In fairness to TIME, the words of Hitchens (included, no doubt, out of a desire for "balance") are more than compensated for by those of three priests--the Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk (who edited the book); the Rev. James Martin (“an editor at the Jesuit magazine America”); and the Rev. Matthew Lamb (“chairman of the theology department at the conservative Ave Maria University”).

And I wouldn't characterize TIME's title, "Crisis of Faith," as "spin." If it is spin, it's the same as the spin of your own post's title. Dark night of the soul, crisis of faith--you say tomato, TIME says tomahto.

Here are some of Mother Teresa's own words, as quoted in the article:

"Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love — and now become as the most hated one — the one — You have thrown away as unwanted — unloved. I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone ... Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith...."

"Crisis of faith" seems a fair enough description of these words, and not all that different from the book publisher's own characterization of Mother Teresa's experience as an "intense trial of faith." Trial of faith, crisis of faith--Doubleday says tomato, TIME says tomahto....

And the "spin" that TIME reporter David Van Biema puts on the crisis is quite positive: "Teresa considered the perceived absence of God in her life as her most shameful secret," he writes, "but eventually learned that it could be seen as a gift abetting her calling." Biema ends with the suggestion that "happily, even wonderfully," Teresa's "troubled notes" will "ease the spiritual road of thousands of fellow believers."

Definitely a positive article overall.