Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: On Being the Church: Essays on the Christian Community, eds Colin E. Gunton and Daniel W. Hardy. Congregation: Stories and Structures, ed. James F. Hopewell. Long Night's Journey Into Day: Revised Retrospective on the Holocaust, eds Alice L. Eckardt and A. Roy Eckardt. Inter-religious Dialogue in the Catholic Church since Vatican II: an Historical and Theological Study, ed. Robert B. Sheard. Religious Education Encounters Liberation Theology, by Daniel S. Schipani. Theological Roots of Pentecostalism, ed. Donald W. Dayton. Roman Catholic/Pentecostal Dialogue (1977–1982): a Study on Developing Ecumenism, ed. Jerry L. Sandidge.     

The Methodological Impact of Fides et Ratio on Catholic Social Teaching

John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio is of astonishing importance for the methodology of Catholic social teaching. This article highlights three points that emerged as contributions of Fides et Ratio to the epistemology and methodology of the social magisterium. According to Gaudium et Spes, Catholic social teaching is essentially a service of the Church that affects social life indirectly by making a free offer of sense and faith. Fides et Ratio reinforces this paradigm shift by rejecting fideism also in matters of social morality. In this, it goes beyond Vatican I, Dei Filius. The encyclical further clarifies that the method of Catholic social teaching is tripartite and requires the cooperation of at least three disciplines: theology, philosophy, and social sciences. Because of the shifting character of history, Catholic social teaching too fluctuates. It is sensitive to time and place, to history and culture.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Saints: Visible, Orderly and Catholic — the Congregational Idea of the Church, by Alan P.F. Sell. The Chronicle of the Hutterian Brethren, Volume I. The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, ed. David Hugh Farmer. Conflict and Context: Hermeneutics in the Americas, ed. by Mark Lau Branson and C. René Padilla. The Churches and Racism: a Black South African Perspective, by Zolile Mbali.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Jesudas M. Athyal and John J. Thatamanil eds, Metropolitan Chrysostom on Mission in the Market Place Sergii Bulgakov, Towards a Russian Political Theology, edited with a commentary by Rowan Williams Irimie Marga, In dragoste hi adevàr. Dialogul teologic oficial ortodox‐catolic, de la Rodos la Balamand ‐ In Love and Truth: The Official Orthodox Catholic Theological Dialogue, From Rhodes to Balamand Geoffrey Wainwright, Lesslie Newbigin: A Theological Life     

Disrupting the trans-versus-Catholic dichotomy: An example from a Canadian elementary school policy

ABSTRACT

Background: Mainstream media is increasingly reporting on the relationships between Catholic and trans identities in parochial schools, particularly with regard to gendered washroom use. With greater numbers of trans youth coming out at younger ages, significant educational policy changes are being considered around how Catholic schools can or should include trans youth.

Method: This study applies trans and queer theologies to Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in investigating the Wilson case, which was the first known instance of a Catholic school including some affirming policy provisions for trans youth. The authors additionally collected and coded 12 news articles from a variety of platforms to discern and discuss the theological arguments in the public square against more fulsome trans student inclusion in Catholic schools.

Results: The authors found two related theological arguments against full inclusion, namely the notion that (1) Gender is God-given and therefore cannot be chosen or changed, and (2) That transgressive bodies are not sacred parts of the divine gender plan.

Conclusion: Trans theology allowed the authors to disrupt both of the theological claims advanced by the Catholic educators quoted in the Wilson case. This created rich, imaginative space in which to reconsider the relationships between Catholic and trans identities, namely by not arranging them in a binary. Significance for policy-making in parochial schools is discussed.     

