Peter McGregor | Catholic Institute of Sydney (original) (raw)
Papers by Peter McGregor
Journal of Moral Theology, 2024
This essay will examine how the Australian Plenary Council and the church revealed in the New Tes... more This essay will examine how the Australian Plenary Council and the church revealed in the New Testament can help us come to a deeper understanding of the nature and practice of synodality. The first part will look at how the Plenary Council was envisaged as a response to the call for synodality, the preparations for, the composition of its membership, and the foci of the Council's deliberations, so as to make suggestions about how a Synod could be organised and conducted. This could be called an investigation into the "body" of synodality. The second part will examine the church in the New Testament from the perspective of being in both koinonia and homothumadon, in the hope that such an investigation can help us develop a synodal process which, through both "listening" and "looking," can come as close as possible to consensus. This could be called an investigation into the "soul" of synodality.
Communio: International Catholic Review, 2024
Heresy has been the constant companion of the Church from the very beginning. From the "circumcis... more Heresy has been the constant companion of the Church from the very beginning. From the "circumcisers" who confronted the Apostles (cf. Acts 15:1-2 and Gal 2:11-21) to the pluralists who believe in a "cosmic Christ," 1 we cannot find a time when the Church has been free of heresy. However, the fact of heresy is not the issue. The two issues are: 1) Why do believers fall into
Homiletic and Pastoral Review, 2023
I have a personal motto, one that unfortunately I don't always follow: don't read the comments!!!... more I have a personal motto, one that unfortunately I don't always follow: don't read the comments!!! I am referring to the comments that often accompany posts on Facebook, or blogs, or other social media. My reason for avoiding them is to avoid the distress, anger, and even shame that I feel when reading how people nowadays often speak to each other. These feelings are increased tenfold when the people concerned are Catholics. The hatred and condemnation, vitriol and bile that I encounter reminds me of what St. Paul wrote to the
Wroclaw Theological Review, 2023
Placing Joseph Ratzinger within the "Synthetic" Tradition.. . of the Theological Anthropology of ... more Placing Joseph Ratzinger within the "Synthetic" Tradition.. . of the Theological Anthropology of the Heart Nauczanie Josepha Ratzingera na tle "syntetycznej" tradycji teologicznej antropologii serca Abstr act: This article begins with a chronological outline of the two main "traditions" of understanding the heart: the "analytic" tradition which treats the heart as a particular faculty of the human person, and the "synthetic" tradition which treats it as in some way transcending a particular faculty. Then, it looks at the contemporary search for a theological anthropology of the heart. Following this, it examines Joseph Ratzinger's theological anthropology of the heart. More specifically, it looks at this understanding as found in his commentary on Gaudium et Spes, his assessment of the patristic understanding of the heart, and as revealed in his Jesus of Nazareth and Mary: The Church at the Source. Then, it investigates his symbolic theology of the Father's heart, followed by how both the human heart and the Father's heart are revealed in the heart of Jesus. It concludes with a few thoughts on how a synthetic theological anthropology of the heart might assist us in healing our contemporary anthropological disintegration.
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2024
This article responds to Professor Robyn Horner's attempt to rebut the claim that the Enhancing C... more This article responds to Professor Robyn Horner's attempt to rebut the claim that the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project is antithetical to the evangelizing mission of the Church. It does so by engaging in a deeper analysis of some key concepts in the theology undergirding the Project: literal belief, immanence, presence, symbol, recontextualisation, interruption, and hermeneutics. It points out Horner's misunderstanding of evangelization and draws attention to the fact that she does not attempt to rebut my critique of the Project's understanding of faith and reason. It concludes by presenting a fundamental theological flaw of the Project: the absence of pneumatology.
