Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin

Ursula King's biography of Teihard de Chardin is a fascinating book written in a style which makes a difficult subject seem quite understandable. King weaves the story of Teihard's life around snapshots of his constantly maturing vision of God, the universe and mankind. Known for his original concepts such as the ongoing evolution of both the universe and mankind towards perfection and the existence of a global network of self-awareness, Teihard was always regarded as a loose canon by the Vatican. Consequently, not much of his work was released during his lifetime except for those relatively few items which were privately published and distributed among a circle of his friends. Since his death in 1955 all his books and essays have been made available to the general public. Teihard nurtured close, supportive relationships with a small number of caring females and left many letters which reveal the importance of these women in his life. Although at times he is difficult to comprehend, there is no doubt that Teihard ranks as one of the most prominent thinkers of the twentieth century. The fact that he is recognized as a famous and respected scientist as well as a mystic, greatly increases his significance.

This is a great introduction to those who want to know more about this great man. No doubt as time go by his original thinking will be recognized, The author does a good job touching all periods of his life along with his writing. A lot of photos. But if you what to know De Chardin use his writings for prayer.

This is a fine introduction to the prolific life and writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the most important theologian of the 20th century. Chardin's theology, banned for years by the Vatican, was at least a hundred years ahead of it's time. A geologist, palenthologist, mystic, spiritual lover, he proposed that Darwin's theories of evolution were not contrary to God's revelation but actually was Revelation. King's book does a good job of detailing Chardin's life, his passions, his pursuits, his beliefs and his science. Though dry and slow at times, the author does help to illuminate the theology of someone who isn't easy to read. Though he lived a rich life, Chardin's writing can be somewhat cold and too scientific at times for the layreader to understand. This book, however, is good solid primer and should be the starting point for anyone interested in a man ahead of his time.