The Church in a Destructive Age

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

This is not a new book; it was written in the late 1950s, but has been appearing in new editions ever since. It is one of the few science fiction books to treat the Church seriously and faithfully within the present and future depicted in the novel. St. Leibowitz (who is not a saint when the book begins but is already long dead) joins the church at a time when mobs are destroying all places of learning and all learned men and women in a misguided effort to find restitution for the devastation and destruction of a nuclear war. He forms an order charged with collecting, memorizing and saving what remnants they can of learning for future generations.

The most interesting part of the book in my opinion describes the Radiation Disaster Act in action. The Green Star Relief establishes mobile units to humanely and expediently kill those who have received a lethal dose of radiation. The Church disagrees with these centers and all they represent.

Here are a few quotes relevant to issues our society currently faces. When asked why he cannot allow the Green Star Relief doctor to counsel individuals to travel to the euthanasia center, the abbot says:

Because if a man is ignorant of the fact that something is wrong, and acts in ignorance, he incurs no guilt, provided natural reason was not enough to show him that it was wrong. But while ignorance may excuse the man, it does not excuse the act, which is wrong in itself. If I permitted the act simply because the man is ignorant that it is wrong, then I would incur guilt, because I do know it to be wrong.

Below is a quote of the priest's thoughts as the relief doctor leaves:

Seeing misery everywhere and detesting it, and sincere in wanting to do something about it. Sincere--that was the hell of it. From a distance, one's adversaries seemed fiends, but with a closer view, one saw the sincerity, and it was as great as one's own. Perhaps Satan was the sincerest of the lot.

Late in the novel, Father Zerchi pleads with a young women who has been convinced by the Green Star Relief doctor to take herself and her baby to the euthanasia center. Imagine the struggle of this poor young mother, broken and sick herself, watching her little one, barely recognizable and whimpering in pain, knowing there was no way to save either life. I can understand how she feels when she says "I cannot understand a God who is pleased by my baby's hurting!" The priest answers:

"No, no! It is not the pain that is pleasing to God, child. It is the soul's endurance in faith and hope and love in spite of bodily afflictions that pleases Heaven. Pain is like negative temptation. God is not pleased by temptations that afflict the flesh; He is pleased when the soul rises above the temptation and says 'Go, Satan.' It's the same with pain, which is often a temptation to despair, anger, loss of faith--"

Later, he changes tactics:

"No! I am not asking you. As a priest of God I am commanding you by the authority of Almighty God not to lay hands on your child, not to offer her life in sacrifice to a false god of expedient mercy. I do not advise you, I adjure and command you in the name of Christ the King."

Dom Zerchi had never spoken with such a voice before, and the ease with which the words came to his lips surprised even the priest. As he continued to look at her, her eyes fell. For an instant he had feared that the girl would laugh in his face. When Holy Church occasionally hinted that she still considered her authority to be supreme over all nations and superior to the authority of states, men in these times tended to snicker. And yet the authenticity of the command could still be sensed by a bitter girl with a dying child.

Even in the most difficult, horrific circumstances, we must protect and cherish the lives God creates.

As a side note, a little blurb I found here reminded me that the threat of annihilation remains, but now they can destroy an entire city without fear of environmental repercussions. That's right: Throw those weapons all you like, then move your citizens right in. No consequences. It's comforting to believe Christ will come again in glory before terrorists or governments could destroy the world with weapons such as these.