Internationaal katholiek Tijdschrift Communio , 2023
eJournal of Theology, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement of the establishment of a Pontifical Council for New Evan... more Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement of the establishment of a Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation once more raises the question of the meaning of 'new evangelisation'. The aim of this essay is to establish just what is 'new' in 'new evangelisation'. This will be done through an analysis of how Pope John Paul II used the term and employed the concept. The author argues that although in Redemptoris Missio John Paul II used the term to refer to the reevangelisation of formerly Christian nations in the 'developed' world, his initial use of the term was in the context of the 'developing world', and that his use of the concept extended to the whole of the Church's mission, including the mission ad Gentes. He also maintains that Benedict XVI's understanding of 'new evangelisation' is essentially the same. The author concludes by giving his own 'synoptic' account of John Paul II's understanding of 'new evangelisation'-how in that understanding the Holy Spirit is bringing about a 'new world' more open to receive the Gospel, and that the same Spirit, through a 'new Pentecost', is giving birth to a 'new Church' better prepared to proclaim the Gospel.
Australasian Catholic Record, 2019
In his commentary on the first chapter of Gaudium et Spes, Joseph Ratzinger writes the following:... more In his commentary on the first chapter of Gaudium et Spes, Joseph Ratzinger writes the following: '[The] organ by which God can be seen cannot be a non-historical "ratio naturalis" which just does not exist, but only the ratio pura, i.e. purificata or, as Augustine expresses it echoing the Gospel, the cor purum'. 1 The question that this article addresses is: What does it mean to theologise with a cor purum? An answer to this question will be attempted via the work of Ratzinger. In order to arrive at an answer, three particular questions must be addressed: For Ratzinger, what is theology, what is the heart, and what is a pure heart? What Is Theology? In a talk entitled 'Was ist Theologie?' Ratzinger drew attention to the ancient Greek use of the word theologia to designate, not a human science, but the divine discourse itself. 2 For this reason the Greeks designated as 'theologians' only those who could be regarded as instruments of the divine discourse. So, Aristotle drew a distinction between theologia and theologike, between theology and the study of theology, between the divine discourse and the human effort to understand it. Pseudo-Dionysius used the word 'theology' to *
Vigilia, 2022
Pope Francis's call for a more synodal Church is still something that has been more discussed tha... more Pope Francis's call for a more synodal Church is still something that has been more discussed than implemented. The 2022 Synod on Synodality will continue the discussion. However, there are a least two places in the world were there has been more than talk-Germany and Australia. The Church in the former is in the midst of what is being called a "synodal way".
Pro Ecclesia, 2012
Does the Eucharist have a role to play in the salvation of all people, and, if so, what role migh... more Does the Eucharist have a role to play in the salvation of all people, and, if so, what role might it have? In Salvation outside the Church Francis Sullivan states that in the Eucharist the church offers the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of all. 1 He points out that, according to Gaudium et Spes, "the Holy Spirit, in a manner known only to God, offers to every man the possibility of being associated with the paschal mystery/' and that "if the Church is to be the universal sacrament of salvation, it is not enough that it be a sign; it must also serve as an instrument of salvation." 2 He claims that in Lumen Gentium there is an analogous relationship between the humanity of Christ as an instrument of the divine Word in the work of salvation and the church as the instrument of the Holy Spirit in bringing the grace of Christ to every human person. 3 He proposes that this instrumental role of the church is carried out through its mission as a "priestly people," offering spiritual sacrifices to God. 4 Moreover, he reminds us of the teaching of Pope Pius XII that Jesus, dying on the cross. .. left to his Church the immense treasury of the redemption.. .. But when these graces are to be distributed, not only
Pro Ecclesia, 2016
