Review by Choice Review
Though not a biography, this able study covers the half-century public career of an outstanding contemporary social activist. It focuses on a rarity, an intellectual, nonconformist clergyman, and places him in context-the largest, most parochial American denomination, harboring racism and elitist stratification. This minister was gadfly to his church and society, arguing for more political responsibility and civil liberty because his religion demanded it. Finlator's theology called for radical critique of society, and he refused to be complacent about, or to repress protests against, social and economic abuses. He defended the Communist Workers Party and American Nazis, championed Catholics and Moonies, tolerated the ACLU and the KKK, all because he thought groups had the right to express themselves. His principles of an open society included sympathy for the oppressed, as shown by his support for labor unions and migrant workers. This valuable report on Finlator's activities analyzes the ideals that led to so many controversies, and it expounds the humanism and prophetic vision that undergirds much of today's social liberalism. Appropriate for graduate, undergraduate, and public library collections in religion and social issues.-H.W. Bowden, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
