In his role as priest, Tony Kosnik challenged us all to be adult Catholics and form consciences by which we could make sound and Gospel-centered decisions. In his role as educator, he expanded his students' ability to think and to be their best selves. In his role as friend, he made us feel welcome and accepted in his presence.
The late Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, written upon Tony Kosnik's death in 2017
I have publicly said that Tony Kosnik was the best pastoral theologian in the Catholic Church in the United States. Now we can thank Margaret Stack for this study of his life and work so that readers can understand his marvelous ability to combine his deep knowledge of moral theology with the needs of the people of God. Stack develops the position that the Kosnik book is an important attempt to understand a Christian approach to human sexuality today. Stack's book is a significant contribution to the search for a contemporary Christian understanding of human sexuality.
Charles Curran, Catholic theologian and retired university professor at Southern Methodist University
Margaret Stack's God in the House lovingly describes the remarkable faith-journey of Anthony Kosnik. As widow, friend, and collaborator with the former priest and ethicist, she warmly describes his remarkable life and enriches this inspiring narrative with her expertise as a clinical psychologist.
Suzanne Sattler, IHM, co-author of No Guilty Bystander: The Extraordinary Life of Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
God in the House tells the story of the turbulent recent decades of the Catholic Church through the lens of a courageous priest, an accomplished professional woman and the marriage they forged in sync with values that matter most, especially kindness and humor. Author Margaret Stack draws on her own expertise as a clinical psychologist in recounting the life and teaching of her late husband, the Rev. Anthony Kosnik. Kosnik was the theologian whose prophetic scholarship resulted in his banishment from the seminary where he spent 38 years. Documenting how the Catholic Church lost touch with the ethics of sex, Stack writes: "Tony presented sexual ethics in terms of a set of values to be upheld rather than acts to be avoided."
Bill Mitchell, former publisher of The National Catholic Reporter
I was privileged to know Tony Kosnik, and I'm delighted that his widow Margaret Stack has so well captured his vigorous intellect, his personal warmth, and his all-embracing love of life. At a time when a rigid orthodoxy threatens to engulf religious practice today, Tony Kosnik's more humanistic approach points to a better way.
John Gallagher, journalist and author of Rust Belt Reporter: A Memoir
Peggy Stack has presented Tony's life in all its simplicity and complexity. She both presents the rationale behind his advanced theological understanding of human sexuality and his Christ-like response to all that came into his life, always seeking to respond to others with kindness and concern. For those like myself who are "spiritually inclined," God in the House is an inspiring read!
Tom Lumpkin, Detroit priest active in the Catholic Worker Movement
