synecdoche

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Feb 01, 2008

Father Richard John Neuhaus of First Things has charged CWN editor Phil Lawler with committing synecdoche, and since makes the accusation twice in the course of a short online review of Phil's new book, it can't be ignored.

But after a quick trip to the dictionary I'm confident that Phil won't be terribly upset. Especially when Father Neuhaus-- having said that the book will get further treatment in the print version of First Things, and made a few critical remarks in passing-- concludes his treatment this way:

Those and other caveats aside, The Faithful Departed is the best book-length treatment of the sex abuse crisis, its origins and larger implications, published to date.