Reviews
"A hallmark of the much-needed renewal of Roman Catholic moral theology has been the restoration of the word of God to a central place in its reflection. In this highly readable work, Micah Kiel illuminates the beauty and challenge of Catholic social teaching, helping the reader understand that if one’s life of discipleship is simply a sort of spiritual selfie of 'me and Jesus,' the image principally will feature 'me.' Instead, the author invites us to a lifelong adventure that is provoked by the person of Christ and the message of the Gospels. Though such a journey is demanding and usually rejected by worldly hearts, the humble and persevering pilgrim will know the joyful experience of following the Teacher home."
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, CSsR
"If you were to ask a scripture scholar, a story teller, a teacher, and a faithful Catholic how we are called to live as disciples of Christ, this book is the energetic and hopeful response. Kiel's profoundly pragmatic chapters fluidly connect resources and ruminations from Scripture and Catholic social thought to lead us to consider how to respond with generosity to everyday dilemmas. I found myself drawn in and humbled by his vulnerable personal revelations about his failings, which we all share because (as he emphasizes) we are people bound together on life's journey seeking to live more justly. His deep and intuitive grasp of both Hebrew and Christian texts roots more current expressions of community, such as common good and social sin, making clear that God's revelation has always called us to live for and with others as a Eucharistic people."
Alison M. Benders, Emerita, Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University, and author of Just Prayer
"Be Transformed is the prophetic voice of one crying out in the wilderness that the American Catholic Church would do well to heed: the call of 'the preferential option for the poor' that even today is often looked at with a sad indifference. Dr. Kiel has given a great and prophetic gift to the whole church, a calling to be more audacious in our personal and social commitments to peace and justice, to be less comfortable in our certainty and material wealth, and to be compassionate especially to those deemed untouchable or marginal by society. He weaves incredible theological insights, razor sharp scriptural acuity, a hearty groundedness in Catholic tradition, and personal insights deftly, and with great humor, all while issuing a great challenge: the challenge of the Gospel, the challenge to be transformed by our conversion to the poor, who scripture and tradition tell us are Christ, present in our midst."
Michael J. Sanem is the author of Becoming the Good News: A New Approach to Parish Evangelization, and the executive director of the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City
"Kiel has produced a tremendous text for inviting people to dive deep into sources, both ancient and modern, of the Catholic church’s teachings on justice. With unexpected but pointed cases illustrating the relevance of Catholic social teaching for people today, he challenges readers to consider how this teaching might transform their lives, and the world."
Julia H. Brumbaugh, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Regis University (Colorado)
"I would be hard pressed to say that I have found a text on the wedding of Catholic Social teaching and scripture more engaging and motivational than Kiel's."
Catholic Books Review
"This is indeed a splendid volume that could easily serve, both in parishes and traditional classrooms, not only to introduce the riches of Catholic Social Teaching but also to inspire deep contemplation and perhaps even programs of action."
The Bible Today
“A richly biblical and accessible guide to justice, this book bridges Scripture and CST with pastoral clarity, inviting readers into personal and social transformation grounded in the Gospel.”
Catholic Media Association
“Bringing into conversation Catholic Social Teaching and biblical studies, Kiel provides lessons on how such concepts as solidarity, the preferential option for the poor, the common good, and the structural nature of sin can guide Catholics toward creating a more just world. Kiel has provided a lucid presentation, making the book especially accessible to undergraduate or adult faith formation classes.”
Andrew Massena, assistant professor of biblical studies at Loras College, Iowa, for Pray Tell Blog
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