way into other works." 3 The essential theory of this spiritual Christology is to be found in Beh... more way into other works." 3 The essential theory of this spiritual Christology is to be found in Behold the Pierced One. Subsequent to this work, one can perceive instances of Ratzinger's spiritual Christology in many other works, including his Principles of Catholic Theology, The Nature and Mission of Theology, Verbum Domini, Spe salvi, A New Song for the Lord, The Spirit of the Liturgy and God is Near Us. However, the most comprehensive presentation of it is to be found in his three-volume Jesus of Nazareth, and in Deus Caritas Est and Sacramentum caritatis. This spiritual Christology is composed of three elements: seven Christological theses, a theology of the heart, and a Eucharistic spirituality. Beginning with the theses, the first "filial" thesis is that the center of Jesus's life and person is his intimate communion with the Father, his prayer. The second "soteriological" thesis is that Jesus died praying. Who he is (Christology) and what he does (soteriology) come together in his sacrificial offering of himself on the cross. The third "personal" thesis is that since prayer is the center of the person of Jesus "it is essential to participate in his prayer if we are to know and understand him." The fourth "ecclesial" thesis is that "sharing in Jesus' praying requires communion with all his brethren." The fifth "dogmatic" thesis is that the teaching of Chalcedon faithfully interprets the data of biblical Christology. The sixth "volitional" thesis is that it is only the teaching of the Constantinople III regarding the will of Jesus which enables the dogma of Chalcedon to yield its full meaning. The seventh "hermeneutical" thesis is that only a hermeneutic of faith is able to "hold fast [to] the entire testimony of the sources" and overcome the temporal, cultural, and national differences between people. Ratzinger's conclusion to his theses is that: "Christology is born of prayer or not at all." 4 An analysis of these seven theses reveals that four of them-the filial, soteriological, dogmatic, and volitional-constitute the content of Ratzinger's spiritual Christology. The remaining personal, ecclesial, and hermeneutical theses are methodological. The second element, a theology of the heart, also has its content and method. The content is an anthropology of the human heart, a theology of the Father's heart, and a Christology and ecclesiology of the heart of Jesus. 5 Ratzinger's anthropology of the heart, rather than treating the heart as identical with the human person or as a particular faculty of the person, treats it as the integrating principle of the person. This anthropology is drawn from the presentation of the heart in Sacred Scripture as well as Stoic philosophy, and the teachings of Origen,
Radical Orthodoxy: Theology Philosophy Politics, 2019
Rahner was critical of Lonergan's theological methodology because, in Rahner's estimation, it dis... more Rahner was critical of Lonergan's theological methodology because, in Rahner's estimation, it disregarded the "completely peculiar and unique relatedness to the concrete person of Jesus, which is not only distinct to Christian faith and life but also, for that reason, distinct to Christian theology." 1 While regarding Lonergan's method as appropriate for non-theological sciences, he thought that it treated God as "some arbitrary object within the field of categorical objects" rather than "the incomprehensible mystery which can never be subsumed among the objects of the remaining sciences in a similar method." 2 More recently, Aidan Nichols has criticised Lonergan's theological methodology on the basis that "the distinctiveness of the Christian faith on his view is not a very interesting distinctiveness. It means in effect that Christianity has the key to what is going on
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2012
This article examines John Paul II's understanding of the universal work of the Holy Spirit and t... more This article examines John Paul II's understanding of the universal work of the Holy Spirit and the possible salvific role of other religions. It examines various critiques of his thought on these questions and concludes that, for him, the work of the Holy Spirit is never separated from the work of Christ. It maintains that, for John Paul II, there is no salvation apart from Christ, the Holy Spirit is working in every human heart, there are spiritual riches in other religions through which God can influence people, these 'seeds of the Word' are preparations for the fullness of the Gospel, and the Church plays a necessary role in mediating salvation to all. Dialogue with other religions and respect for their spiritual riches are not opposed to evangelization; rather, such dialogue and respect are expressions of evangelization.
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2012
Pope John Paul II understood the mission of the Church to be a participation in the priestly, pro... more Pope John Paul II understood the mission of the Church to be a participation in the priestly, prophetic, and royal mission of Christ. This essay follows the development of this understanding from his time as Archbishop of Cracow though to Evangelium vitae. It examines, in particular, evangelization and its relationship to the threefold mission. It traces its development through his integration of the teaching of Lumen gentium on the threefold office of Christians and the teaching on evangelization in Evangelii nuntiandi. Noting that the Lineamenta of the Synod on New Evangelization makes little reference to the threefold office, it, finally, offers some ideas as to how we might develop our understanding of the threefold mission and apply it to 'new evangelization.'