Reviews

Books reviewed: Christopher D. Marshall, Beyond Retribution: A New Testament Vision for Justice, Crime, and Punishment J.‐M.‐R. Tillard, Flesh of the Church, Flesh of Christ: At the Source of the Ecclesiology of Communion Scott Matthews, Reason, Community and Religious Tradition: Anselm's Argument and the Friars Kenneth J. Howell, God's Two Books: Copernican Cosmology and Biblical Interpretation in Early Modern Science Clayton Crockett, A Theology of the Sublime Rowan A. Greer, Christian Hope and Christian Life: Raids on the Inarticulate Merold Westphal, Toward a Postmodern Christian Faith: Overcoming Onto‐theology James Alison, Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay Gavin Hyman, The Predicament of Postmodern Theology: Radical Orthodoxy or Nihilist Textualism? Terrence W. Tilley, Inventing Catholic Tradition     

CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY AND RELIGIOUS PLURALISM: A RESPONSE TO TERRENCE W. TILLEY

Terrence W. Tilley has argued that Dominus Iesus, published by the Roman Catholic Congregation from the Doctrine of Faith in 2000, legitimates a de jure form of religious pluralism which is compatible and acceptable to orthodox Catholic faith. This claim is inspected and criticised on both textual and logical grounds. Textually, Tilley is found guilty of incorporating that which he wishes to prove in his premises. The argument advanced thus clarifies the teachings of Dominus Iesus and also indicates the problem with Jacques Dupuis’ position.     

CATHOLIC ETHICS AS SEEN FROM PADUA

During the summer of 2006, over four hundred Catholic ethicists from around the world gathered for four days in Padua, Italy. About sixty of the conference papers have become available in two edited collections, Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church: The Plenary Papers from the First Cross‐cultural Conference on Catholic Theological Ethics, and Applied Ethics in a World Church: The Padua Conference. As the conference was marked by a distinctive and creative tension—between the diversity which characterized the nationalities and cultural identities of the participants, on the one hand, and the commonness of their religious heritage, on the other—these essays can tell us much about contemporary Catholic ethics in its response to global pluralism. The following develops four reflections. First, the conference papers pursue a style of scholarship that is at once critically creative and ecclesially rooted. Second, the conference raises new concerns about the importance that Christian formation must have in a pluralist world. Third, the participants affirm and defend the ultimate universality of moral goods while also arguing that these goods are expressed and embodied in unavoidably particular ways. Finally, the most important contribution that Catholic ethics can make to public conversations about issues of common concern is through its articulation and defense of key human values.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Victor H. Matthews, Bernard M. Levinson and Tikva Frymer‐Kensky (eds), Gender and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East Neil Asher Silberman and David B. Small, The Archaeology of Israel: Constructing the Past, Interpreting the Present Erich S. Gruen, Heritage and Hellenism: The Reinvention of Jewish Tradition Brenda Deen Schildgen, Power and Prejudice: The Reception of the Gospel of Mark David C. Sim, The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism: The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community Allan D. Fitzgerald (ed), Augustine Through the Ages: An Encyclopedia Lionel R. Wickham, Hilary of Poitiers: Conflicts of