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Christianity Today, February, 2007 |

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Saints Gone Wild

Saints Behaving Badly tells about what went on before saints' conversions.

Review by Douglas A. Sweeney | posted 1/29/2007 08:36AM

Most Catholics think of their saints as otherworldly spiritual giants, people unspotted by the sins that plague the rest of us. But as Craughwell recounts in this lurid but frequently reverent little ...

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Teci Pulido

Posted: February 06, 2007 12:02 PM

I like what Cindy says; got nothing to add there :) I agree with leecelot; there are many saints out of the limelight (they're not doing it for publicity!) and declaration by any human body, even God's followers, will still be subject to human perception and hence, error. It is God who sees *all* and accordingly judges *justly*. A friend just emailed me about the featured saint of the day, those people "who truly deserve to go to heaven". But the Bible says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Acts 3:23) which is exactly why we need the Savior. We're all sinners, even the saints! And yet, praise God, we can all be saints as well --- only by the transforming power of God. Our good works are a pleasing sacrifice to Him, but if we count all our good deeds in the tally to get to heaven then we should also count all our sins... I have a similar book but also by Catholics...I hope Protestants write a similar book, focusing on how *Jesus* *transforms* *people* :)

Cindy Leigh

Posted: February 04, 2007 8:49 AM

A saint is a saint...saved by the grace of God through our Savior Jesus Christ. Whatever religion we examine or explore, we must understand this truth and filter all curiosity through this reality. Though Satan wants to use our sin to destroy us, God has the power to use it to bring us to a new life in Him. When we witness the redemptive power of the Holy Spirit in a fellow sinner's life, we can be encouraged and our faith strengthened to remember that God is alive and working in spite of our failures.

Christine DiRie

Posted: February 03, 2007 10:30 AM

I am a Catholic raised woman. I am now a born again Christian. If Christians could only learn to pray to the Holy Spirit for truth and God's wisdom and then listen to the Holy Spirit, they would be led to a true relationship with Christ where God's truth would lead them out of the darkness. I do not believe in praying to the saints or Mary as I only pray to the one true God and His Son, my Savior Jesus Christ. God is a jealous God; only He is all powerful and all knowing. Questions? Turn to God and know God through His Word. We can only know truth and be discerning through knowing, reading and understanding His truth through the Bible studying both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Do not let others interpret it for you. The curtain in the temple was torn in two pieces so that we now can have a direct relationship with the Lord; we need no intercessors. Thank you God! Praise be only to You!

Mary Ann Smale

Posted: January 31, 2007 12:02 AM

I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian. We know that the Saints had problems before they were called to a life of grace. We hold these people up as great examples, so we know we too can become better, stronger in our faith, closer to God. It is hard to understand if you have never walked in another's shoes, by experiencing these things before conversion, don't you think it made it easier for them to relate to other sinners? Hey brother or sister I've been there I know what it's like! Only Christ is perfect, man is never perfect. But these people saw their sin and repented in big ways, how many so called Christians would be willing to do that today? Now they are only interested in big expensive churches and impressive flocks. Christianity is about suffering, it is not glossy, it is not about slick tv preachers, it is not about money. It is having your own self worn down, and washed away, so it can be replaced by God. The Saints knew all about this.

Little Flower Press

Posted: January 30, 2007 5:00 PM

I would read it in a second. Being a Roman Catholic writer and publisher, I know full well - as do all Catholics, that Saints were once sinnners too. Too bad Mr. Sweeney knows so little about the Catholic Church that he assumes we Catholics are all dooped. Why is it non-Catholics always feel they have the right to define our Catholic faith and how we Catholics see it? The book is probably excellent. I almost feel sorry for Sweeney that he had to read something that appeared so painful for his Protestant mind to endure. "Still, Protestants will like it. It confirms our settled conviction that saints are also guilty sinners, only sanctified by grace. " Read the Catechism. Catholics say all Christians are saved by GRACE - not by faith or works alone. It's nice that Protestants will get to read, for the 400 millionth time, that Catholics know this.

H. D. Schmidt

Posted: January 30, 2007 7:42 AM

I think the Catholic Church had better spent its time making sure that no priest becomes a sexual diviant than to spend time in finding so called saints! For that matter if sins are overlooked, I could even be crowned as a saint! Scripture clearly states that all have come short of the glory of God, and that most certainly includes those the Catholic Church erroneously, crowns as Saints. Plainly put, in my humble opinion it is a real sin, to designate someone born of a woman, as a Saint! However, I wish not to judge anyones sincerity in as much as God is the just and final judge, as Scripture also clearly states. That in itself must always guide all of our human judgement!

Robb	Posted: January 30, 2007 6:43 AM


I will get and read the book. Were the anti-RC digs in the review necessary?

Laura

Posted: January 29, 2007 9:52 PM

I was raised as a Catholic Christian, and I worship frequently with evangelical Christians. Many Protestants that I know still understand claims by Catholics about the saints as superstitious or legendary. I find their views incongruous and puzzeling because these same people do not take issue with strange apparitions, visions, and miracles when they are attested in the Holy Writ or when they occur in charismatic churches.

Bernard

Posted: January 29, 2007 4:25 PM

You write that Catholics think "their saints are other worldly giants, people unspotted by the sins that plague the rest of us". I'm a Catholic and permit me to disagree with your caracterization. They (the saints) all were dappled fools (starting with those in the Scriptures) and they struggled hard and progressed to be spotless "per Christum Dominum nostrum"! (That is for your comment on Catholicism's disregard for the gospel and The Scriptures and the undying regard for Jesus the Fountain and Source of all Salvation!) Additionallyl, on August 31, 2006, Benedict XVI commented about Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) in one of his messages. The Pope indicated that as a young man, Francis lived a carefree and irresponsible life, focused on pursuring the ideals of his day. "First he was sort of playboy but then he felt that this was no longer sufficient", Benedict noted! That suffices for the Catholic perception of saints as just pure angels!

leecelot

Posted: January 29, 2007 3:56 PM


Were these really Biblical Saints? Or just declared so by the church? There can be a basic difference!

Hobolicious

Posted: January 29, 2007 1:03 PM


I want to read it. I'll pick up a copy at my next stop.

Mike	Posted: January 29, 2007 12:35 PM


Catholics do recognize that some of the greatest saints, including Augustine, were once great sinners. Though mystical experiences are not unheard of in the lives of saints, close inspection of their lives demonstrates that Scripture and Sacrament were always central to their conversions and transformation in living out the Christian call.

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