Adam's Return: The Five Promises of Male Initiation

Richard Rohr introduces himself at the beginning of this paperback as: A believing Catholic Christian, a Franciscan by spiritual choice, a spiritual director and community guide by experience, a teacher by gift and a quasi hermit by preference. Rohr has led many retreats with men focusing on the challenges of masculinity and the importance of initiation into manhood. He is convinced that men today - like their forbears in tribes around the world - need to learn the five lessons of this initiation: Life is hard; you are not that important; your life is not about you; you are not in control; and you are going to die. According to Rohr, if rituals existed that enabled young men to assimilate these truths, they might be less inclined to destroy themselves with heroic projects, depression, addiction, and violence...