One is the beloved author of The Name of the Rose, a celebrated scholar, philosopher, and self-declared secularist; the other is a preeminent clergyman and a respected expert on the New Testament. In this intellectually stimulating dialogue, these two great men, who stand on opposite sides of the church door, discuss some of the most controversial issues of our day: the apocalypse, abortion, women in the clergy, and ethics. Their enlightened, spirited exchange will resonate with believers and nonbelievers alike.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Umberto Eco is a famous scholar-novelist, and Cardinal Martini is a famous scholar-bishop. Eco is an urbane ex-Catholic. Cardinal Martini is an urbane prince of the Church. Belief or Nonbelief?, a little book of eight chapters, is a dialogue between them, first published by an Italian newspaper. Each author writes four alternating chapters addressing the hopes of humanity at the dawn of a new millennium, the question of the beginning of human life, the role of the Church, and how we can know Truth.
Belief or Non Belief? is a good idea, but it suffers from a couple of problems. The format and content are too obviously recycled newspaper articles. While the engaging, popular style is welcome, the necessary brevity of each chapter means arguments cannot be developed, and the reader is left vaguely dissatisfied. It would have been better if the authors had expanded the project. Both men write well in a sophisticated and polite Italian style that is entertaining at first, but it soon sounds artificial to the English reader. Finally, there are some difficulties in translation: for example, "illumination" is used instead of "enlightenment" and "layman" is consistently used where "non-Catholic" is probably intended. Despite these criticisms, Belief or Nonbelief? is a sharp little book giving a fresh perspective on age-old questions. --Dwight Longenecker
Umberto Eco is the author of The Name of the Rose and other novels, as well as numerous nonfiction works, including Kant and the Platypus: Essays on Language and Cognition. He lives in Bologna.
Carlo Maria Martini, member of the College of Cardinals at the Vatican, is the Archbishop of Milan.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Standing on opposite sides of the church door, Umberto Eco, author and committed agnostic, and Cardinal Martini, the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, discuss the controversies and burning issues of our day. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001743517
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