or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime free trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn more
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a £3.60 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card
A People of Hope: Archbishop Timothy Dolan in Conversation with John L. Allen Jr.
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

A People of Hope: Archbishop Timothy Dolan in Conversation with John L. Allen Jr. [Hardcover]

John L. Allen

RRP: £15.25
Price: £14.49 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £0.76 (5%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.
Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, May 29? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store for more details.

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Doers of the Word: Putting Your Faith into Practice £6.50

A People of Hope: Archbishop Timothy Dolan in Conversation with John L. Allen Jr. + Doers of the Word: Putting Your Faith into Practice
Price For Both: £20.99

Show availability and delivery details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product details


More About the Author

John L. Allen
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

Visit Amazon's John L. Allen Page

Product Description

Product Description

One of the world's most respected religion journalists profiles New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan, one of the country's and possibly the world s most important Catholic leaders through lengthy exclusive interviews. Unique among the current leadership of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Dolan shares his insightful perspective in this series of conversations on the present and future of Catholicism. In these pages Dolan shares a perspective which is typically not part of the information an average person would know through today s media. This omission often leaves outsiders with a terribly flawed grasp of what s actually happening in the Church. Legitimate stories on, for example, abuse and Church authority can t be dissolved by reactive conspiracy theories about how the media is out to get the Catholic Church. That said, if these scandals are all there is to the Catholic Church, why would anyone bother being Catholic? It may not be surprising that there are an estimated 22 million ex-Catholics out there, yet it is revealing that even more people have chosen to remain with the Church. Tens of millions of Americans, and hundreds of millions more around the world, still turn to the Church for inspiration, for its sacramental life, for its experience of community and service. In every diocese in America you can find parishes that are flourishing. The faith represented there is not an exaggerated religious frenzy that feeds an uncritical view of the Church. Catholics are nothing if not sober realists about the humanity of their institutions and leaders. They see the Church not as a debating society or a multinational enterprise, but a family with all the flaws and dysfunction, but also all the joy and life, of families everywhere. This is why Archbishop Dolan is such an important part of the Church s emerging landscape. In A People of Hope Dolan is seen at his best, capturing an upbeat, hopeful, affirming Catholicism that s the untold story about the Church today. As readers spend time with Dolan here, they may find that his love for people and zest for friendship is what s truly fundamental about the man, not a PR device calculated to conceal some other agenda. Dolan can and does draw lines in the sand when he believes that core matters of Catholic identity are at stake. He s well aware that we live in a deeply secular world in the West, in which powerful pressures, both subtle and overt, seek to blur the counter-cultural message of Catholicism on many fronts. One key to Dolan s character, however, is that changing hearts, not knocking heads, is always his first instinct. John Allen draws out a picture of future trends by exploring where Dolan wants to lead, and how will a Church that increasingly bears his imprint look and feel? To understand this, what s really necessary is to get inside his head and then let him speak for himself. To that end Allen frames questions in a way that allows Dolan to expand on the topic himself as much as possible. The result is a book more with Dolan than a book about him, which is indeed the best way to understand the man. At the end, one can agree or disagree with Dolan s outlook, but one may at least be better equipped to understand why thoughtful modern women and men might still believe there s something worth considering in the Catholic message. Whatever the future may have in store for Dolan staying in New York until he dies, being called to Rome to work in a senior Vatican post, or something else entirely he will be a force in the Catholic Church both nationally and internationally for some time to come, and it s well worth trying to discern what that might mean.

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Customer Reviews

There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:  8 reviews
20 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Holding Onto the Core of Catholicism While Embracing What the Church Says "Yes" To 1 Nov 2011
By Julie D. - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Author John L. Allen, Jr., explains he wrote this book because, "Probably my chief professional frustration is that the Catholic Church I have come to know from the inside--the warmth and laughter one finds in most Catholic circles, the rich intellectual tradition, the vast body of lore, the incredible range of characters, the deep desire to do good, the abiding faith against all odds that thrives even in a secular world, the ability to go anywhere and feel instantly at home, even the love of good food, good drink, and good company--rarely finds an echo in my reporting. I wanted to tell the Tim Dolan story in part because it wouldn't leave me with a sense of dissonance between the inner experience of being Catholic, and the public perception of what the Church is all about."

