In the Christian churches today, rev-

olutionaries have seized the moral initi-

ative. Where once the churches were a

force for stability and against revolu-

tion, they are now on the defensive, in

disarray. For the first time, a ranking

Christian thinker weighs the advocates

of revolution--and especially, looks at

their claim to moral superiority in the

light of traditional Christian morality.

John Eppstein focuses on his own

Roman Catholic Church. He allows em-

inent Catholic apologists for revolution

like Bishop Camara and Abbe Comblin

to state their case. Then he picks it

apart, drawing on Scripture, papal

teaching and Catholic writers through

the ages.

Mr. Eppstein refuses to dodge the dif-

ficulties in his position, notably some

recent papal statements that have en-

couraged Marxist as well as Catholic

revolutionaries. How can these papal

utterances be reconciled with traditional

Catholic teaching? Mr. Eppstein s ana-

lysis is sophisticated, his observations

balanced and assured.

After this book, revolutionaries in the

Catholic Church can no longer assume

that the tides of history will flow their

way.