THE FAITH OF MEN

The Faith of Men is a minor, posthumous work by a major religious writer who was both a priest and a practising psychotherapist. It is, essentially, a series of reflections or meditations unified solely by their common authorship and by the fact that they were all inspired by Father Lapp's mentor, Teilhard de Chardin. Lepp's message, as in his previous books, is a plea for a progressive attitude among Christians--and by a ""progressive attitude"" he means specifically a recognition that Christianity involves, quite inescapably, a commitment to the world. In that context, he deplores the strong spirit of escapism, endemic particularly in Catholicism, which manifests itself in an attempt to take refuge from reality in a largely self-created other-world of mysticism. His treatments of the specifics of Catholic dogma--the Trinity, the Eucharist, etc.--emphasize, therefore, their relation to man's life on earth rather than, as has been traditional, their importance for man's ""supernatural destiny."" As will immediately be apparent to anyone who has read, e.g., Lepp's The Authentic Morality, there is really nothing new or controversial in this book, and nothing that will excite the Sort of reaction that greeted either the latter work or The Mays of Friendship. Nonetheless, Lepp's audience is a large one, and The Faith of Men should profit to some extent from the success of this author's earlier books.