The Journal of Gospel and Acts Research, 2019
Although the motifs of repentance and conversion in the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of ... more Although the motifs of repentance and conversion in the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are ubiquitous, there has been little investigation into what Luke actually means by these terms. This article will seek to define how Luke uses these terms-what he actually means by metanoia, metanoeo, epistrepho, epistrephe, and kardia. Having done so, it will argue that, for Luke, the heart is the locus of repentance and conversion. It will conclude with presenting a summation of what Luke considers the nature of this turning from sin and turning to God in the heart to be.
Dutch translation of Irish Theological Quarterly article: The Leuven Project: Enhancing Catholic ... more Dutch translation of Irish Theological Quarterly article: The Leuven Project: Enhancing Catholic School Identity
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2022
The stated aim of the Leuven Project is to help Catholic schools respond to the cultural and reli... more The stated aim of the Leuven Project is to help Catholic schools respond to the cultural and religious changes taking place in a pluralised and secularised society. In this new environment, the ideal Catholic school should be a 'recontextualising' school. This article examines the nature of the Project, and how it proposes to enhance Catholic school identity. It analyses the terminology that the Project uses and seeks to lay bare its epistemological and theological premises to critique them. In this critique, the key terms that are analysed and placed within their epistemological and theological contexts are 'literal belief,' 'post-critical belief,
In response to Pope Francis's call for greater synodality in the Church, the Catholic Church in A... more In response to Pope Francis's call for greater synodality in the Church, the Catholic Church in Australia has been preparing for a plenary council. Both Pope Francis and those preparing for the council have especially stressed the need to listen to the Holy Spirit through listening to each other. It is the burden of this article that while such 'listening' is necessary it is not sufficient. Using the plenary council as an example, and engaging with the work of the International Theological Commission and Ormond Rush on the sensus fidelium and synodality, it will be argued that although 'listening' is an essential prerequisite for success, for true synodality to occur we must also be 'looking' in order to see what the Holy Spirit is already 'doing' in the Church. This argument will be supported by examining the biblical meaning of koinonia (communion) and homothumadon (of one accord). These are essential for discerning what the Spirit wishes to say at this time to the Church.
Some especially insightful and challenging passages in Evangelii Gaudium are those on the importa... more Some especially insightful and challenging passages in Evangelii Gaudium are those on the importance of a personal encounter with Jesus, the evangelizing power of popular piety, person to person witness, and the need for the power of the Holy Spirit. However, in order to do full justice to the mission of the Church, the document requires more on the priestly aspect of this mission. This element is substantially absent, in part, because of Francis's veneration of Evangelii Nuntiandi. However, this absent element can be obtained from the missiology of Lumen Gentium, John Paul II, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Based on an analysis of the meaning of leitourgia in the New Testament, this article concludes that this missing element can serve as a link between Pope Francis's kerygma and diakonia, enabling a harmony which has been missing, to greater or lesser degrees, from the Church's mission in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Radical Orthodoxy Theology Philosophy Politics, Sep 6, 2013
n 1979 the International Theological Commission asserted that the 'quest for the historical Jesus... more n 1979 the International Theological Commission asserted that the 'quest for the historical Jesus' carried out by some biblical scholars, combined with a tendency to make our humanity the prime analogate of Christ's humanity, was leading towards a certain dualism in Christology. The Commission encouraged Catholic theologians to overcome this dualistic separation between the 'Jesus of history' and the 'glorified Christ' by turning towards the dyotheletism of the Third Council of Constantinople in order to reassert the intrinsic unity of divinity and humanity in Christ. 1 In 1984 Joseph Ratzinger published a collection of Christological meditations and reflections with the title Behold the Pierced One. 2 In its preface, he recounts how the composition of one of these 'meditations' in 1981 had led him to
Journal of Moral Theology, 2024
This essay will examine how the Australian Plenary Council and the church revealed in the New Tes... more This essay will examine how the Australian Plenary Council and the church revealed in the New Testament can help us come to a deeper understanding of the nature and practice of synodality. The first part will look at how the Plenary Council was envisaged as a response to the call for synodality, the preparations for, the composition of its membership, and the foci of the Council's deliberations, so as to make suggestions about how a Synod could be organised and conducted. This could be called an investigation into the "body" of synodality. The second part will examine the church in the New Testament from the perspective of being in both koinonia and homothumadon, in the hope that such an investigation can help us develop a synodal process which, through both "listening" and "looking," can come as close as possible to consensus. This could be called an investigation into the "soul" of synodality.
