Book Review: Things Worth Dying For by Charles J. Chaput

Things Worth Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living by Charles J. Chaput

During the Fall of 2019, Archbishop Charles Chaput, then head of the Catholic Church in Philadelphia, tendered his resignation to the pope. All bishops do this at the age of seventy-five, regardless of their personal state. The resignation was accepted, giving Chaput time to reflect more on life and death. While he was writing this book, the Corona Virus lockdown began, giving him even more time, and possibly more urgency, with this topic. 

He talks about our contemporary culture with a lot of insight. We are so focused on consumerism, technology, and freedom that we lose sense of our limits, including the amount of time we spend on the Earth. More valuable is the search for what's meaningful in our lives, things that we might die for. Chaput considers several possibilities. The first is God, who as creator has a big role in what's meaningful. He didn't leave us to figure it out on our own, He's been in constant touch and even sent His Son to help us out. Other things we might die for (because they give meaning to our lives) are our country, our ideas, our family, and the Church. Without the greater context that appreciates the "givenness" of these God-given things, each can become a false god and turn into a monster. We are pilgrims on our way to God's home. In this life, our acts and our attitudes should reflect that, we should use these goods to help us on the path, not become our destination. Chaput closes with a reflection on the importance of friendship.

The book is full of wonderful insights, drawing on history, Chaput's own life, literature, and film (he's a big movie fan). The style is very personable and easy to read.

Recommended.