The Virtues of an Authentic Life (Book Review)

Bernard Häring, The Virtues of an Authentic Life, Mumbai: St Pauls, 1998, ISBN 81-7109-347-7, Rs. 55, pp. 163.

The author has written over 80 books and 1000 articles. He taught theology in Rome for 25 years. He has also lectured at other prestigious universities. His best known works are Priesthood Imperilled, Evangelization Today and Free and Faithful in Christ.  

The book is a collection of articles written for a magazine. The author has given shape to his articles and has made them available through this book. The forty four chapters of the book are divided into four parts. The reason for doing so is not clear and neither is it mentioned. Each chapter deals with a specific virtue and is kept to about 3-5 pages. The first part lays the foundation for the book by clarifying the meaning and characteristics of virtue. Virtue, the author states, is a sort of competence that adds meaning and value to life. Living a life of virtue requires a commitment that needs to be freely made. The virtues one chooses to live by determine one’s character. Character formation is the greatest task in life, according to the author. He’s making a good point here but phenomenologically, it doesn’t seem to be the case. Perhaps the reason for this is that people have not fully realized the value of a good character. Everybody praises a person of good character but how many invest time and effort to build up good characters?

The subsequent parts deal with individual virtues. The author has done well to give a long list of virtues. These virtues are characteristic to Christian life. The list of the author is by no means exhaustive but it does appear so. The author attempts to explain each virtue. His explanation includes a biblical basis of the virtue and an application to mundane life. He offers some advice on how to cultivate and practice the virtue but his presentation lacks charisma. I read the book without so much as a sentence making an impression on me. My manner of reading could have been the cause for the book having no effect on me but I don’t think that it is entirely culpable. The author in his foreword specifically emphasizes that the book mustn’t just be read but must be meditated on. This I didn’t do consistently but even the chapters that I read meditatively seemed to offer me no new insight, neither did they spur me on to acquire or enhance the particular virtue.

With regard to the language of the book, I think it is wonderful. The author has expressed his ideas beautifully and for a person like me who delights in good prose, it was a treat. That is looking at the book from the linguistic standpoint. From the spiritual standpoint, I felt the book lacked punch. The title attracted me but the content failed to grab my attention. My favourite chapter was the last chapter wherein the author addresses ageing. This for me was the most personal and provoking chapter. The reason being that the author shared his personal struggle. Throughout the book it seems like he is preaching a virtue but here one can see that he is actually living what he is writing. This for me is meaningful. The lack of personal examples and sometimes of examples altogether left the matter in limbo. The author has done a commendable job writing this book, considering his age which he reveals in the last chapter. I sincerely feel that the content of this book is best read in parts for if it is read at a stretch, its efficacy is likely to diminish as it did with me.