Who knew that being a happy Catholic was something that has an actual name? John L. Allen calls it "affirmative orthodoxy." In brief, this means holding onto the core elements of classic Catholicism but with the emphasis of what Catholicism embraces and says "yes" to instead of what it opposes.

To show there is more to the Catholic Church than the contentious side that that mainstream media presents, Allen had a series of informal question and answer sessions with Timothy Dolan who is the Archbishop of New York City.

What emerges is the profile of a determined "bridge builder"--so much so that Allen often uses the word pontiff meaning "bridge" in Latin to describe Dolan.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about Dolan is that his continual optimism is not founded in Pollyanna-style cheeriness but anchored in a tough, clear-eyed reality. He understands why critics are angry, how dreams have been dashed, where the people in the Church have fallen short. Therefore he is able to sturdily defend Catholicism while holding out an understanding hand to opponents so that all have the chance to find common ground from which to work.

Again and again, we see Dolan acknowledge core differences but then reach out across them to relate to people on a human level. It is refreshing to see him continually begin an answer by mentioning a good quality or friendship with someone who holds views that outsiders see as diametrically opposed.

What we also see is a sense of self-awareness that I initially learned about Dolan when I read his book "To Whom Shall We Go? Lessons from the Apostle Peter." It was a terrific book about examining our lives in Christ by using St. Peter as our guide. It was a review copy and I didn't know Dolan from Adam. However, it was full of reminders focusing readers on St. Peter's strengths and weaknesses and showing the many ancient and current examples that reflect our own tendencies. The person that wrote that honest book was someone I could relate to and trust because he understood people from the inside out. In my experience, that happens only when the person begins with himself. This honesty extends inside the Church as well as outside. Dolan gives us food for thought about how Catholics themselves stand tall or fall short.

Author John L. Allen, Jr., is a veteran journalist and Vatican expert and it shows. Each section begins with three or four pages of expert summary and explanation of the overview of a particular issue. This is followed by the questions and answers. The questions aren't designed to pin Dolan to the wall but rather to allow him to air his views.

It is interesting that Allen chose Archbishop Dolan for the purpose of displaying the affirmative orthodoxy ... or, as I call it, happy Catholics ... in the Church. He has a vantage point and knowledge that few other authors share. I, myself, was forever changed by reading Allen's examples in "All the Pope's Men" of how liberals and conservatives want the same good for all but simply have very different ideas of how to achieve it. That, coupled with an introduction where Allen confessed that he once thought he was an even-handed writer but was shown how wrong he was ... and how he had worked to change ... come to mind to this day when I am faced with situations where bridge-building must be undertaken simply to have a civil conversation. His books since then have been models of lucid, comprehensive, and even-handed looks at aspects of the Catholic faith. In other words, I trust him.

Allen also tells us that one of the reasons he profiled Dolan is because he is and will be important to the American Catholic Church. I suppose that is important but personally I don't care. What this book shows me is a model to follow in extending a generous hand before condemning, in standing firm but in charity when it involves core Catholic values, and in always, always turning back to Christ who founded Mother Church to help us get to heaven. A People of Hope gives me the examples I need and, hopefully, will show curious outsiders that there is more to the Church than the media tells us.

Highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Excellent read!!!! 12 Mar 2012
By George A. Mais - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this book very informative and an excelent read!!! I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in who Cardinal Dolan is and what he thinks moves the Catholic Church today.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Great Glimpse into the Thoughts of Cardinal Dolan 16 Mar 2012
By Laura O. Neill - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
The book reads as a combination of reported facts and the conversations held with Dolan. If you are looking for an in depth exploration of any one topic, this book will not completely satiate. But, if you are seeking an overview of the man and his thoughts on hot topics, this book could be a perfect fit.

I might not have agreed with a few of the issues presented by Cardinal Dolan. It isn't a matter of disagreeing with Church teaching, but rather the implementation (e.g. refusal of Eucharist to people in the public eye living a sinful life.) Hearing his thoughts on the matters did present a different viewpoint I had not fully explored before and for that I am truly appreciative.

I do highly recommend this book to all American Catholics as a great read. Not only do you gain insight into Cardinal Dolan's thoughts, but you also might be inspired to dig deeper on some of the issues and more fully embrace the Catholic faith.

Disclaimer ~ I was sent a copy of this book from Random House in the hope that I would do a review on the blog. No monetary compensation occurred and all opinions are my own. You can read a more complete review on Day by Day in Our World.

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject


Feedback


Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges