The Social Message of Jesus by Igino Giordani (review)

Abstract

104 FRANCISCAN STUDIES The author has little patience with the materialists who painstakingly re­ fuse the finalistic curve delineating the historic process of all peoples and civilizations. Such direction to the movements of society cannot be laid to any immanent or deterministic monism (as Hegel, Marx, and Spengler would have it) whether idealistic or materialistic; this direction unreels psychologi­ cally from the common human striving for satisfaction in truth and goodness, metaphysically from the creational connection between man’s personality and his proper object, whether God Himself or His works. Different races God has used as His tools in the long history of civilizational and cultural change, e. g., Jews, Egyptians, Greeks, Latins. Nations have destinies as vessels of honor or vessels of divine wrath. Though the groups, tribes, and nations assume the aspect of collectivities manipulated instrumentally by God, the real activating forces are the individuals who respond to their vocation. Society is the matrix, as well as the touchstone, designed by God as the proper culture to develop personality and attain vocation. Sanctification, the final subjective aim, is attached to a social scheme which is nothing else than communion with God and solidarity with man, all mankind. Don Sturzo divides his work roughly into two broad sections: the first part dealing with God’s objective plan for society. In this section he treates such topics as the Supernatural, Vocation, Predestination, Communion, Mysti­ cal Union, the Glory of God. In the second part which carries headings such as Evil, the World, the Incarnation in History, etc., one is given a point of vantage from which to view the factual, historic realization of the divine plan. Throughout there run deep currents of matured thinking that will recall, and often synthesize, the ideas of men like St. Augustine, Dawson, Berdyaev, Sorokin, Noyes — particularly in the last grandly apocalyptic chapter. Sturzo writes with breadth of vision, handling deepest dogma in­ timately, and showing by his easy application of profound truth to social life that he has meditated long and well on life and its ingredients. He has given spiritual content to all the great forces that underlie and stir individuals, and through them, society. He exhibits a close familiarity with Sacred Scripture and draws from it striking, refreshing applications. One will take on stature mentally and spiritually by a careful reading of The True Life. Whether one views this profound work as Catholic Social Philosophy, a Philosophy of Sociology, or simply a Philosophy of History, one must see that it will render a needed service to Catholics and to all men of good will engaged in the field of Sociology. It is not a book to run through quickly; yet it is not laborious. It presupposes background. R o b e r t W il k e n , O. F. M. Duns Scotus College, Detroit, Mich. The Social Message of Jesus. By Igino Giordani. Translated by Alba I. Zizzamia, D. Litt. (Rom.) (Paterson, N. J.: St. Anthony Guild Press, 1943. Pp. xiv+406.) The present volume is the first in a series of three dealing with the social history of early Christianity. It is to be followed by translations of The BOOK REVIEWS 105 Social Message of the Apostles, and The Social Message of the Early Church Fathers. Professor Giordani, who has had a long and successful career as a teacher, journalist, and writer, is at present associated with the Vatican Library. For the Social Message of Jesus and the Social Message of the Apostles, Mr. Giordani received the Premio Savoia-Brabante for excellence in the field of history. With regard to this award the Vatican newspaper, UOsservatore Romano (February 27-28, 1939), says: "These two works, which complement each other, together evidence the loftiness of the theme and the author’s skill in overcoming its inherent difficulties. They indeed represent a weighty contribution to social and historical research with regard to early Christianity, based as they are on a wide knowledge and under­ standing of the field, such as we might expect of one who for long years has dedicated himself to these studies. . . examining with patient research (as his careful bibliography attests) the sources available in this field. . . of every...