Opus Dei

J. Allen Chcę otrzymywać korespondencję o pozycjach tego autora.

okładka: twarda

nośnik: druk
liczba stron: 400

2005 - Opus Dei is the most controversial - and unknown - force in the Catholic Church. Here, John L. Allen uncovers its real nature. Accused of promoting a right-wing political agenda, of cult-like practices, and immortalized forever in the pages of Dan Brown′s The Da Vinci Code, Opus...

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Pełny opis produktu: Opus Dei

Autor:: J. Allen
Wydawnictwo:: Penguin , 2005
ISBN:: 978-0-7139-9901-3
Liczba stron:: 400
Sprawdź inne tytuły:: J. Allen

Kategorie:: książki obcojęzyczne > angielskie > literatura faktu

Opus Dei is the most controversial - and unknown - force in the Catholic Church. Here, John L. Allen uncovers its real nature. Accused of promoting a right-wing political agenda, of cult-like practices, and immortalized forever in the pages of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, Opus Dei is the most notorious, most talked about - but least known - religious organization of our time. Granted unlimited access to those within its ranks, and with an investigative eye intent on uncovering closely guarded secrets, John L. Allen finally separates the myths from the facts: the actual use of the cilice; the reason men and women remain separate; the true extent of Opus Dei's funds. Built around a wealth of interviews with the heads of Opus Dei in the Vatican and in centres around the world, comparing the attitudes of current members with those of highly critical members and outsiders, Opus Dei is a portrait of a remarkably powerful organization, both inside and outside the Church.

One of the most mysterious and controversial religious forces today, and immortalized in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, the interest Opus Dei has become a worldwide phenomenon. In Opus Dei John Allen uncovers its real nature.

We talk to John on his thoughts of Opus Dei.

What prompted your interest in Opus Dei?
I lecture widely on Catholic affairs, and over the years I noticed that whenever I spoke, no matter the location or ideological predisposition of the audience, someone would eventually ask me about Opus Dei. “Are they as powerful as people say?” “Are they as secretive?” “What’s the deal with women?” and so on. After the Robert Hanssen spy scandal and the release of the thriller The Da Vinci Code, these questions were no longer just from Church insiders, but from everyone. In light of this strong public curiosity, I had the idea of doing a lengthy magazine piece about Opus Dei based on an interview with their prelate, i.e., the bishop in charge in Rome, Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez. I had presumed that given the controversies that have swirled around Opus Dei for decades, someone would have written a basic reporter’s book separating fact from fiction. What I found was that such a book didn’t exist, in any major language. I proposed the idea to my publisher, and it took off from there.

That’s the reporter’s logic. As a Roman Catholic, I have long been concerned about the capacity of different groups in the Church to speak with one another, in order to overcome the acrimony that too often poisons our relationships. My hypothesis was that if I could help foster a rational, informed conversation about Opus Dei, there might be hope that the Church could do the same thing on other topics that have long been divisive.

What were you most disturbed by during your investigation?
Opus Dei is a bit like the Marine Corps – “the few, the proud.” For the most committed inner members, known as “numeraries,” the bar is set high, and it’s a demanding, highly structured life. For those suited to it, life inside Opus Dei is rewarding, fulfilling, and a pathway to God. Those not cut out for it, however, can wind up feeling ground down and abused, and Opus Dei has not always succeeded over the years in exercising good judgment in giving these people proper support. Hence you have the phenomenon of embittered ex-members, so many that it’s impossible to treat it as a series of isolated instances. At the same time, most members of Opus Dei report positive experiences, and even many ex-members remain on good terms.

There is a strong sense inside Opus Dei of honoring God with one’s work, which under certain circumstances can translate into an exaggerated work ethic and a push to perform “better than the best.” This drive is part of the motor fuel of Op

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