D. H. Lawrence, F. R. Leavis, Samuel Beckett, Simone Weil and Saul Bellow

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Year of Publication

2006

Author

Beckett, Lucy

Book

In the Light of Christ: Writings in the Western Tradition

Pages

536-578

Publisher

Ignatius Press

Place Published

San Francisco

Language

English

Keywords

Cathars
Catholic church
spirituality
truth

Annotation

In the introduction to this chapter, Beckett displays a deep concern with what she perceives to be a decline in a 'search for truth', particularly Christian truth in the writings of the twentieth century. The section of the chapter on Simone Weil begins with an overview of Weil's life focusing on Weil's spiritual experience, her compassion, and her search for truth. Beckett goes on to outline what she identifies as some of the more troubling aspects of Weil's thought such as her rejection of the Jewish religion, her attraction to dualistic thinking and especially her assessment and ultimate rejection of Catholicism. Beckett concludes the section on Weil by suggesting had she lived longer she would have come to see her errors, especially those related to the Catholic Church. See especially p. 558-567