Communio: International Catholic Review, 2024
Heresy has been the constant companion of the Church from the very beginning. From the "circumcis... more Heresy has been the constant companion of the Church from the very beginning. From the "circumcisers" who confronted the Apostles (cf. Acts 15:1-2 and Gal 2:11-21) to the pluralists who believe in a "cosmic Christ," 1 we cannot find a time when the Church has been free of heresy. However, the fact of heresy is not the issue. The two issues are: 1) Why do believers fall into
Homiletic and Pastoral Review, 2023
I have a personal motto, one that unfortunately I don't always follow: don't read the comments!!!... more I have a personal motto, one that unfortunately I don't always follow: don't read the comments!!! I am referring to the comments that often accompany posts on Facebook, or blogs, or other social media. My reason for avoiding them is to avoid the distress, anger, and even shame that I feel when reading how people nowadays often speak to each other. These feelings are increased tenfold when the people concerned are Catholics. The hatred and condemnation, vitriol and bile that I encounter reminds me of what St. Paul wrote to the
Wroclaw Theological Review, 2023
Placing Joseph Ratzinger within the "Synthetic" Tradition.. . of the Theological Anthropology of ... more Placing Joseph Ratzinger within the "Synthetic" Tradition.. . of the Theological Anthropology of the Heart Nauczanie Josepha Ratzingera na tle "syntetycznej" tradycji teologicznej antropologii serca Abstr act: This article begins with a chronological outline of the two main "traditions" of understanding the heart: the "analytic" tradition which treats the heart as a particular faculty of the human person, and the "synthetic" tradition which treats it as in some way transcending a particular faculty. Then, it looks at the contemporary search for a theological anthropology of the heart. Following this, it examines Joseph Ratzinger's theological anthropology of the heart. More specifically, it looks at this understanding as found in his commentary on Gaudium et Spes, his assessment of the patristic understanding of the heart, and as revealed in his Jesus of Nazareth and Mary: The Church at the Source. Then, it investigates his symbolic theology of the Father's heart, followed by how both the human heart and the Father's heart are revealed in the heart of Jesus. It concludes with a few thoughts on how a synthetic theological anthropology of the heart might assist us in healing our contemporary anthropological disintegration.
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2024
This article responds to Professor Robyn Horner's attempt to rebut the claim that the Enhancing C... more This article responds to Professor Robyn Horner's attempt to rebut the claim that the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project is antithetical to the evangelizing mission of the Church. It does so by engaging in a deeper analysis of some key concepts in the theology undergirding the Project: literal belief, immanence, presence, symbol, recontextualisation, interruption, and hermeneutics. It points out Horner's misunderstanding of evangelization and draws attention to the fact that she does not attempt to rebut my critique of the Project's understanding of faith and reason. It concludes by presenting a fundamental theological flaw of the Project: the absence of pneumatology.
