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Christianity Today, March, 2009 |

The Radical Conservative

Richard John Neuhaus helped inspire a generation of evangelicals to participate boldly in the public square.

Timothy George | posted 3/11/2009 08:48AM

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Some years ago, Richard had a serious bout with cancer and nearly died. Out of this experience, he wrote what may be his most enduring book, As I Lay Dying, a little masterpiece of great spiritual power. "We are born to die," he wrote. "Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born towards death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well." Richard John Neuhaus lived well, and toward eternity, and he was laid to rest in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.

Timothy George is the founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and a senior editor for Christianity Today.

Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today published a liveblog post and news article that compiled reactions from others on Neuhaus' death.

Previous CT articles on and by Neuhaus include:

A Voice in the Relativistic Wilderness | The Pope crusaded for "moral truth." We should welcome his help. (April 4, 2005)

A Modest Step Toward Unity | Richard John Neuhaus on the Catholic bishops' decision to join Christian Churches Together. (November 11, 2004)

Books: Inside the Vatican | The pope's chief doctrinal officer has always been in dialogue with the Reformation traditions. Now he reveals his vision for Christianity in the new millennium. (May 18, 1998)

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March 2009, Vol. 53, No. 3

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Roberto

Posted: March 20, 2009 10:07 AM


We need more of this illuminating approach to have common grounds.

Benoit Meyrieux

Posted: March 14, 2009 2:39 PM


Neuhaus showed that faith and reason are truly compatible and both lead us to God. He was always trying to find common ground with his fellow men withour compromising with truth. To talk about his work only as political is not only reductive but would miss the focal point of his life: Jesus Christ. That is why he was 100% evangelical and 100% Catholic. Let us pray we may follow his example.

Padre Dave

Posted: March 13, 2009 7:54 PM

Fine article on one of my "heroes" in a world where heroes are hard to find, especially in the Church. One missing component of Neuhaus' faith and practice negiected in the article, which is pretty typical of American Evangelicals, is the role of the sacraments in the faith of the Church. The regeneration of Baptism and the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the eucharistic bread and wine, shed for the forgiveness of our sins is central in the Evangelical Catholic and Roman Catholic streams of the Christian Church. We are a wet and eucharistically centered and focused bunch of catholics on the journey to reunion.

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