The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

Summary

Christopher Hitchens delivers a trenchant critique of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity, arguing that her celebrated image masked a pattern of troubling practices and moral inconsistencies. The book contends that what many saw as saintly compassion often amounted to a public relations operation that obscured inadequate medical care, a theological embrace of suffering, and cozy relationships with corrupt or authoritarian political figures. Hitchens frames these issues as not merely personal failings but symptomatic of a broader problem: when religious authority meets celebrity, scrutiny dwindles and myths harden into unexamined truths.

Main Arguments

Hitchens charges that the homes run by the Missionaries of Charity often provided substandard care: inadequate pain relief, a lack of trained medical personnel, and conditions that sometimes prioritized ritual and piety over practical medical treatment. He argues that Mother Teresa's rhetoric glorified suffering, treating it as spiritually redemptive rather than something to be alleviated. The book also highlights her vocal opposition to abortion and contraception, presenting these stances as part of a conservative moral platform that aligned her with political and religious elites rather than with effective strategies for reducing poverty and disease.

Evidence and Method

The critique is built from a combination of on-the-ground reporting, interviews with former volunteers and staff, examination of financial records and donations, and a close reading of Mother Teresa's public statements. Hitchens points to donations from controversial figures and regimes, public endorsements by powerful politicians, and opaque financial practices to argue that moral compromises accompanied the flow of money and acclaim. He interrogates publicity strategies and the role of the media and humanitarian institutions in manufacturing a largely uncritical narrative around her persona.

Style and Tone

The book's tone is unapologetically polemical and frequently sardonic, using sharp rhetoric and moral indignation to unsettle the reader's assumptions. Hitchens blends investigative detail with philosophical critique, linking specific allegations of mismanagement and hypocrisy to larger questions about sainthood, charitable authority, and the social function of religious institutions. The confrontational voice aims to provoke debate and to challenge the automatic deference often afforded to figures wrapped in sanctity.

Reception and Impact

Reactions to the book were sharply divided. Some praised the work for breaking a cultural taboo and forcing public scrutiny of a near-untouchable icon, arguing that transparency in charitable work is essential. Others accused Hitchens of selective sourcing, rhetorical excess, and a lack of charity in his critique, defending Mother Teresa's lifelong service to the poor. Regardless of stance, the book stimulated renewed discussion about humanitarian ethics, the intersection of faith and politics, and the need to evaluate charitable outcomes rather than reputations alone.

Conclusion

The examination offers a provocative reassessment of a global symbol, pressing readers to separate image from impact and to ask harder questions about the accountability of those who claim moral authority. By combining anecdote, research, and polemic, the account insists that reverence should not preclude rigorous inquiry into how good intentions are translated into action.