Conscience and Law in the Fourth‐Century Church Aidan Nichols, The Word Has Been Abroad: A Guide Through Balthasar's Aesthetics Aidan Nichols, No Bloodless Myth: A Guide Through Balthasar's Dramatics Paul Avis, God and the Creative Imagination: Metaphor, Symbol and Myth in Religion and Theology Garrett Green, Imagining God: Theology and the Religious Imagination L. William Countryman, The Poetic Imagination: An Anglican Spiritual Tradition Raphael Gallagher and Seán Cannon (eds), Seán O'Riordan, A Theologian of Development: Selected Essays James Alison, The Joy of Being Wrong: Original Sin Through Easter Eyes Peter Byrne, The Moral Interpretation of Religion Brian Davies (ed), Philosophy of Religion: A Guide to the Subject Grace M. Jantzen, Becoming Divine: Towards a Feminist Philosophy of Religion Keith E. Yandell, Philosophy of Religion: A Contemporary Introduction Louis Dupré, Religious Mystery and Rational Reflection: Excursions in the Phenomenology and Philosophy of Religion Michael E. Allsopp (ed), Ethics and the Catechism of the Catholic Church Charles E. Curran, The Catholic Moral Tradition Today: A Synthesis Bernard Hoose (ed), Christian Ethics: An Introduction Paul Goodliff, Care in a Confused Climate: Pastoral Care and Postmodern Culture Souzy Dracopoulou (ed), Ethics and Values in Health Care Management Michael Parker, Ethics and Community in the Health Care Professions Hans Küng and Walter Jens, A Dignified Dying: A Plea for Personal Responsibility Robin Gill (ed), Euthanasia and the Churches Gerald Dworkin, R. G. Frey and Sissela Bok, Euthanasia and Physician‐Assisted Suicide Caroline Dunn, Ethical Issues in Mental Illness David Smith, Life and Morality: Contemporary Medico‐Moral Issues Gilbert C. Meilaender, Body, Soul and Bioethics David E. Cooper and Joy A. Palmer (eds), Spirit of the Environment J. Milburn Thompson, Justice and Peace: A Christian Primer Maura M. Ryan and Todd David Whitmore(eds), The Challenge of Global Stewardship: Roman Catholic Responses Celia Deane‐Drummond, Theology and Biotechnology: Implications for a New Science John O'Neill, The Market: Ethics, Knowledge and Politics Erika Rummel, The Humanist–Scholastic Debate in the Renaissance and the Reformation Inger Ekrem, Minna Skafte Jensen and Egil Kraggerud (eds), Reformation and Latin Literature in Northern Europe M. C. Questier (ed), Newsletters from the Archpresbyterate of George Birkhead Jeffrey von Arx (ed), Varieties of Ultramontanism Frank J. Coppa(ed), Controversial Concordats: The Vatican's Relations with Napoleon, Mussolini and Hitler A. J. Hoover, God, Britain and Hitler in World War II: The View of the British Clergy, 1939–;1945 Pierre Blet, Pius XII and the Second World War according to the Archives of the Vatican Peter Harrison, The Bible, Protestantism and the Rise of Natural Science Michael P. Hornsby‐Smith (ed), Catholics in England, 1950–2000: Historical and Sociological Perspectives Carol K. Coburn and Martha Smith, Spirited Lives: How Nuns Shaped Catholic Culture and American Life, 1836–1920 Robert E. Burns, Being Catholic, Being American: The Notre Dame Story, 1842–1934 Paul C. Gutjahr, An American Bible: A History of the Good Book in the United States, 1777–1880 Harriet A. Harris, Fundamentalism and Evangelicals Jeffrey Richards, Scott Wilson and Linda Woodhead (eds),Diana: The Making of a Media Saint     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Claims in Conflict : Retrieving and Renewing the Catholic Human Rights Tradition , by David Hollenbach . The Church and Unity , by B. C. Butler . Missionstheologie , by Horst Bürkle . Protestant and Roman Catholic Ethics : Prospects for Rapprochement , by James M. Gustafson .     

