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NEWMANS UNQUIET GRAVE: THE RELUCTANT SAINT PDF, EPUB, EBOOK John Cornwell | 256 pages | 10 Sep 2010 | Continuum Publishing Corporation | 9781441150844 | English | New York, United States Gay saint John Henry Newman and his "earthly light" Ambrose St. John shared romantic friendship Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Clearly, the political climate has much to do with the decision since the Pope is determined to increase the number of priests by raiding the ranks of the Anglicans and Newman was the poster-child for jumping ship. John, in particular and this has led to all sorts speculation has to which way he batted. He was himself opposed to it, hence his insistence on burial in a compost that would speed up bodily disintegration. We, he suggests, are faced with a conundrum that he foresaw, if not explicitly stated, where the secular government is forced to protect the freedom of expression of sects, which in turn leads to more secularism. His solution was a return to Catholicism. In the Epilogue, Cornwell examines in detail the claims by Jack Sullivan who claims he was healed of a serious back condition by praying to Newman, which caused the pain to disappear. Placebo effect, anyone? Caveat emptor. Sep 27, Alan Cooke rated it it was amazing. Quite apart from the rather boring speculation about Newman's "gayness" and his impending sainthood, this is a marvellous biography. I came away from it with immense respect and admiration for Newman, and the details of his journey from low-church evangelical Christianity to high Anglicanism and eventually to Catholicism, are richly detailed and absorbing. Newman led an utterly absorbing and exemplary life and this book has sent me back to his writing. Although I had little intention of ever tackling it, I'm now determined to read the Apologia. After his recent canonisation I was keen to read this biography of John Henry Newman by John Cornwell, as I knew very little about him, other than that his celebrated conversion to Roman Catholicism shocked mid nineteenth century Anglicans. I have been rewarded with a fascinating, highly informative and strangely moving reading experience. I even found myself feeling sorry for him, as he gave up membership of After his recent canonisation I was keen to read this biography of John Henry Newman by John Cornwell, as I knew very little about him, other than that his celebrated conversion to Roman Catholicism shocked mid nineteenth century Anglicans. I even found myself feeling sorry for him, as he gave up membership of and high status in a church which revered him, for that of a church which found his freethinking and liberal views uncomfortable, despite the propaganda value of his high profile conversion. I had no idea that there has been a controversy over whether or not Newman was gay. The biographer discounts such a view, on the basis that no evidence exists for Newman having ever had any kind of physical relationship with another man. John, suggest to me that he sublimated his sexuality in intense, but non-sexual, special male friendships. The modern attempts to deny his potential gayness seem based on the assumption that this would be a slander on his reputation as a holy Catholic saint. Yet surely the opposite is true, that this in fact enhances his value as an inspiration to the modern world, gay or straight. Or will the Catholic Church find itself energised and liberated by his wide-ranging literary and religious imagination? Reading this book has at least made him a source of inspiration to me. Nov 10, Joseph rated it really liked it. This is a great read to understand the man, scholar, writer, priest, convert, writings and the important historical events of his time. Oct 03, Bill Tierney rated it really liked it. Newman wrote an epic book about higher education, The Idea of the University. However, I must admit that I did not know much about Newman before reading his biography, other than that he had helped start a university in Dublin. James Joyce and Edward Said both thought he was a seminal thinker who influenced their thoughts. He also was probably gay. He asked that he be buried with his best friend, Ambrose St. There were also numerous instances in his language and actions where his dealings with his male friends went beyond what might be considered typical friendship. Although there is no proof that he was gay, I do not think, after having read the book, it is far-fetched to think of him as such. I am certain that suggesting that Newman was gay will raise the ire of some right-wingers who believe that saying someone is not straight implies something bad about the individual. One ought not to be surprised that a religious person penned a book about the purpose of the university. Newman spent his life thinking about why he believed what he believed and how he was to expect others to believe. Newman would have none of it. He argued that science and religion were compatible and that the purpose of a university was to discuss, to debate, to argue about differing opinions. Artistic truth, Newman thought, was organic and incapable of scientific analysis. Scientific truth functioned through logic. He was entirely comfortable that we had both, and he sought supremacy for neither. The university was one of the main staging grounds for figuring out the puzzles of life. The university was important because it enabled growth and development. He had a strong sense of interiority — of wanting to know how he should live and what he should believe. What he reacted against were doctrinaire statements about papal infallibility and beliefs handed down unexamined. Because he questioned so much, he was constantly in trouble with the Church. The pope, other cardinals, other priests, the press, disliked his questioning, but they ultimately came to respect his intellect and his intense belief that in order to find truth we had to question. Oct 27, Gili Austin rated it really liked it. A very insightful window on the life of John Henry Newman. The book traces Newman's progressive journey from Evangelicalism to High Church Protestantism to Tractarianism and eventually to Catholicism. The journey is marked with huge progress that was not free from pain. Having become a catholic priest, founder and superior of the Oratorians in England, founder of the Catholic university in Ireland and the Oratory school did not shelter him from enemies who caused him much pain and suffering. The A very insightful window on the life of John Henry Newman. The book deals with the controversial issues of sexuality and his relationship with his friend St. John in a clear and satisfactory way. His life has obviously stands out as examplary for his time, dwarfs that of certain cardinals and monsignors, and his thinking and beliefs are still indeed relevant to many issues we face today like education, secularism, athesim, relativism and scientific research. He was indeed a reluctant saint if there was one. He was concerned basically with the search for truth and following at all costs having conscience as his supreme guide. Aug 04, Peter rated it really liked it Shelves: biography , books-about-books , history , philosophy , religion. Prominent, albeit controversial, Catholic thinker John Cornwell magnificient 'literary-biography' of Newman examines the importance of the man's work in theology, criticism and philosophy as a means to inquiring as to the saintliness of Newman as well as his importance to the 21st Century. Newman was an amazing man A biography of Cardinal John Henry Newman, one of the great Catholic Thinkers and writers of the 19th century. Newman was an amazing man who reflected on the purpose and process of religion, the role of religion in society and the notion of education. Cornwell does true justice to a great thinker and stylist in a book steeped in lore and learning. Jan 15, David Bisset rated it really liked it. I do not think that this is John Cornwell's best book, although it contains material which is significant for Victorian church history. John Henry Newman is widely honoured within the Anglican Communion, because of his role within the Oxford Movement which transformed Anglicanism. Perhaps that was more significant than his achievements within the Roman Catholic Church where he was always looked upon with some suspicion. However, his Apologia is a timeless spiritual classic. Apr 18, Mark Glidden rated it did not like it Shelves: rubbish. A stain on the memory of one of the great Roman Catholics of the modern age. Whilst it is great that Blessed JHN is enjoying something of a revival amongst British Catholics, as well indeed among Catholics in general, this "tie- in" does little for his memory. Or perhaps even worse than you did before? Confession has always performed a complex role in society, always created mixed feelings in its practitioners. As an acknowledgement of sinfulness, it can provide immense psychological relief; but while aiming to replace remorse with innocence, its history has become inextricably intertwined with eroticism and shame. The Dark Box is an erudite and personal history; Cornwell draws on his own memories of Catholic boyhood, and weaves it with the story of confession from its origins in the early church to the current day, where its enduring psychological potency is evidenced by everything from the Vatican's 'confession app' to Oprah Winfrey's talk shows. Since the 16th century, seclusion of two individuals in the intimate 'dark box', often discussing sexual actions and thoughts, has eroticised the experience of confession.

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