes out of nowhere. But the story of these two men, both Catholic priests, one a quiet, rather mysterious poet and ascetic, the other a powerful, intense, righteous crusader for good was inspiring. There are those who consider Philip a saint for his activism. After reading this I agree....
March 10, 2010
Though younger folks don't remember the name of these radical priests, the Berrigan brothers, they were at the center of news and dissent in the 60s and 70s. Despite their great courage in attempting to lead cruciform lives, this book doesn't romanticize them. The question that looms throughout is whether their was truly fruitful. The book seems to give a mildly negative answer, but the evidence in earlier pages pulls another direction. This book makes important reading for the new wave of faith. For all their failings, the Berrigan brothers can't help but inspire. I've yet to hear of a conservative presbyterian minister hunted by the FBI. The Berrigans had to be doing something right.
February 5, 2016
Excellent look at the lives of the Berrigan brothers that, of necessity, leaves as many questions unanswered as answered. I could never do what they did and am not convinced much of it was effective. At the same time I commend them for following their consciences and being true to their values. Perhaps a man can do no more.
November 4, 2015
Well, not the best literary read. Nonetheless, their lives ae an inspiration in the struggle for peace and justice in the world. Of these 2 Jesuits, Daniel Berrigan is the writer. He has several books of poetry that are well done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2008
i really liked this book. an overview of the lives of the berrigan brothers. gave me much to think about.
December 20, 2007
Interesting subject matter but the book was just okay.
Currently reading
March 20, 2008I am also reading this book. It inspires me to do more to work for peace.
Read
January 8, 2009the catholic left are a bunch of wild and crazy guys!
Want to read
November 21, 2010Heard about this one on NPR today (11/21/10). Looking forward to getting hold of a copy.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews