Rethinking Fundamental Theology

380 Pages·2011·1.61 MB·English

by  Gerald O'Collins

Rethinking Fundamental
Theology
This page intentionally left blank
Rethinking
Fundamental
Theology
Toward a New Fundamental Theology
Gerald O’Collins, S.J.
1
3
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Preface
If this book were entitled Rethinking Moral Theology: Toward a New
MoralTheology,itwouldmorereadilyestablishaninstantconversation
withmanyreaders.Theywouldperhapswanttoknowwhatclaimsto
be‘new’aboutthisparticularworkinmoraltheology.Theymight,of
course, immediatelyguess thatit addresses all kinds of contemporary
issues coming from biology, ecological concerns, global economics,
international relations, and so forth. Some prospective readers would
be curious about the distinction, if any, to be drawn between moral
theologyandethics—whethernewortraditional.Obviouslytheyinter-
sect.Butdotheyconverge,moreorlesstotally?Yet,allinall,Rethinking
MoralTheologywould,evenatfirstglance,seemanintelligibleproject.
Rethinking Fundamental Theology, however, could readily appear
animprobableproject.Whilereaderswillknoworatleasthaveheard
of moral theologians, have they ever met any of those who call
themselves ‘fundamental theologians’? Here some Roman Catholics
might remember that the Second Vatican Council (1962–5) listed
various branches of theology (Decree on the Training of Priests, 17)
but never alluded to fundamental theology. Towrite a bookon this
topic might easily come across as descending into obscure territory
andpanderingtoarcaneinterests.
Addtoothefactthat‘fundamentaltheology’,whetheroldornew,
continues, in my experience, to suggest to numerous people one of
twoextremes:(1)anirrationalapproachtypicalofrigid,evenmind-
less ‘fundamentalism’, or else (2) the too rational approach of a
‘foundationalism’thatclaimstosecuretriumphantlythefoundations
ofChristianfaithby‘demonstrating’theexistenceofGod,thedivine
identity of Christ, and his creation of the enduring Church. It is
desperatelyeasytoconfusefundamentaltheologywithfundamentalism,
on the one hand, or foundationalism, on the other. But fundamental
theologybelongsatneitherextreme.
Asweshallsee,(1)againstfundamentalismagenuinefundamental
theologycherishestheexerciseofreasoninvariousforms(inpartic-
ular, historical reason, philosophical reason, and a thoughtful and
vi j preface
faithfulinterpretationoftheBible)whenitreflectsonbasicChristian
beliefs. (2) In place of foundationalism, it proposes a more modest
programmebydealingwithobjectionstofaithandmakingarational
case for the central claims of faith. Theseclaims arenot incoherent,
and they can point to reasons in their support. Hence fundamental
theology should not be caricatured, as if it were bent on producing
knockdown arguments for basic truth claims and considered those
whodisagreedtobeeitherknavesorfools.
Another caricature of fundamental theology portrays it as a pecu-
liarlyRomanCatholicenterprise,andevenonethathasbeenlimitedto
Catholic departments and faculties in continental Europe. Here one
should recall that the discipline arose primarily under Protestant and
Anglicanauspicesintheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies(seeCh.1
below).Unquestionably,majorcontributionstofundamentaltheology
have come from Catholic scholars working in Europe: for instance,
Rene´ Latourelleandhiscollaborators(bynomeansallofthemCatho-
lics)intheDictionaryofFundamentalTheology(Crossroad,1994),Karl
Rahner in Foundations of Christian Faith (Seabury Press, 1978), and
those who produced in four volumes the Handbuch der Fundamen-
taltheologie (Herder, 1985–8). But, as we shall see in Chapter 1, such
prominent Lutheran theologians as Gerhard Ebeling (1912–2001) and
Wilfried Joest (1914–95) wrote in the area of fundamental theology
during the twentieth century. Another Lutheran scholar, Wolfhart
Pannenberg (b. 1928), was one of the authors for the Handbuch der
Fundamentaltheologie. In the United Kingdom notable writers have
addressed central concerns of fundamental theology, even if they do
not necessarily invoke the name of that discipline. I think here, for
example, of David Brown (Tradition and Imagination: Revelation and
Change (Clarendon Press, 1999)) and Richard Swinburne (Revelation:
From Analogy to Metaphor (Clarendon Press, 1992)). Outside Europe,
forinstance,intheUnitedStatesandCanada,numerousscholarshave
takenupthemesoffundamentaltheology:CatholicslikeAveryDulles
(Models of Revelation (Doubleday, 1983)), Francis Schu¨ssler Fiorenza
(Foundational Theology:Jesus and theChurch (Crossroad, 1984)), Ber-
nard Lonergan (Method in Theology (Herder and Herder, 1972)), and
Robert Sokolowski (The God of Faith and Reason: Foundations of
Christian Theology (Catholic University of America Press, 2nd edn.
1995)), and other Christians like William Abraham (Crossing the
ThresholdofDivineRevelation(Eerdmans,2006)),GeorgeMavrodes
preface j vii
(Revelation in Religious Belief (Temple University Press, 1988)), and
Nicholas Wolterstorff (Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on
ClaimsthatGodSpeaks(CambridgeUniversityPress,1995)).
Somereadersknowthat,aswellascollaboratingovertheyearsin
worksonfundamentaltheology,Ihavepublishedthreebooksinthe
area:FoundationsofTheology(LoyolaUniversityPress,1971),Funda-
mental Theology (Paulist Press, 1981), and Retrieving Fundamental
Theology (Paulist Press, 1993). But my motive in writing Rethinking
Fundamental Theology goes well beyond the desire to revise and
update those earlier books. From the 1990s, fresh challenges and
new developments have emerged for the agenda of fundamental
theology: interreligious dialogue, for instance, has become an ever
more pressing concern. Moreover, as the third millennium unfolds,
eventhoughthequestionsfundamentaltheologytraditionallyraised
haveinnowaybecomeoutdatedandirrelevant,theveryexistenceof
this discipline seems to be quietly threatened with non-existence.
A quick check of the programmes listed by many departments and
faculties of theology around the world shows how they fail to offer
courses and seminars in fundamental theology. They may organize
coursesontheintroductionto(systematic)theology,withrevelation
and faith prominent on the agenda. But neither the full scope of
fundamentaltheologynoritsnameasadistinctdisciplinefeatureson
theseprogrammes.Thedisciplineneedstoberelaunched.
Oneresultofcancellingfundamentaltheologyfromtheagendaorof
neverhavinggivenitaplaceontheprogrammeshasbeenemergingin
recentyears.Chapter1willshowhowsomephilosophicaltheologians
(ofdifferentChristiancommunities),whileseeminglyknowingnothing
offundamentaltheologyanditsinheritance,havemovedinandpartly
filledavoidleftbyawidespreaddemiseoffundamentaltheology.
This book has been born out of a sense of the urgent need to
preserve and renew the legacy of Avery Dulles, Gerhard Ebeling,
Rene´ Latourelle, Karl Rahner, and other outstanding practitioners
offundamentaltheology.Inakindofintergenerationalconversation,
I want to develop further the insights and arguments gained from
contact with these and other greatexponents of fundamentaltheol-
ogy.Theysetthemselvestoofferafaithfulandreasonableaccountof
basicChristianbeliefsand‘giveanaccountoftheirhope’(1Pet.3:15).
Chapter1willclarifytheoriginsoffundamentaltheology,reflecton
itsdistinctivecharacterwhencomparedwithapologetics,philosophical
viii j preface
theology,philosophyofreligion,andsystematictheology,andpropose
the basic themes that provide fundamental theology with its proper
identity: forinstance, theexistenceofGod, thehumancondition,the
natureofdivineself-revelation,thetransmissionofrevelationthrough
tradition,theinspirationoftheScriptures,andsoforth.
Chapter2willaddressbeliefintheexistenceofapersonalGodand
somepervasiveobjectionstobeliefinGod.Chapter3willreflecton
thehumanconditionanditspotentialopennesstofaithinthedivine
self-revelation. Afterexaminingfouralternativeviews ofthehuman
condition,thechapterdevelopsthethemeofhumanbeingsasthose
who‘experience’(homoexperiens).
Chapter 4 will explore revelation: first the ‘general’ revelation
availablethroughtheorderandbeautyofthecreatedworldandthe
moral law ‘written’ on human hearts, as well as the faithwhich this
‘general’ revelation evokes. This chapter will then attend to the
‘special’ history of divine revelation (recorded in the Scriptures),
investigating its means, its ‘sacramental’ structure (involving word
and event), and its mediators (attending in particular to the taskof
discerningandevaluatingtheexperienceofprophets).
Chapter5willtakeupthefunctionofJesusChristastheunsurpass-
ableRevealerandthefullnessofrevelation.Thisinvolvesreflectingon
theGospels’witnesstohispreachingofthekingdom,withparticular
attentionpaidtohisparables,miracles,claimstoapersonalauthority
thatputhimonaparwithGod,andthe‘trinitarian’faceofhislifeand
work. The chapter ends by distinguishing between revelation as past
(foundational revelation), as present (dependent revelation), and as
future(theconsummationofrevelationatChrist’ssecondcoming).
InChapter6,IplantoreflectonJesusChristasbeingRevealerand
Revelation in his crucifixion and resurrection. What does the cross
reveal about the identity of God? Why accept the resurrection and
whatitdisclosesaboutthetripersonalGod?
Chapter 7 will turn to the faith that responds to the divine self-
manifestation. Is such faith reasonable? What brings it about? In
particular,thischapterwilldrawontheparadigmaticcasesofmove-
mentstofaithprovidedbyJohn’sGospel.
Chapter8willexaminewhathappenedandhappenswhenhuman
beings, after experiencing in faith the divine self-revelation, handed
on their experience in the living tradition of the Church. Tradition
preface j ix
(in upper case), as process and content, needs to be distinguished
frominnumerableparticulartraditions(inlowercase).
InChapter9,Iwillreflectonthenatureofbiblicalinspiration.Both
intheformationoftheBibleanditsuse,weshoulddistinguishbetween
revelationandinspiration,andnotsuccumbtotheendemictemptation
toidentifythem.Thatsaid,howmightwedescribebiblicalinspiration?
Chapter10thentakesupthecloselyrelatedquestionsofbiblicaltruth,
theformationofthecanon,andtheinterpretationoftheScriptures.
InChapter 11, Iwillexaminethefounding oftheChurchandher
basicstructures.DidChristintendtofoundtheChurch?Whatmight
besaidabouttheemergenceoftripleministryofbishops,priests,and
deacons?ThatleadsinChapter12toreflectionontheplaceofworld
religions in the history of revelation and salvation. The chapter
interprets their situationwithin and through the universal presence
ofChristandtheHolySpirit.
Inthelightofthepreviouschapters,Chapter13willinvestigatethree
‘styles’ of theology and propose some basic guidelines for Christian
theology—ataskthatbelongsappropriatelytofundamentaltheology.
Even as I complete this Preface and have not yet written the
chapters that follow, I am aware that all of these chapters could be
expandedtomakeabookinitsownright.Iwilltrytomakeeachof
thechapterscoherentandconvincing,butwillneedtobeselectivein
the material that I assemble for their construction. Hence, at times
positions and perspectives will be stated rather than supported by
detailedargument.Myhopeisthat thisbookasawholewilloffer a
new,satisfying,andcoherentvisionoffundamentaltheology,avision
thatmayservetorethinkandrelaunchthediscipline.
ForvariouskindsofhelpincomposingandcompletingthisbookI
want to express my gratitude to John Begley, Stephen Connelly,
Stephen Davis, Christiaan Mostert, John Martis, Alan Padgett, Tom
Perridge, two anonymous readers for Oxford University Press, and
thestaffoftheDaltonMcCaugheyLibrary(UnitedFacultyofTheol-
ogy,Melbourne).Idedicatethisworktothemembersandstaffofthe
JesuitTheologicalCollege(bothJesuitsandlaypersons).
GeraldO’CollinsSJ
AustralianCatholicUniversity
Melbourne
31July2010