Newman for Our Time: Saint, Scholar, and Doctor of the Church

Allison Auth reviews a scholarly book about the newest Doctor of the Church.

Newman for Our Time: Saint, Scholar, and Doctor of the Church

By Msgr. Laurence J. Spiteri

Published by Sophia Institute Press

I’ve heard many people talk about Saint John Henry Newman, but I didn't know much about him myself, so I jumped at the chance to read Newman for Our Time: Saint, Scholar, and Doctor of the Church by Msgr. Laurence J. Spiteri. 

Msgr. Spiteri knows Newman very well, having served as the postulator for Newman’s cause to be declared a Doctor of the Church. In the preface, Spiteri writes,

The aim of this book is to assist its reader to understand better the laborious journey of this new Doctor of the Church and to present his exceptional theological contribution as both an Anglican divine and a Roman Catholic priest. (xi) 

To that end, the first two chapters are a detailed account of Newman’s life, first as an Anglican and then as a Roman Catholic. The second part is the bulk of the book, consisting of pages-long excerpts from popes over the last hundred years when they mention Newman in their writings or speeches. The third and final part of the book is a summary Newman’s areas of theological contribution. These areas consist of the development of doctrine, education, the role of conscience, the connection between faith and reason, and the laity.  

The book ends with a timeline of the major events in his life (1801–1890), which was helpful, and then a meticulous bibliography of all the quotes and citations.  

I understand the goal is to show how Newman has influenced the Church over the past century, but the extended excerpts from popes and other theologians were a bit tedious and academic. It’s not what I was expecting, but I guess it is to be expected from the postulator for his cause. I did get a bonus overview of the life of each pope before their remarks. 

I personally would have preferred to have read more of Newman’s own words, but I did walk away with a few of the titles of Newman’s greatest contributions: The Idea of a University, An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, and Parochial and Plains Sermons.  

My Takeaways 

The most you hear from Newman directly comes in the form of his well-known poem, “Lead, Kindly Light.” The phrase “kindly light” appears over a dozen times throughout the book, underscoring Newman’s conviction that following the will of God was paramount to all else. Although Newman suffered greatly from opposition to his writings and his conversion (even being sued for libel), he found the reward of following God’s light to be worth it.  

Spiteri highlights three major illnesses during Newman’s life that were linked to spiritual experiences for him. After being asked to study the First Council of Nicaea for a lecture at Oxford, his studies led him to examine the early Church. Newman was an Anglican priest before he converted to Roman Catholicism, and he experienced extreme ostracization at Oxford for that. His intellectual honesty was one of the admirable qualities that ushered him into the Catholic Church.  

As a lasting legacy, Newman was instrumental in paving the way for better relationships between Anglicans and Catholics, although he suffered greatly from the divide between them. He also suffered because he was thinking ahead of his time in ways the Church wasn’t ready for — and wouldn’t be — for another hundred years. 

Spiteri and others describe the influence of Newman’s writings on the ideas of the Second Vatican Council, where the role of the laity, the development of doctrine, ecumenical dialogue, the meaning of conscience, and the interplay between faith and reason were all further expounded on.  

Newman’s episcopal motto was Cor ad cor loquitur, which means "Heart speaks to heart." For all his heady knowledge and academic achievements, this motto gets to the heart of why this man is a saint: his deep love of God. Saint John Henry Newman, Doctor of the Church, pray for us! 

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Copyright 2025 Allison Auth
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