Volume 14, Issue 3, October 2001
Articles
Jonah in Antioch
Charles Hill, pp.245-261
Though the Gospels offer a range of interpretations of the story of Jonah, early commentators found this prophetic book challenging, including those from Antioch. Working from a distinctive form of the Septuagint version, Theodore of Mopsuestia was unnerved by the “novel and extraordinary things” in the book, to which he tried to apply his distinctively literalist approach by having recourse to typology. Aware of his predecessor’s interpretation, and better equipped to handle the text, Theodoret comes closer to the biblical author’s theological and satirical portrait of this intriguing figure for readers in Antioch.
Narrative or History? – A False DilemmaThe Theological Significance of the Historical Jesus
James McEvoy, pp.262-280
The twentieth century saw a paradigm shift in christology from a christology determined by the terminology of the Chalcedonian doctrine to one with a focus on Jesus in the context of his time. A common under-standing of the theological significance of the historical Jesus, however, is yet to be achieved. In the last decade three scholars – William Loewe, Brendan Byrne and Luke Timothy Johnson – have argued that the historical Jesus has limited theological significance. This article examines the way in which these authors understand the relationship between narrative and history and argues for an interpretive view of that relationship. The views of Loewe, Byrne and Johnson are critiqued from this perspective.
The Psychological Analogy for the Trinity: At Odds with Modernity
Neil Ormerod, pp.281-294
The dominant role played by the psychological analogy in Trinitarian theology has largely been rejected by twentieth-century theology. This paper reviews the role of the analogy in the work of Aquinas and argues that the analogy embeds certain philosophical positions deeply at odds with modernity and post-modernity. It further suggests that this embedding may in fact be part of its point, if we view the doctrine of the Trinity as culturally transformative.
Experience and Development in Catholic Moral Theology
Neil Brown, pp.295-312
The Roman Catholic moral tradition appears completely to ignore contemporary human experience. Yet, there is a growing recog-nition by the tradition that such experience does lead to change. The 1993 encyclical, Splendour of Truth, acknowledged such development as integral to the moral teaching of the Catholic Church, while, at the same time, insisting on the preservation of the identity of “faith and morals” in the midst of diversity and change. The author explores what is involved in safeguarding this “identity” of the moral law in the many-layered reality of the moral teaching and life of the Church. A solution is sought in a clearer understanding of how Christian morality, which must preserve its own “integrity” as practical reasoning, receives its distinctive “character” from the faith in Christ on which it is founded. It is this “character”, then, that acts as the final court of appeal for the insights gained in ongoing human experience.
Ecumenics, Teaching Ecumenics and Ecumenical Formation
Alan Falconer, pp.313-325
The article proposes that Ecumenics is an integrative focus for theological study, seeking as it does to study the theological foundations of unity and diversity, and the historic divisions of the churches and the attempts to overcome them. It explores methodologies appropriate to conflict resolution and reconciliation, and examines the history and character of ecumenical initiatives. It makes a key distinction between teaching ecumenically and ecumenics and then proposes three “types” for developing courses in ecumenics. Finally, it outlines particular oppor-tunities and challenges afforded to ecumenical institutes. These include the ability to critically analyse the ecumenical agenda, and to hold the ecumenical memory by reminding churches of ecumenical studies, insights and initiatives already undertaken.
Book Reviews
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology
T. D. Alexander and Brian S. Rosner (eds.)
Michael Symons pp.326-328
Genesis: Procreation and the politics of identity
Mark G. Brett
Tim Bulkeley pp.328-330
The Gospel to the Nations: Perspectives on Paul’s Mission
Peter Bolt and Mark Thompson (eds.)
Nigel Watson pp.330-331
Bearing Fruit in Due Season: Feminist Hermeneutics and the Bible in Worship
Elizabeth J. Smith
Judith E. McKinlay pp.331-333
Theology and Sociology: A Reader
Robin Gill (ed.)
Michael Mason pp.333-335
Approaches to the Study of Religion
<p>Peter Connolly (ed.)</p>
Ross Langmead pp.335-337
The Meeting of Religions and the Trinity
Gavin D’Costa
Neil Ormerod pp.338-339
Living with Other People: An introduction to Christian ethics based on Bernard Lonergan
Kenneth R. Melchin
Kathleen Williams pp.339-341
Mission without Christendom: exploring the site
Martin Sutherland (ed.)
Neil Darragh pp.342-343
Sacramental Orders
Susan K. Wood
Gerard Moore pp.343-345
Christian Responses to the New Age Movement: A Critical Assessment
John A. Saliba
Brett Knowles pp.347-349
Suffering Divine Things: Theology as Church Practice
Reinhard Hütter
Graeme Garrett pp.352-354
Living Beyond Conformity: An Experience of Ministry And Priesthood
Owen Hardwicke
Alan Cadwallader pp.354-357
Bodies of Worship: Explorations in Theory and Practice
Bruce T. Morrill (ed.)
Patrick Fahey pp.357-359
The Five Wounds of Jesus and Personal Transformation
Joseph A. Grassi
Patrick Colbourne pp.359-360
The Reform of the Papacy
John R. Quinn
R. Dominic Brogan pp.360-362
God’s Wisdom: Toward a Theology of Education
Peter C. Hodgson
John B. Koch pp.345-347
A Dangerous Innovator: Mary Ward (1585-1645
Jennifer Cameron
Margaret Press pp.349-351
Contributors
CHARLES HILL is the author of books on the Bible, theology and the Fathers. He has taught on these topics in the Australian Catholic University and the University of Sydney. Among works of the Fathers of the school of Antioch recently translated by him are commentaries by Theodoret of Cyrus on the Psalms (Fathers of the Church), the Song of Songs (ACU) and the Letters of St Paul (Holy Cross Orthodox Press).
JAMES MCEVOY is a priest of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, a member of the Catholic Adult Education Service team, and lectures in systematic theology at the Flinders University School of Theology and the Adelaide College of Divinity. His doctoral thesis examined the concept of freedom in Karl Rahner’s theology and in the thought of Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor.
NEIL ORMEROD lectures in Systematic Theology at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. He has published a number of books, the latest being Method, Meaning and Revelation (Lanham: UPA, 2000). He has had articles published in Pacifica and Theological Studies and is currently researching the use of the social sciences in ecclesiology.
NEIL BROWN received his doctorate in moral theology from the Gregorian University. He is professor of moral theology at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. His latest book is Spirit of the World: The Moral Basis of Christian Spirituality (Sydney: Faith and Culture, 1990). His particular areas of interest are moral reasoning in a faith context and ecological ethics.
ALAN FALCONER is a Church of Scotland minister who lectured at the Irish School of Ecumenics in Dublin from 1974-1995, and from 1990 was Director of the School. He has published extensively on ecumenical themes, particularly in the areas of Systematic Theology, Human Rights and the Reconciliation of Memories. He is currently the Director of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches.
