John W., S. J. O'Malley
![The First Jesuits John W., S. J. O'Malley]( "The First Jesuits John W., S. J. O'Malley")
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By: Harvard University Press
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Total reviews: 2
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
"The Early Jesuits" - A Tapestry 4 out of 5 stars.
26 of 27 people found this review helpful.
O'Malley limits the time-span of this book to the first quarter century of the life of the Society of Jesus - 1540 to 1565. He admits that "the terminal date of 1565 is somewhat arbitrary" [p4] though is does allow for insights to be gleaned from beyond the death of Ignatius, and takes in decisions from the Council of Trent (ended 1563).O'Malley has structured the book so that it is not a simple chronology of the early followers of Ignatius.
The first chapters deal with the development of the "Company of Jesus", under Ignatius' guidance.
In chapters 3 to 5, he has reflected on the various aspects of Jesuit life: "Ministries of the Word of God" - covering preaching and teaching and the development of schools and colleges; "Sacraments, Worship, Prayer" - which includes information about the development of the ministries of confession and communion, music and prayer; "Works of Mercy" - looking at the various Jesuit ministries to the destitute.
Chapters 6 to 8 provide information on the specific contributions made through the Jesuit movement in those early years - particularly reflections on how Jesuit schooling contributed to the church's development and renewal, on the way in which the "Religious and Theological Culture" of the Jesuit movement shaped the development of learning, and on the relationship between the Jesuits and others within the life of the church struggling through the troubled times of the Reformation.
Chapter 9 looks at the way in which the Jesuits of those early days developed their understandings of their ministry to be better able to fulfil their mission in future years "to the greater glory of God".
O'Malley has brought his extensive knowledge of the Jesuit movement to bear in this excellent account. He has woven together the various strands of information, from Ignatius first insights to the structural developments necessary in later years, from the excitement of the "Spiritual Exerecises" to the ecclesiatical formulations of "The Formula" and "The Constitutions". And the result is an account of the work of God through the people inspired by Ignatius' example which itself encourages others to preceive the presence of God in their own experiences.
Editorial Review:
John O'Malley gives us the most comprehensive account ever written of the Society of Jesus in its founding years, one that heightens and transforms our understanding of the Jesuits in history and today. Following the Society from 1540 through 1565, O'Malley shows how this sense of mission evolved. He looks at everything--the Jesuits' teaching, their preaching, their casuistry, their work with orphans and prostitutes, their attitudes toward Jews and "New Christians," and their relationship to the Reformation. All are taken in by the sweep of O'Malley's story as he details the Society's manifold activities in Europe, Brazil, and India.
