Umberto Eco and Maria Martini, Belief or Nonbelief: a Confrontation, trans. by Minna Proctor (1997, Arcade Publishing)

Reviewed by Jeffrey Stueber

   In his introduction to this book, Harvey Cox writes "reading this book left me wanting more." I couldn't agree more. Both Umberto Eco (a self-declared secularist and fallen-away Catholic) and Maria Martini (scholar, writer, and possibly future pontiff) are well able to debate in the issues of ethics, women in the church, abortion, and the apocalypse of St. John - which they do in this book. Yet, so much is said in this book - and so little. Both debate like drunken boxers afraid to punch.

   For instance, on the case of abortion Eco speaks of how he has never been in the position of a woman telling him she was pregnant by him, but he would have tried to persuade her to grant life to that being, whatever the price. Nevertheless, despite Eco's admission the birth of a baby is a marvelous thing, he finds he cannot impose his own ethical position on anyone. He then spends time talking of "radical ecologists" (his phrase) who believe Mother Earth is alive, oriental ascetics who cover their mouths so as to not swallow invisible microorganisms, computer-typing monkeys, and even the view that the wasting of semen is a crime equal to homicide. All of this is in the service of showing Eco doesn't know where life begins or what life ought to be protected.

   Martini, by contrast, starts brilliantly by clarifying some of what Eco said and then stumbles off into an Ambrosian hymn. He ends arguing that from conception a being is born (where "born" means originated) and begins its development and that "whatsoever is open to so great a destiny - being called by name by God himself - is worthy of enormous respect from the beginning." I agree with Martini when he says we are talking about "real responsibility" and when Martini says "something of highest value warrants highest respect." This seems to be his sole argument in a small chapter which could include more, ala Francis Beckwith, but which sadly has so little to appreciate.

   My judgment on this book is this: buy it if you see it discounted heavily at a book store. It adds to literature available of debates between the religious and the secular, but just barely.