Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church
Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus

Offers a critique of the church's use and misuse of power, from the Pope proclaiming infallibly down to the preacher claiming a divine authority for every word spoken from the pulpit. This book stresses the priority of the hierarchy of holiness over the hierarchy of power. It offers a vision for a church of the third millennium.

"Through the story of sexual abuse and the church's response, I came to the unshakable belief that within the Catholic Church there absolutely must be profound and enduring change. In particular, there must be change on the two subjects of power and sex." From the Introduction. Drawing on his own experience in responding to abuse, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, in this explosive work, methodically offers a critique of the church's use and misuse of power, from the Pope proclaiming infallibly down to the preacher claiming a divine authority for every word spoken from the pulpit.Going back to the Bible and, above all, to the teaching of Jesus, he presents an approach to sexual morality that is profound, compassionate and people-centred. He stresses the priority of the hierarchy of holiness over the hierarchy of power. He offers nothing less than a vision for a church of the third millennium - a church that wants to see in its members the responsibility appropriate to adults rather than the obedience appropriate to children, and wants to help all people to grow to become all they are capable of being. Readers will love or hate this book, but will not be able to be neutral.