God's Mirror : Renewal and Engagement in French Catholic Intellectual Culture in the Mid–Twentieth Century

Gathering in one place a cohesive selection of articles that deepen our sense of the vitality and controversy within the Catholic renewal of the mid-twentieth century, God’s Mirror offers historical analysis of French Catholic intellectuals. This volume highlights the work of writers, thinkers and creative artists who have not always drawn the attention given to such luminaries as Maritain, Mounier, and Marcel. Organized around the typologies of renewal and engagement, editors Katherine Davies and Toby Garfitt provide a revisionist and interdisciplinary reading of the narrative of twentieth-century French Catholicism. Renewal and engagement are both manifestations of how the Catholic intellectual reflects and takes position on the relationship between the Church, personal faith and the world, and on the increasingly problematic relationship between intellectuals and the Magisterium. A majority of the writings are based on extensive research into published texts, with some occasional archival references, and they give critical insights into the tensions that characterized the theological and political concerns of their subjects. Gathering In One Place A Cohesive Selection Of Articles That Deepen Our Sense Of The Vitality And Controversy Within The Catholic Renewal Of The Mid-twentieth Century, God's Mirror Offers Historical Analysis Of French Catholic Intellectuals. This Volume Highlights The Work Of Writers, Thinkers, Adn Creative Artists Who Have Not Always Drawn The Attention Given To Such Luminaries As Maritain, Mounier, And Marcel. Having Organized The Contributions Around The Typologies Of Renewal And Engagement, Editors Katherine Davies And Toby Garfitt Provide A Revisionist And Interdisciplinary Reading Of The Narrative Of Twentieth-century French Catholicism. Renewal And Engagement Are Both Manifestations Of How The Catholic Intellectual Reflects And Takes Position On The Relationship Between The Church, Personal Faith, And The World, And On The Increasingly Problematic Relationship Between Intellectuals And The Magisterium. A Majority Of The Writings Are Based On Extensive Research Into Published Texts, With Some Occasional Archival References, And They Provide Critical Insights Into The Tensions That Characterized The Theological And Political Concerns Of Their Subjects. -- From Dust Jacket. Catholicisme Ondoyant: Catholic Intellectual Engagement And The Crisis Of Civilization In The 1930s / Michael Kelly -- Paul Valéry And French Catholicism: Recognizing The Context Of Renewal / Paul Gifford -- A Strange Christian: Simone Weil / Florence De Lussy -- Jean Grenier And The Spirit Of Orthodoxy / Toby Garfitt -- Charles Du Bos's Catholicism And His Politics Of Sincerity In Interwar France / Katherine Davies -- From Mystique To Théologique: Messiaen's Ordre Nouveau, 1935-39 / Stephen Schloesser -- Rethinking The Modernity Of Bernanos: A Giraardian Perspective / Brian Sudlow -- Into The Catacombs Of The Past: Women And Wartime Trauma In The French Catholic Ressourcement Project (1939-45) / Brenna Moore -- La Reléve And Its Aftermath: A Current Of Catholic Renewal In Twentieth-century Quebec / Joseph Dunlop -- Louis Massignon: A Catholic Encounter With Islam And The Middle East / Anthony O'mahony. Edited By Katherine Davies And Toby Garfitt. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 1 “Catholicisme ondoyant”: Catholic Intellectual Engagement and the Crisis of Civilization in the 1930s......Page 39 2 Paul Valéry and French Catholicism: Recognizing the Context of Renewal......Page 61 3 A Strange Christian: Simone Weil......Page 80 4 Jean Grenier and the “Spirit of Orthodoxy”......Page 99 5 Charles Du Bos’s Catholicism and His Politics of Sincerity in Interwar France......Page 115 6 From Mystique to Théologique: Messiaen’s “ordre nouveau,” 1935–39......Page 140 7 Rethinking the Modernity of Bernanos: A Girardian Perspective......Page 173 8 “Into the Catacombs of the Past”: Women and War time Trauma in the French Catholic Ressourcement Project (1939–45)......Page 197 9 La Relève and Its Afterlife: A Current of Catholic Renewal in Twentieth-Century Quebec......Page 221 10 Louis Massignon: A Catholic Encounter with Islam and the Middle East......Page 241 Notes......Page 264 List of Contributors......Page 348 B......Page 352 C......Page 353 E......Page 354 H......Page 355 K......Page 356 M......Page 357 P......Page 358 S......Page 359 U......Page 360 Y......Page 361 Presents perspectives on intellectual, cultural and political questions faced by French and French-Canadian intellectuals who engaged with Catholicism in the period 1930-50, in the diverse but related fields of philosophy, theology, politics, literature and music. Names include Jacques and Raissa Maritain, Emmanuel Mounier, Paul Valery, Simone Weil, and many others.