This blog explores both historical and current events guided by the thought of the leading thinkers, past and present, of this school or movement of theology. Refer to the Classic Posts, Great and Contemporary Thinkers, various links of all kinds, in addition to the Archives themselves. David is the founder and manager of this website, but many friends contribute to it on a regular basis.
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Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Most Important Works of Theology in the Past 25 Years
Giussani - The Religious Sense could be the third most important work of theology in the last 25 years.
In the last 50 I would have to say: The 16 docs of Vatican II Balthasar - Lone Alone Is Credible and/or The Threefold Garland Ratzinger - Intro. to Christianity
In the last 100 I would have to say: K. Adams - The Spirit of Catholicism de Lubac - Surnatural and/or Catholicism Lewis - Mere Christianity
I don't think I'd include the CCC or Compendium of Social Doctrine, only because those are catechetical texts, and not strict theology. Now, if the category were most important Christian texts (in general), then I'd include the CCC.
I came across this meme a couple weeks ago... it's tough to say, if we're limiting it to 25 years. Apart from TOTB, I'm not sure that there's that much that can stack up to the previous 25 or 75 years. Yeah, as I think more about it, I think 25 years is too soon. I'm pretty confident that some of the texts from the resurgent Thomistic movement will be seen as notable, but at this point they are also too new to judge historically.
Going back to 1957, though... well, I'll have to think on that, too!
Very interesting. You can certainly see how these people became excited as they encountered, often through Patristics, what the Church really is. Giussani is a master of living in our age, and yet guiding us to new heights.
25 years? And bona fide theologians only? I would have to say the theology of JPII, hands down. After that Jospeh Ratzinger. These are in my opinion without peer and not just because they became popes. The combine breathtaking brilliance and heart and complete undersstanding and fidelity in their work. They also sought to bring laypersons into an understanding of theology / philosophy.
I cannot call any other theologian truly major comparatively in the last 25 years. Schindler is unheard of by most laymen and therefore suffers in terms of relevance, though I am grateful for his work.
100 years? I would have to say Karl Adams, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P, Louis Bouyer, Josef Pieper, Jacques Maritain, Balthasar,Yves Congar, the rest I read somewhat critically / dialectically and do not think any to be truly major (for my purposes as a layman) in terms of widespread orthodox relevance except Karl Rahner with a few reservations. Kung and a others were influential, but not orthodox.
But there have been the great spiritual luminaries: Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin and Mother Teresa. Many evangelical theologians in the ecumenical sphere... But truly, apart from JPII and Ratzinger.
Have any of you read John Zizoulas' Being as Communion? I haven't, but it made the top 5 of this meme, and everybody I know who has read it has raved about it.
8 comments:
I just don't think I've read a lot that was published in the last 25 years. How about the last 50 years?
Fred
100 is even better!
But in the last 25 I would have to say:
CCC
Theology of the Body
Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine
For sure the first two... Both will have an huge impact for centuries to come for billions of Catholics and non-Catholics.
Giussani - The Religious Sense could be the third most important work of theology in the last 25 years.
In the last 50 I would have to say:
The 16 docs of Vatican II
Balthasar - Lone Alone Is Credible and/or The Threefold Garland
Ratzinger - Intro. to Christianity
In the last 100 I would have to say:
K. Adams - The Spirit of Catholicism
de Lubac - Surnatural and/or Catholicism
Lewis - Mere Christianity
I don't think I'd include the CCC or Compendium of Social Doctrine, only because those are catechetical texts, and not strict theology. Now, if the category were most important Christian texts (in general), then I'd include the CCC.
I came across this meme a couple weeks ago... it's tough to say, if we're limiting it to 25 years. Apart from TOTB, I'm not sure that there's that much that can stack up to the previous 25 or 75 years. Yeah, as I think more about it, I think 25 years is too soon. I'm pretty confident that some of the texts from the resurgent Thomistic movement will be seen as notable, but at this point they are also too new to judge historically.
Going back to 1957, though... well, I'll have to think on that, too!
Very interesting. You can certainly see how these people became excited as they encountered, often through Patristics, what the Church really is. Giussani is a master of living in our age, and yet guiding us to new heights.
Thanks for the e-mail.
Father Meinrad, OSB
25 years? And bona fide theologians only? I would have to say the theology of JPII, hands down. After that Jospeh Ratzinger. These are in my opinion without peer and not just because they became popes. The combine breathtaking brilliance and heart and complete undersstanding and fidelity in their work. They also sought to bring laypersons into an understanding of theology / philosophy.
I cannot call any other theologian truly major comparatively in the last 25 years. Schindler is unheard of by most laymen and therefore suffers in terms of relevance, though I am grateful for his work.
100 years? I would have to say Karl Adams, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P, Louis Bouyer, Josef Pieper, Jacques Maritain, Balthasar,Yves Congar, the rest I read somewhat critically / dialectically and do not think any to be truly major (for my purposes as a layman) in terms of widespread orthodox relevance except Karl Rahner with a few reservations. Kung and a others were influential, but not orthodox.
But there have been the great spiritual luminaries: Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin and Mother Teresa. Many evangelical theologians in the ecumenical sphere... But truly, apart from JPII and Ratzinger.
S. Hand - TCRnews.com
Have any of you read John Zizoulas' Being as Communion? I haven't, but it made the top 5 of this meme, and everybody I know who has read it has raved about it.
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