Book Review: "Carlos Duarte Costa: Testament of a Socialist Bishop"

I was, frankly, surprised to see another publication by Edward Jarvis in such a short period of time on topics about which I am deeply interested. Jarvis' ability to produce and research is admirable, particularly on topics which have previously been ignored. I'm also glad to see him include a biographical sketch. In this work, a follow-up to his work on ICAB, Jarvis focuses on the personality and background of Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa (now St. Carlos in ICAB).

Jarvis does an admirable job, as always, in providing background to the life and times of Duarte Costa. His rich description of Brazil in that time is helpful. Particularly useful, too, is Jarvis' re-translation of Duarte Costa's "Declaration to the Nation" with commentary. I have seen this work floating around on the internet, but Jarvis preserves it for posterity in a crisp translation. It is another instance of his fine research abilities and attention to detail, which is also replicated throughout the book. 

Also helpful is Jarvis' discussion of the contemporary adherence to the "Declaration" and the division among the ICAB hierarchy. Some of them have noted their online support of President Jair Messias Bolsonaro whose public ideals are at odds with the "Declaration." It is an important emphasis that no church or group is homogeneous.

The book also excels in tying the ICAB movement with contemporary (and historical) issues within Roman Catholicism. The emphasis and questions related to authority in the church are timely and, although the references used may not age well, have been pertinent since circa 33 AD. I do feel that Jarvis is more attentive than in "God, Land & Freedom" at focusing solely on comparisons between ICAB and the Roman Church and instead discusses their parallels. 

It is important to note that Jarvis cites the 1 million Independent Catholic adherents figure in the US documented by Dr. Julie Byrne, which I respectfully contest as too high. Also, his statement about the "questionable Holy Orders from 'Old Catholic' sources" of certain individuals could be better explained so as to clearly avoid any accusation of denigrating the Old Catholic Movement. I am also unsure as to the objectiveness of the source regarding Duarte Costa's academic history. Finally, I do wish there was slightly more attention to careful wording. He says "...which are to be distinguished from true autonomous Orthodox Churches are they are not in communion with or linked to any ancient episcopal see." Every group, be it the so-called canonical Orthodox to the Old Calendarists to the Roman Catholic Church to the sedevacantists deem themselves "true."

Overall, however, this is an excellent book on a topic which needs to be addressed. Given his advocacy for an early form of Liberation Theology I think it is a timely work. People from a variety of backgrounds will find it useful in understanding Independent Catholicism, Roman Catholicism in Brazil, and the political landscape of the area which helped shape, among others, the current Pope.

Book available on Amazon.

Book Review: "God, Land & Freedom: The True Story of I.C.A.B."

Dr. Julie Byrne alerted me to the publication of "God, Land & Freedom" by Edward Jarvis. It was published by Apocryphile Press which, to the credit of Fr. John Mabry, PhD, is well known for its Independent Catholic Heritage Series. As soon as I learned of the book I rushed to buy it and delved in the day it arrived.

The author has done an excellent job researching the topic. Jarvis' detailing the history of Catholicism and religion in general in Brazil is helpful to the neophyte. It gives the impression that because of the tumultuous history of Brazil, a group like ICAB (The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church) has factors which organically promote its success. He also cites numerous newspaper and first-hand accounts of the story of ICAB, as well as has a sizable bibliography. I remain impressed by Jarvis' ability to secure newspaper articles from over half a century ago in both Portuguese and Spanish. To his credit, Jarvis portrays the history and path of the church "warts and all." It may be uncomfortable for some members and advocates of the Church, but the book does not read overall as a condemnatory piece. In fact, Jarvis examines the theology of the ICAB movement from both a pro and a con perspective to provide reflection on the topic from a variety of viewpoints. His views of individual members may be less flattering, but the Church itself gets an open discussion.

Where the book does lack, for me, is its statistical details. I would have liked to read more in-depth reporting of the numerical strength of ICAB. Also helpful would have been more discussion about the various branches of the Church. Jarvis mentions the ICAB and its presents in other countries, but much of the work centers around Patriarch Castillo Mendez. Castillo Mendez becomes so pivotal that some of the other history from this time is lost. There is also a lack of information about the status of the church after the death of Castillo Mendez in 2009, so the reader does not have a good grasp of the current situation.

Overall, it is abundantly clear that the author is well versed in Catholic theology and history. He discusses theological concepts that indicate he has extensive knowledge of the subject. This allows him to in-depth discuss things like apostolic succession, liturgical aspects, etc. He highlights enough examples from multiple perspectives of Catholicism (from the SSPX to Rahner) that the work does not come off as biased towards traditionalism or liberalism.

The author's viewpoint on "micro-churches" does come through in the text. It seems apparent to me that the author is a Roman Catholic and, not only writes from that perspective, but sometimes presents the topic as if it's a case study for Roman Catholics. His use of words like "official Catholic Church" or [sic] after Catholic in the names of Independent Catholic bodies indicates a questionable objectivity.  Whereas Dr. Byrne's book indicates an openness to the topic, Jarvis seems to have made up his mind. He also provides opinions on the ICAB's validity, liturgical changes, and other areas that indicate he is writing from the viewpoint of Roman Catholicism. I'm unsure if a biography would have been helpful to alert the reader to his personal history and education. This could have dispelled any question of objectivity.

Overall, however, Jarvis is to be commended for documenting a church that has been ignored for too long. Given its numerical strength (generally speaking) and world-wide impact, a book on this topic was well overdue. While I believe the objectivity of some of it is questionable, Jarvis does provide excellent references which will be useful for many years to come (both positive and negative).