'Dynamic Catholicism' by Thomas Bokenkotter

[jswranch]

[img]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0385232438.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg[/img]

I hear he is a little too pro- Hans Kung etc, or perhaps I got my info from a Rad-Trad. My wife got it from her RCIA sponsor.

[phatcatholic]

that title automatically makes me skeptical, tho i admit i have not read the book. some of the reviews for it at amazon weren't too good, and seemed to justify your misgivings with it.

[Brother Adam]

I agree with Nick. Based on the publisher, reviews, and content list on the book, I'd say its one big No.

[jswranch]

Catholic League statement on Bokenkotter vs. Crocker

TRIUMPH: AN ANSWER TO CATHOLIC REVISIONISTS
(worth a look)

[url="http://www.catholicleague.org/research/triumph.htm"]http://www.catholicleague.org/research/triumph.htm[/url]

[quote]In this regard, it should be noted that Crocker’s aim in part is to provide an alternative to Thomas Bokenkotter’s widely circulated A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Image Books, 1990), which Crocker describes as "focused on liberal Catholicism."[/quote]

Answered my own question. I still hope to find a reivew of Bokenkotter to pass around that shows we should not be giving his books to catecumens.

Edited April 26, 2006 by jswranch

[phatcatholic]

i don't know if this helps, but Catholic Culture gave two websites a "danger" rating for orthodoxy b/c they utilized Bokenkotter's writings:
[url="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-32,GGLD:en&q=site:www%2Ecatholicculture%2Eorg+bokenkotter"]http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navc...org+bokenkotter[/url]

also, in an article ([url="http://rcf.org/Old_web/Press/AMDG/1998fall.htm"][b]here[/b][/url], scroll down to "Scary Seminaries") by Scott Ballor about his experience at the Oblate School of Theology, he says that one of the many points that made the school "liberal" was its use of this book in its history course:[list]One of the texts that was used in this course was Dynamic Catholicism by Thomas Bokenkotter which is the worst possible book that could be used to explain anything Catholic. It is better used as a tool for anti-Catholicism! In the preface, the author writes "Caveat Emptor! This book is not for Catholics obsessed with orthodoxy...," as if this justifies attacking Church teachings.
[/list]i dunno, take it or leave it.....

[Ziggamafu]

I skimmed through that book about a year ago and again recently. It is very progressive. Although I am a fan of speculating future theological development on a natural, conservative, and organic level, some things in the book are not only liberal, but outright do away with Church Teaching. It should be noted that it seemed that he merely demanded consideration for alternative viewpoints, without specifically championing them himself.

He is supposed to be on par with Von Balthasar and B16 on the brillience and intelect scale, right?

[jswranch]

[quote name='Ziggamafu' post='962514' date='Apr 27 2006, 05:17 AM']
...some things in the book are not only liberal, but outright do away with Church Teaching.
[/quote]

If you could quantify this, it would be great. (so I do not have to read the entire gosh darn thing)

[jasJis]

Get the book I suggested, "Why do catholics do that". Any Catholic, ex-Catholic, or non-Catholic should read it. It's pretty interesting and not too dry, even a bit humorous.

[cmotherofpirl]

Or [i]Catholicism for Dummies[/i] which is an excellent read for all Catholics.

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='jswranch' post='961444' date='Apr 26 2006, 07:15 AM']
[img]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0385232438.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg[/img]

I hear he is a little too pro- Hans Kung etc, or perhaps I got my info from a Rad-Trad. My wife got it from her RCIA sponsor.
[/quote]
Let me put it this way, if you enjoyed LittleLes' posts, you'll like Bokenkotter.