[soc.religion.christian] Fr. Andrew Greeley

dhosek@sif.claremont.edu (Hosek, Donald A.) (09/25/90)

>[I'm not sure what Greeley's bad reputation would rest on.  I've
>never seen any signs of doctrinal problems.  In the book I was
>reviewing he indicates agreement with all classicial Catholic
>doctrines, including Papal infallibility.  Perhaps people assume
>that because he tends to use rather daring sexual symbolism he's
>some sort of flaming liberal.  I don't think so.  --clh]

Greeley's lack of credibility, as unfair as it might be rests on
two things. One is his view of human sexuality and the other is
the fact that he writes novels. I've only read one of his
sociological works so I can't comment on him too much, but the
one work I did read was quite interesting although I don't agree
with all of his ideas myself.

-dh

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stabosz@brahms.udel.edu (Rae Stabosz) (09/27/90)

In article <Sep.25.03.57.51.1990.6445@athos.rutgers.edu> dhosek@sif.claremont.edu (Hosek, Donald A.) writes:
>>[I'm not sure what Greeley's bad reputation would rest on.  I've
>>never seen any signs of doctrinal problems.  In the book I was
>>reviewing he indicates agreement with all classicial Catholic
>>doctrines, including Papal infallibility.  Perhaps people assume
>>that because he tends to use rather daring sexual symbolism he's
>>some sort of flaming liberal.  I don't think so.  --clh]
>
>Greeley's lack of credibility, as unfair as it might be rests on
>two things. One is his view of human sexuality and the other is
>the fact that he writes novels. I've only read one of his
>sociological works so I can't comment on him too much, but the
>one work I did read was quite interesting although I don't agree
>with all of his ideas myself.
******

I think you are right about this.  I myself find it amazing that the
man is put down within his own Church for his novels.  I have been a
Greeley fan for about 20 years.  I was reading his non-fiction long
before he ever tried fiction.  In his columns years ago, he used to
mention now and then that he thought he could write a compelling story
and that he sometimes thought he should try.  Eventually he did, and
his novels have done well.

To anyone familiar with his thought, there's nothing new in his novels
so it is a real puzzle to watch and listen to the hostility they can
generate within the Church.  I have a friend whose tastes are similar
to mine, who is certainly not squeamish about the subject of sex,
considering that he and I have been to see the David Lynch film Wild
At Heart 3 times.  Yet he is repulsed by Greeley's novels because he
thinks a priest should not make sex such a central concern.

I myself buy Greeley's view of heterosexual relationships as a
significant model for God's relationship with men and women.  I think
Scripture supports his view very well.  I think one of the Church's
last important frontiers lies in integrating its teachings on sexuality
with the experience of its members.  

Two of Greeley's books, The Jesus Myth and Sexual Intimacy, changed my
life forever.  In particular, Sexual Intimacy was the first book from
within my own religious affiliation which spoke directly to my own
experience of God within the marriage act.  All the other Catholic books
on the subject skirted around the experience of the act itself, either
idealizing it or trivializing it.  Only Greeley said, "This experience
is not only astoundingly compelling, it is astoundingly compelling in
precisely the same way as God-with-us is astoundingly compelling."
Blew my mind & gave me confidence that I was not a mutant woman but
a faithful servant.  Eventually lead to my goal in life, which is to
become a canonized saint in my Church, & the patron saint of sex.  We
don't have one, and need one.

Rae