Internationaal katholiek Tijdschrift Communio , 2023
eJournal of Theology, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement of the establishment of a Pontifical Council for New Evan... more Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement of the establishment of a Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation once more raises the question of the meaning of 'new evangelisation'. The aim of this essay is to establish just what is 'new' in 'new evangelisation'. This will be done through an analysis of how Pope John Paul II used the term and employed the concept. The author argues that although in Redemptoris Missio John Paul II used the term to refer to the reevangelisation of formerly Christian nations in the 'developed' world, his initial use of the term was in the context of the 'developing world', and that his use of the concept extended to the whole of the Church's mission, including the mission ad Gentes. He also maintains that Benedict XVI's understanding of 'new evangelisation' is essentially the same. The author concludes by giving his own 'synoptic' account of John Paul II's understanding of 'new evangelisation'-how in that understanding the Holy Spirit is bringing about a 'new world' more open to receive the Gospel, and that the same Spirit, through a 'new Pentecost', is giving birth to a 'new Church' better prepared to proclaim the Gospel.
Australasian Catholic Record, 2019
In his commentary on the first chapter of Gaudium et Spes, Joseph Ratzinger writes the following:... more In his commentary on the first chapter of Gaudium et Spes, Joseph Ratzinger writes the following: '[The] organ by which God can be seen cannot be a non-historical "ratio naturalis" which just does not exist, but only the ratio pura, i.e. purificata or, as Augustine expresses it echoing the Gospel, the cor purum'. 1 The question that this article addresses is: What does it mean to theologise with a cor purum? An answer to this question will be attempted via the work of Ratzinger. In order to arrive at an answer, three particular questions must be addressed: For Ratzinger, what is theology, what is the heart, and what is a pure heart? What Is Theology? In a talk entitled 'Was ist Theologie?' Ratzinger drew attention to the ancient Greek use of the word theologia to designate, not a human science, but the divine discourse itself. 2 For this reason the Greeks designated as 'theologians' only those who could be regarded as instruments of the divine discourse. So, Aristotle drew a distinction between theologia and theologike, between theology and the study of theology, between the divine discourse and the human effort to understand it. Pseudo-Dionysius used the word 'theology' to *
Vigilia, 2022
Pope Francis's call for a more synodal Church is still something that has been more discussed tha... more Pope Francis's call for a more synodal Church is still something that has been more discussed than implemented. The 2022 Synod on Synodality will continue the discussion. However, there are a least two places in the world were there has been more than talk-Germany and Australia. The Church in the former is in the midst of what is being called a "synodal way".
Pro Ecclesia, 2012
Does the Eucharist have a role to play in the salvation of all people, and, if so, what role migh... more Does the Eucharist have a role to play in the salvation of all people, and, if so, what role might it have? In Salvation outside the Church Francis Sullivan states that in the Eucharist the church offers the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of all. 1 He points out that, according to Gaudium et Spes, "the Holy Spirit, in a manner known only to God, offers to every man the possibility of being associated with the paschal mystery/' and that "if the Church is to be the universal sacrament of salvation, it is not enough that it be a sign; it must also serve as an instrument of salvation." 2 He claims that in Lumen Gentium there is an analogous relationship between the humanity of Christ as an instrument of the divine Word in the work of salvation and the church as the instrument of the Holy Spirit in bringing the grace of Christ to every human person. 3 He proposes that this instrumental role of the church is carried out through its mission as a "priestly people," offering spiritual sacrifices to God. 4 Moreover, he reminds us of the teaching of Pope Pius XII that Jesus, dying on the cross. .. left to his Church the immense treasury of the redemption.. .. But when these graces are to be distributed, not only
Pro Ecclesia, 2016