Reviews

Books reviewed: David F. Ford, Self and Salvation: Being Transformed Francis Clark, Godfaring: On Reason, Faith, and Sacred Being David Kamitsuka, Theology and Contemporary Culture: Liberation, Postliberal and Revisionary Perspectives Robert Alter, Canon and Creativity: Modern Writing and the Authority of Scripture Laurence Paul Hemming (ed.), Radical Orthodoxy?—A Catholic Enquiry John E. Thiel, Senses of Tradition: Continuity and Development in Catholic Faith S. Mark Heim, The Depth of the Riches: A Trinitarian Theology of Religious Ends Serene Jones, Feminist Theory and Christian Theology: Cartographies of Grace Martin X. Moleski, S.J., Personal Catholicism: The Theological Epistemologies of John Henry Newman and Michael Polanyi Denis Donoghue, Adam’s Curse: Reflections on Religion and Literature     

BOOK REVIEWS

Books reviewed in this article: Understanding the Word: Essays in Honour of Bernhard W. Anderson. Edited by James T. Butler, Edgar W. Conrad and Ben C. Ollenburger. A Word in Season: Essays in Honour of William McKane. Edited by James D. Martin and Philip R. Davies. The Prophet Amos: A Translation and Commentary. By J. Alberto Soggin. Her Price is Beyond Rubies: The Jewish Woman in Graeco-Roman Palestine. By Léonie J. Archer. JSOT Supplement Series 60. The Gospel of Luke (Sacra Pagina 3). By Luke Timothy Johnson. The Acts of the Apostles (Sacra Pagina 5). By Luke Timothy Johnson. Mark and Method: New Approaches in Biblical Studies. Edited by Janice Capel Anderson and Stephen D. Moore. Jesus the Exorcist: A Contribution to the Study of the Historical Jesus (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2/54). By Graham H. Twelftree. The Death of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Passion Narratives in the Four Gospels. By Raymond E. Brown. Paul and rhe Popular Philosophers. By Abraham J. Malherbe. History of New Testament Research, Volume One: From Deism to Tubingen. By William Baird. Theological Ethics of the New Testament. By Eduard Lohse. Living a Christian Life: Vol. 2 of The Way of the Lord Jesus. By Germain Grisez. Moral Demands and Personal Obligations. By Josef Fuchs. Plurality and Chrisrian Ethics. By Ian Markham. The Nature of Moral Thinking. By Francis Snare. Ethics (Oxford Readers). Edited by Peter Singer. Goodness and Rightness in Thomas Aquinas's ‘Summa Theologiae’. By James F. Keenan. Divine Power: The Medieval Power Distinction up to its Adoption by Albert, Bonaventure and Aquinas. By Lawrence Moonan. Preserving the Creation: Environmental Theology and Ethics. Edited by Kevin W. Irwin and Edmund D. Pellegrino. Religion and the Making of Society. By Charles Davis. The Good Stewards: Practical Applications of the Papal Social Vision of Work. By Michael Naughton. Things Old and New: Catholic Social Teaching Revisited. Edited by Francis P. McHugh and Samuel Natale. The Church Faces the Modern World: ‘Rerum Novarum’ and its Impact. Edited by Paul Furlong and David Curtis. Catholic Social Thought and the New World Order: Building on One Hundred Years. Edited by Oliver F. Williams and John W. Houck. The Church and Morality: An Ecumenical and Catholic Approach. By Charles E. Curran. God, Truth and Reality: Essays in Honour of John Hick. Edited by Arvind Sharma. Christianity and Chinese Religions. By Hans Kiing and Julia Ching. The Catholic Church in Modern China: Perspectives. Edited by Edmond Tang and Jean-Paul Wiest. Education And Meaning: Philosophy in Practice. By Paddy Walsh. Detachment and Concern: Conversations in the Philosophy of Teaching and Teacher Education. By Margret Buchman and Robert Floden. Hollywood Censored: Morality Codes, Catholics and the Movies (Cambridge Studies in the History of Mass Communications). By Gregory D. Black. Monastic and Religious Orders in Britain, 1000–1300 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks). By Janet Burton. The Early Reformation in Europe. Edited by Andrew Pettegree.     

Reading Against the Grain,Readings of Substitution: Catholic Books as Inspiration for Judaism in Early Modern Iberia

Forced conversion produced a large number of converts, many or at least some of whom sought to continue to practice their former religion. For many crypto-Jews and crypto-Muslims, polemical literature was actually a source of knowledge about their old religion—sometimes the only source. It was not unusual for Iberian New Christians, lacking access to Jewish or Islamic books, to make use of Catholic works either to gather information about Judaism and Islam or to borrow from their expressions of spirituality and piety. In this essay I explore the unintended readings and reception of polemical works among converts, in particular the Christian books of piety and devotion that persons of converso origin read and used in their own writings. In the end most of these books were included by the Inquisition and Church censors in the Index of Forbidden Books, affecting in this way the perception of these orthodox books by Catholic Church authorities. On the one hand, I am interested in how a heterodox (or Jewish or Muslim) spirituality could be constructed using Catholic books; on the other hand, in how this phenomenon had an impact on orthodox Catholics. I argue that Catholic books were sometimes condemned to the Index simply because they were read by New Christians who the Inquisition considered to be judaizers or crypto-Muslims.

     

Hispanic use of juramentos and Roman Catholic Priests as auxiliaries to abstaining from alcohol use/misuse

This self-administered mail survey study conducted along the US–Mexico border replicates and expands on research conducted in Florida regarding the prevalence of juramento use as an intervention technique for alcohol misuse. Juramentos are pledges to abstain from alcohol use for a time determined by the user. The pledge is usually to the Virgin of Guadalupe and is often done in the presence of a Roman Catholic Priest. As in Florida, the majority of Priests along the border reported they were familiar with the practice of juramentos and had already witnessed at least one. The majority of Priests who had done juramentos viewed them as effective. Since the vast majority of Priests indicated that they would begin or continue witnessing juramentos, this makes juramentos and Roman Catholic Priests a viable culturally sensitive aide for treatment among Hispanics, in particular those of Mexican descent.     

