This is a fantastic book with some very keen insights into the condition of men in the world today. The author began his "male initiation weekends" some twenty years ago when it was somewhat of a "fad" of the 80's to take a group of men out in a wilderness setting to "discover themselves." Richard has stayed with the process over the years and now writes of the fundamental insights which he and his team have gained in doing this kind of "men's work." Joseph Campbell made the insight years ago that young men in the United States today were severely lacking because they did not have the "initiation rites" which had been an advantage to older tribal societies. These rites introduced young men to their proper role in society so that they knew who they were, what was expected of them and their proper roles as protectors and fathers in society. Richard has risen to the challenge by creating such an experience and making it available to men all over the world for two decades. He offers some reflections on how this has developed and how men have responded to it over the years. In addition he suggests a format and some insights for regular meetings of men who are interested in personal and spiritual growth based on his experience with a group in New Mexico. As a person who has been involved in similar processes for the last thirty years, I find his reflections affirming and stimulating. My own men's group is in the process of purchasing the book and setting up a schedule to explore his material. His "five spiritual truths" are a summary of what is common and the best spiritual teachings regarding the role of men from various Christian and non-Christian traditions. I highly recommend the book for insights on a personal level or with a group of men.

I finished Richard Rohr's book with very mixed feelings. I do believe that addresses some valid concerns regarding maleness in our deeply feminized and sanitized culture, however, he does so at the expense of certain truths in my opinion.

Specifically, as one reads this book, one gets the feeling that Mr. Rohr is not a Catholic because he is compelled by the overwhelming force of truth to be so, but because Catholicism is his personal favorite choice over several other equally good and fine religions.

This is NOT the Catholicism of the Early Fathers of the Church, but the Catholicism of a New Age guru who makes statements which reflect his New Age mindset regarding the validity of all religions and specialness of none (not even his Catholic religion).

Such statements as "...whether you are a Christian, Jewish, or Moslem holy man" (pg. 18) litter the book and give me the distinct feeling that in Mr. Rohr's opinion, any religion can have "holy men." This is in opposition to the traditional Christian understanding that holiness comes through a Sacramental relationship with God through Christ. Sounds like a typical New Age ecummenist spirit to me.

Also in New Age fashion, Mr Rohr is loathe to tolerate criticism of anyone, as seen by such statements as "A projection screen must and will be found, be is sinners, heretics, Jews, terrorists, communists, women, gays, blacks, or poor people" (Pg 41). That has the ring of typical leftist drivel to me, in which we are not to utter a word against the sins that people commit. Notice how in leftist fashion, homosexuals are lumped together with blacks. My distaste for homosexuality has to do with the fact that both God and His Church call it a sin. You cannot say the same about being born with black skin, but leftists will try to make statements against homosexuals on par with racism.

Mr. Rohr is not very enchanted with the religion of his choice either, as shown by this quote:

"This sacralization of the past is emblazoned in all the structures of patriarchy (I bet he is in favor of women "priests" also!): royal families must pretend they go back to King Arthur or some saint, Americans have to mythologize George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Roman Catholics look for some kind of proof of apostolic succession" (pg 94).

This man obviously doesn't have a very firm grip upon his Catholic Faith. There is a very distinct reason that apostolic succession is both biblical and important -- and it has to do with authority in the Church and the authority of the Church over the world, even if the world rejects that authority which was given to St. Peter and the apostles.

And then there is this statement: "Catholics go to Mass repeatedly since we are slow learners, but Jesus did it only once." (pg 104) I was beyond stunned when I read that sentence, for it shows a complete ignorance, either willing or unwilling, of the basic principles of a covenantal relationship in which there is confession, sacrifice, and covenantal meals of restitution and renewal. And this from a man who is supposed to be writing about renewal of the male spirit. There is nothing more renewing than forgiveness of sin and restoration to a place of acceptance at the family table. He has missed the boat big time with that statement!

Finally, here is one last zinger that raises, at least for me as a Catholic, considerable question marks about this man and where he is coming from: "Catholics created purgatory so they could still have possibility and some control even after death." (pg 164).

That is just so patently false it would be laughable if this man wasn't a member of a Franciscan Catholic order. One would think that a certain level of training in theology and soteriology would be mandatory for membership in such an order. I do not want to get into a doctrinal dissertation here, but suffice it to say that he is dead wrong with this statement.

Richard Rohr's book makes many good points and calls us as men to a level of self-examination that the Western male has not engaged in for many decades. The sad part about this book is his failure to blend these ideas into a workable Catholic anthropology for laymen. Mr. Rohr instead takes the cultural wide road of this present age and sinks into the marsh of New Age thought lest he offend anyone by being completely and forthrightly sold out to the Truth which Christ embodied into the Catholic Faith.

I would read this book with a very discerning eye, especially if you are not strong in your Catholic Faith. There are some real diamonds of thought in here, but they are surrounded by a lot of mud that you will have to wade through.