way into other works." 3 The essential theory of this spiritual Christology is to be found in Beh... more way into other works." 3 The essential theory of this spiritual Christology is to be found in Behold the Pierced One. Subsequent to this work, one can perceive instances of Ratzinger's spiritual Christology in many other works, including his Principles of Catholic Theology, The Nature and Mission of Theology, Verbum Domini, Spe salvi, A New Song for the Lord, The Spirit of the Liturgy and God is Near Us. However, the most comprehensive presentation of it is to be found in his three-volume Jesus of Nazareth, and in Deus Caritas Est and Sacramentum caritatis. This spiritual Christology is composed of three elements: seven Christological theses, a theology of the heart, and a Eucharistic spirituality. Beginning with the theses, the first "filial" thesis is that the center of Jesus's life and person is his intimate communion with the Father, his prayer. The second "soteriological" thesis is that Jesus died praying. Who he is (Christology) and what he does (soteriology) come together in his sacrificial offering of himself on the cross. The third "personal" thesis is that since prayer is the center of the person of Jesus "it is essential to participate in his prayer if we are to know and understand him." The fourth "ecclesial" thesis is that "sharing in Jesus' praying requires communion with all his brethren." The fifth "dogmatic" thesis is that the teaching of Chalcedon faithfully interprets the data of biblical Christology. The sixth "volitional" thesis is that it is only the teaching of the Constantinople III regarding the will of Jesus which enables the dogma of Chalcedon to yield its full meaning. The seventh "hermeneutical" thesis is that only a hermeneutic of faith is able to "hold fast [to] the entire testimony of the sources" and overcome the temporal, cultural, and national differences between people. Ratzinger's conclusion to his theses is that: "Christology is born of prayer or not at all." 4 An analysis of these seven theses reveals that four of them-the filial, soteriological, dogmatic, and volitional-constitute the content of Ratzinger's spiritual Christology. The remaining personal, ecclesial, and hermeneutical theses are methodological. The second element, a theology of the heart, also has its content and method. The content is an anthropology of the human heart, a theology of the Father's heart, and a Christology and ecclesiology of the heart of Jesus. 5 Ratzinger's anthropology of the heart, rather than treating the heart as identical with the human person or as a particular faculty of the person, treats it as the integrating principle of the person. This anthropology is drawn from the presentation of the heart in Sacred Scripture as well as Stoic philosophy, and the teachings of Origen,
Radical Orthodoxy: Theology Philosophy Politics, 2019
Rahner was critical of Lonergan's theological methodology because, in Rahner's estimation, it dis... more Rahner was critical of Lonergan's theological methodology because, in Rahner's estimation, it disregarded the "completely peculiar and unique relatedness to the concrete person of Jesus, which is not only distinct to Christian faith and life but also, for that reason, distinct to Christian theology." 1 While regarding Lonergan's method as appropriate for non-theological sciences, he thought that it treated God as "some arbitrary object within the field of categorical objects" rather than "the incomprehensible mystery which can never be subsumed among the objects of the remaining sciences in a similar method." 2 More recently, Aidan Nichols has criticised Lonergan's theological methodology on the basis that "the distinctiveness of the Christian faith on his view is not a very interesting distinctiveness. It means in effect that Christianity has the key to what is going on
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2012
This article examines John Paul II's understanding of the universal work of the Holy Spirit and t... more This article examines John Paul II's understanding of the universal work of the Holy Spirit and the possible salvific role of other religions. It examines various critiques of his thought on these questions and concludes that, for him, the work of the Holy Spirit is never separated from the work of Christ. It maintains that, for John Paul II, there is no salvation apart from Christ, the Holy Spirit is working in every human heart, there are spiritual riches in other religions through which God can influence people, these 'seeds of the Word' are preparations for the fullness of the Gospel, and the Church plays a necessary role in mediating salvation to all. Dialogue with other religions and respect for their spiritual riches are not opposed to evangelization; rather, such dialogue and respect are expressions of evangelization.
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2012
Pope John Paul II understood the mission of the Church to be a participation in the priestly, pro... more Pope John Paul II understood the mission of the Church to be a participation in the priestly, prophetic, and royal mission of Christ. This essay follows the development of this understanding from his time as Archbishop of Cracow though to Evangelium vitae. It examines, in particular, evangelization and its relationship to the threefold mission. It traces its development through his integration of the teaching of Lumen gentium on the threefold office of Christians and the teaching on evangelization in Evangelii nuntiandi. Noting that the Lineamenta of the Synod on New Evangelization makes little reference to the threefold office, it, finally, offers some ideas as to how we might develop our understanding of the threefold mission and apply it to 'new evangelization.'
