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Rating: 
Summary: What the West can learn from the East
Review: "What God tolerates we have no business to find intolerable.""Zen Catholicism" is a very well-written "crossroads" type book. Certainly a must read for any Catholics that may feel other religions or denominations are "more spiritual". Other Christians can certainly learn a lot, if not more, from this type of theology as well. Since Thomistic/Aristotelean thought has become outdated as far as academic philosophy is concerned, the Church has been in need of a paradigm shift to find a better philosophy to back up Catholic spirituality. Graham may well be along that road.
Rating:
Summary: What the West can learn from the East
Review: "What God tolerates we have no business to find intolerable." "Zen Catholicism" is a very well-written "crossroads" type book. Certainly a must read for any Catholics that may feel other religions or denominations are "more spiritual". Other Christians can certainly learn a lot, if not more, from this type of theology as well. Since Thomistic/Aristotelean thought has become outdated as far as academic philosophy is concerned, the Church has been in need of a paradigm shift to find a better philosophy to back up Catholic spirituality. Graham may well be along that road.
Rating: 
Summary: There is one Truth, but different paths to that Truth
Review: Some people are born with faith and never lose it; some are born with it and lose it; others stray from God, only to find Him later by circuitous paths. I was one of these, and "Zen Catholicism" represents a sort-of bridge between my two historical lines of thought: belief in Christ and belief in philosophy-atheism. Not to say "Zen Catholicism" leans more towards the latter strain of thought; in fact, just the opposite: this book is quite conservative--without being close-minded--and was given an IMPRIMATUR in 1963 by Archbishop Francis Cardinal Spellman. Nevertheless, this book blends two beautiful traditions in a way in which Catholics of all dispositions can appreciate. Treated as a philosophy Zen is quite beautiful: seeing things just as they are being an example.
Rating:
Summary: There is one Truth, but different paths to that Truth
Review: Some people are born with faith and never lose it; some are born with it and lose it; others stray from God, only to find Him later by circuitous paths. I was one of these, and "Zen Catholicism" represents a sort-of bridge between my two historical lines of thought: belief in Christ and belief in philosophy-atheism. Not to say "Zen Catholicism" leans more towards the latter strain of thought; in fact, just the opposite: this book is quite conservative--without being close-minded--and was given an IMPRIMATUR in 1963 by Archbishop Francis Cardinal Spellman. Nevertheless, this book blends two beautiful traditions in a way in which Catholics of all dispositions can appreciate. Treated as a philosophy Zen is quite beautiful: seeing things just as they are being an example.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle & sophisticated Buddhist/Christian dialogue
Review: This book is a fairly dense but well written exploration of how Zen might help Catholics "to realize more fully their own spiritual inheritance." Graham's take on Zen in relation to Catholicism is theologically astute and experientially grounded. Graham, who was a Benedictine monk, notes that he is not inviting readers "to embark on a daring theological adventure" (the book received an ecclesiastical imprimatur). Rather, he is inviting readers "to look into [their] own nature and that of the Church" and to consider Graham's suggestion that, at their existential depths, Zen and Catholicism share the same basic message. This book was first published in 1963, but I think it's still one of the best books relating Buddhism and Christianity.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle & sophisticated Buddhist/Christian dialogue
Review: This book is a fairly dense but well written exploration of how Zen might help Catholics "to realize more fully their own spiritual inheritance." Graham's take on Zen in relation to Catholicism is theologically astute and experientially grounded. Graham, who was a Benedictine monk, notes that he is not inviting readers "to embark on a daring theological adventure" (the book received an ecclesiastical imprimatur). Rather, he is inviting readers "to look into [their] own nature and that of the Church" and to consider Graham's suggestion that, at their existential depths, Zen and Catholicism share the same basic message. This book was first published in 1963, but I think it's still one of the best books relating Buddhism and Christianity.
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