Boil My Heart for Me

By H. Baxter Liebler

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874804647
• ISBN13: 9780874804645
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Univ of Utah Pr
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

dii naaltzoos ya at eeh "This book is good "-in Navajo (Dine)

We were fortunate enough to have known Fr. Liebler, Brother Juniper, and many of the Navajo (Dine') who are in the book. We attended St. Christopher's Mission. This book is a marvelous piece of history about those who dedicated their lives to help others.

Reprints can be tricky

This 1994 reprint of Fr. Liebler's book has some positive and negative features. Among the positives are that the main text is enhanced by a Foreward and Afterword. Maryboy's Foreword gives a Navajo perspective on Fr. Liebler and the Mission, especially the school that allowed Navajos local access to education. Joan Liebler's Afterword completes Fr. Liebler's account by telling what happened after he and the original workers retired. On the negative side is Zolbrod's 1994 Preface. A couple of friends wondered why it appears to be so negative. Zolbrod is knowledgeable about Navajo history and culture, but seems to know little about Fr. Liebler's thinking. He concedes that Fr. Liebler had good intentions, but assumes that he retained an attitude of superiority of religion, language and culture and that conscious learning was only one-sided. The fact is that Fr. Liebler actively sought out natives who would teach him about their culture and spirituality. His biography can be found at The Highly Adaptable Gospel: A Journey Through the Life of H. Baxter Liebler If one gets past the Preface (or skips it), Fr. Liebler skillfully takes us into a slice of history that few Whites have experienced. His ability to describe the humorous, touching, sad, and maddening is a gift in itself. There are moments when one actually feels like a witness to a particular event. This is a valuable book. It alerts future missionaries to prepare to engage with people where they are, not where we think they should be. It warns us to be more sensitive - some of Fr. Liebler's language is not acceptable today, but his approach was far ahead of its time. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about mission work, anyone who is interested in Navajo and Western culture, and Christians who feel called to evangelize. Here is an example of how to "do" the Gospel - and use words if necessary.