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Book Review: Mary on The Eve of the Second Vatican Council. Eds. John C. Cavadini and Danielle M. Peters

Not so much an autobiography as a summary of B.’s intellectual development, the book touches mainly on his influences and his writings. Breaking out of pre-Vatican II theological conformity, his study of sociology opened new possibilities for interpreting what was happening in Christianity and the world. It also prepared him to appreciate liberation theology’s critical analysis of traditional theology and its radical reinterpretation of the gospel of Jesus. Reflecting on his own experience, he rejected the Catholic Church’s anti-homosexual rhetoric and left the Augustinian order. The excellence of his scholarly work, however, enabled him to remain teaching and writing in Canadian universities, addressing issues both theological and sociological such as nationalism and human rights, Catholic social teaching, Zionism and Islam, and pluralism and relativism. The last forty pages of the book, rather than continuing the historical narrative, is a revealing interview with Philip McKenna that explores B.’s relationship with his Jewish heritage, his attachment to the Catholic tradition, his homosexuality, and his thoughts about death. Whether or not you have read and appreciated B.’s level-headed and insightful works, you will be moved by the humble honesty of this searcher for truth.