PITCH FOR A CATHOLIC NOVEL.

The article explores the nature and challenges of the Catholic novel, focusing on how Catholic faith and modern secular culture intersect within this literary form. It examines the works of prominent Catholic novelists like Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh, highlighting their struggles to portray a wo...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion & Public Life no. 362; pp. 43 - 49
Autor principal: CLARKE, JONATHAN
Formato: Literary Criticism
Publicado: Institute on Religion & Public Life Apr2026
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The article explores the nature and challenges of the Catholic novel, focusing on how Catholic faith and modern secular culture intersect within this literary form. It examines the works of prominent Catholic novelists like Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh, highlighting their struggles to portray a world sanctified by God amid darkness and moral complexity. The piece also presents a hypothetical contemporary Catholic novel centered on a successful, devout banker whose encounter with a tragic event prompts a spiritual crisis, illustrating the tension between faith, modernity, and personal life. Ultimately, the Catholic novel is described as a genre that must balance aesthetic integrity with religious truth while engaging with the realities of the secular world.