The Journal of Gospel and Acts Research, 2019
Although the motifs of repentance and conversion in the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of ... more Although the motifs of repentance and conversion in the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are ubiquitous, there has been little investigation into what Luke actually means by these terms. This article will seek to define how Luke uses these terms-what he actually means by metanoia, metanoeo, epistrepho, epistrephe, and kardia. Having done so, it will argue that, for Luke, the heart is the locus of repentance and conversion. It will conclude with presenting a summation of what Luke considers the nature of this turning from sin and turning to God in the heart to be.
Dutch translation of Irish Theological Quarterly article: The Leuven Project: Enhancing Catholic ... more Dutch translation of Irish Theological Quarterly article: The Leuven Project: Enhancing Catholic School Identity
Irish Theological Quarterly, 2022
The stated aim of the Leuven Project is to help Catholic schools respond to the cultural and reli... more The stated aim of the Leuven Project is to help Catholic schools respond to the cultural and religious changes taking place in a pluralised and secularised society. In this new environment, the ideal Catholic school should be a 'recontextualising' school. This article examines the nature of the Project, and how it proposes to enhance Catholic school identity. It analyses the terminology that the Project uses and seeks to lay bare its epistemological and theological premises to critique them. In this critique, the key terms that are analysed and placed within their epistemological and theological contexts are 'literal belief,' 'post-critical belief,
In response to Pope Francis's call for greater synodality in the Church, the Catholic Church in A... more In response to Pope Francis's call for greater synodality in the Church, the Catholic Church in Australia has been preparing for a plenary council. Both Pope Francis and those preparing for the council have especially stressed the need to listen to the Holy Spirit through listening to each other. It is the burden of this article that while such 'listening' is necessary it is not sufficient. Using the plenary council as an example, and engaging with the work of the International Theological Commission and Ormond Rush on the sensus fidelium and synodality, it will be argued that although 'listening' is an essential prerequisite for success, for true synodality to occur we must also be 'looking' in order to see what the Holy Spirit is already 'doing' in the Church. This argument will be supported by examining the biblical meaning of koinonia (communion) and homothumadon (of one accord). These are essential for discerning what the Spirit wishes to say at this time to the Church.
Some especially insightful and challenging passages in Evangelii Gaudium are those on the importa... more Some especially insightful and challenging passages in Evangelii Gaudium are those on the importance of a personal encounter with Jesus, the evangelizing power of popular piety, person to person witness, and the need for the power of the Holy Spirit. However, in order to do full justice to the mission of the Church, the document requires more on the priestly aspect of this mission. This element is substantially absent, in part, because of Francis's veneration of Evangelii Nuntiandi. However, this absent element can be obtained from the missiology of Lumen Gentium, John Paul II, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Based on an analysis of the meaning of leitourgia in the New Testament, this article concludes that this missing element can serve as a link between Pope Francis's kerygma and diakonia, enabling a harmony which has been missing, to greater or lesser degrees, from the Church's mission in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Radical Orthodoxy Theology Philosophy Politics, Sep 6, 2013
n 1979 the International Theological Commission asserted that the 'quest for the historical Jesus... more n 1979 the International Theological Commission asserted that the 'quest for the historical Jesus' carried out by some biblical scholars, combined with a tendency to make our humanity the prime analogate of Christ's humanity, was leading towards a certain dualism in Christology. The Commission encouraged Catholic theologians to overcome this dualistic separation between the 'Jesus of history' and the 'glorified Christ' by turning towards the dyotheletism of the Third Council of Constantinople in order to reassert the intrinsic unity of divinity and humanity in Christ. 1 In 1984 Joseph Ratzinger published a collection of Christological meditations and reflections with the title Behold the Pierced One. 2 In its preface, he recounts how the composition of one of these 'meditations' in 1981 had led him to