History of Society of Jesus

The history of the society of Jesus, by William Bangert S.J. could become a little bit boring book, with a overwhelming list of dates and facts, unless you look into it, wheter you are catholic or not, reasons and historical conditions to explain the long life of organizations like this one. With this narrow scope of interests you will find the book very interesting, and at some chapters, extremely fascinating.Preaching under siege in England when the queen Elizabeth ruled ferociusly the matter of religious unity, making formal concessions to the gallican values the Paris parlament defended in France, trying to teach in germany in the middle of the messy and sad war of 30 years, learning chinese and teaching western mathematics and astronomy in China(still they were getting permissions to preach there), civilizing natives in the middle of endless forests in Brazil and Paraguay, and so on, around a world plenty of risks and wonders, the jesuits stamped their labour with three marks. One was an impressive apostolic action, their hallmark. Other was their ahead-of-their-times christian humanism. And above all, a profound comon spiritual ideal. This history shows they have preserved these three marks through their almost five centuries of life, based( and developed from) the St. Ignatius view.The Society of Jesus passed along striking events that affected it along universal history: the challenge of protestantism,the enlightment age,the suppresion in 1773 under the presure of Borbon kingdoms (and the later restoration in 1814), the french revolution and its aftermath, and a nineteenth century plenty of political and social changes in the world, announcing a new awareness of reason, freedom and national interests, many times aroused with violence. And against everything the Jesuit order continue working on, loyal to the Ignatian view, against all their mistakes, by fitting their organization, their policies, their members capabilities, to the reality of the world where the people they wanted to serve used to live, ad majorem Dei gloriam.And along the centuries crossing the chapters one becomes surprised and admirer of the outstanding people who belonged to this religious order. Some names, without any order: John Carroll, Matteo Ricci, Roberto de Nobili, Claudio Aquaviva, Jose de Anchieta, Antonio de Andrade, Peter Canisius, and more, many more.Enjoy this book and admire the Society of Jesus.

Not being too aware of the history of this famous religious order, I recommend this book as a general introduction not to the life of St. Ignatius (although there is plenty on his life in this book), but the history of the order -- its evangelization, relationship w/Rome, connections with (higher) education, etc.The reading style is smooth enough for the average reader not steeped in Church history, but with enough knowledge of world history to follow along.