A Still and Quiet Conscience

Through the life of a courageous bishop, an absorbing look at the inner workings of the American Catholic Church, how we got here, and how it could be different. Pope Francis has spoken of his desire for pastoral bishops-shepherds who have "the smell of the sheep." The story of Raymond G. Hunthausen, archbishop of Seattle from 1975-1991, is about a bishop who epitomized this style-and the price he paid. The quintessential "Vatican II bishop," Hunthausen embraced the spirit of renewal, reaching out to the laity, women, and those on the margins. A courageous witness for peace, he earned national attention when he became the first American bishop to urge tax resistance as a protest against preparations for nuclear war. In doing so, he ran against the Cold War policies of the Reagan Administration. But he also came into conflict with Pope John Paul II's desire to reshape the American episcopacy. This fascinating biography not only recounts a critical turning point for the American Catholic church; it rekindles the vision of a more inclusive, prophetic, and compassionate church as "people of God."