Mozart Among the Theologians

The essay compares and contrasts the philosophical, theological, and aesthetic approaches to Mozart in the writings of Søren Kierkegaard's aesthete A (Either/Or, I), Karl Barth (primarily Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), and Hans Küng (Mozart: Traces of Transcendence). Whereas Kierkegaard's A outlines a non‐religious ‘daemonic Mozart’, Barth and Küng depict two contrasting theological understandings of Mozart's music. Barth's Mozart reflects a Reformed aesthetic, with Mozart as a ‘parable’ of gospel, whereas Küng's Mozart reflects a Roman Catholic ‘sacramental’ vision of music and religious faith. The essay explores how these different visions of Mozart are shaped by both their theological and aesthetic commitments.     

Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Mary‐Ann Wilkelmes and James Wilkinson (eds.), Voices of Experience: Reflections from a Harvard Teaching Seminar Van B. Weigel, Deep Learning for a Digital Age: Technology's Untapped Potential to Enrich Higher Education John Wilcox and Irene King (eds.), Enhancing Religious Identity: Best Practices from Catholic Campuses Michaela Davey, Mastering Theology Alan Jolliffe, Jonathan Ritter and David Stevens, The Online Learning Handbook: Developing and Using Web‐Based Learning Henry A. Giroux and Kostas Myrsiades (eds.), Beyond the Corporate University: Culture and Pedagogy in the New Millennium Andrea Sterk (ed.), Religion, Scholarship, and Higher Education: Perspectives, Models, and Future Prospects Richard Pring, Philosophy of Educational Research Stephen Fallows and Rakesh Bhanot (eds.), Educational Development through Information and Communications Technology George Dennis O'Brien, The Idea of a Catholic University Rena M. Palloff and Keith Pratt, Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom: The Realities of Online Teaching     

Contemporary Catholic Perspectives on Christian–Muslim Relations in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Tanzania

Taking into consideration that Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa live intermingled in family, clan or ethnic groups, this article takes cognizance of the effect of the teachings of each tradition about their own identity and their perception of the other. It also seeks to take into account the Roman Catholic principles of inter-religious dialogue as enunciated by the Second Vatican Council in the documents Nostra Aetate and the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christians, as well as Unitatis Reintegratio, the Decree on Ecumenism, and Dominus Iesus. In view of the fact that these are seen as a source of tension, the question arises as to whether they are being interpreted correctly or applied in the spirit intended.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Jozef Vanden Bussche, Ignatius (George) Spencer, Passionist (1799–1864): Crusader of Prayer for England and Pioneer of Ecumenical Prayer Gustavo Gutiérrez, The God of Life (translated from the Spanish, El Dios de la vida) Alan P.F. Sell, A Reformed, Evangelical, Catholic Theology: The Contribution of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, 1875–1982 Robin Green, A Step Too Far: Explorations into Reconciliation     

Exercising a free conscience: The conscientious objectors of the Soviet union and the German democratic republic

Die ukrainische katholische Kirche (The Ukrainian Catholic Church) 2nd expanded edition Munich: Kirche in Not, 1989.165pp.

Die römisch‐katholische Kirche in der Sowjetunion (The Roman Catholic Church in the Soviet Union) Munich: Kirche in Not, 1989.143 pp.

Tserkva v Ruyini — Church in Ruins. The Demise of Ukrainian Churches in the Eparchy of Peremyshl by Oleh Wolodymyr Iwanusiw, Shevchenko Scientific Society Ukrainian Studies Volume 56. Ontario: St Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics in Canada, 1987. Parallel text in English and Ukrainian. 350 pp.

Áron Márton a lelkiismeret apostola (Áron Márton, the Apostle of Conscience) compiled by László Virt. Budapest: Ecclesia, 1988. Paperback, 262 pp., 85 Ft.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Keith Clements, Faith on the Frontier: A Life of J. H. Oldham James F. Keenan SJ ed., Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention Myriam Wijlens, Sharing the Eucharist Edy Korthals Altes, Heart and Soul for Europe: An Essay on Spiritual Renewal Elizabeth C. Nordbeck et al. eds, Living Theological Heritage of the United Church of Christ: Consolidation and Expansion