Catholic Theology

Introduction to Catholic Theology is an accessible but in-depth examination of the ways in which Catholic theology is rooted in and informs Catholic practice.

• Weaves together discussion of the Bible, historical texts, reflections by important theologians, and contemporary debates for a nuanced look at belief and practice within the Catholic faith
• Provides an overview of all major theological areas, including scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, and moral theology
• Appropriate for students at all levels, assuming no prior knowledge yet providing enough insight and substance to interest those more familiar with the topic
• Written in a dynamic, engaging style by two professors with more than 50 years of classroom experience between them

Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt is Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland and a deacon of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is a former editor of Modern Theology and the author of several books, including Why the Mystics Matter Now (2003) and Thomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Following Christ (2013). He is co-editor of The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism (Wiley Blackwell, 2011) and has published numerous articles on medieval and modern theology.

James J. Buckley is Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland. He has been on the editorial boards of Modern Theology and Pro Ecclesia: A Journal for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, and is a member of the North American Lutheran Catholic Dialogue. He is author of Seeking the Humanity of God: Practices, Doctrines, and Catholic Theology (1992), co-editor of The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism (Wiley Blackwell, 2011), and has published in a variety of journals.

Introduction: From the Middle of Our Life’s Journey xv

1 The Nature and Sources of Catholic Theology 1

1.1 Catholics 2

1.1.1 Being and Becoming Catholic 3

1.1.2 Personal and Communal 4

1.1.3 Catholics and Other People 6

1.2 Theology: Fides et Ratio 7

1.2.1 Fides 9

1.2.2 Ratio 10

1.3 The Sources of Catholic Theology 12

1.3.1 Scripture 12

1.3.2 Tradition 19

1.3.3 Magisterium 22

Notes 26

References 27

2 God 28

2.1 The God of Scripture 29

2.2 Father, Son, and Spirit 35

2.2.1 The New Testament 35

2.2.2 The Road to Nicaea 38

2.2.3 The Road from Nicaea 43

2.2.3.1 Trouble with terminology 43

2.2.3.2 Relations and procession 45

2.2.3.3 Trinity and community 47

2.3 The Grammar of Divinity 50

2.3.1 Proofs of God’s Existence 50

2.3.1.1 Anselm’s “ontological argument” 51

2.3.1.2 Thomas Aquinas’s “five ways” 52

2.3.2 God and Being 56

2.3.3 Language on theWay to God 60

2.3.3.1 The positive and negative ways 60

2.3.3.2 Analogy 61

Notes 63

References 64

3 Creation and Fall 66

3.1 The God Who Creates 67

3.1.1 Creation in the Bible 67

3.1.2 What Does It Mean to Call God “Creator”? 71

3.1.2.1 Creation in goodness 71

3.1.2.2 Creation in freedom 73

3.1.2.3 Creation from nothing 74

3.2 The Created Order 76

3.2.1 Orderly Diversity 76

3.2.2 Angelic Life 78

3.2.3 Caused Causes 80

3.2.4 Creation and Modern Science 81

3.3 The Human Creature 84

3.3.1 Imago Dei 84

3.3.2 Polarities 86

3.3.2.1 Body and soul 87

3.3.2.2 Male and female 90

3.3.2.3 Nature and grace 94

3.4 Sin 96

3.4.1 The Fall 97

3.4.2 Evil and the Goodness of Creation 99

3.4.3 Original Sin 100

Notes 103

References 104

4 Jesus Christ 107

4.1 The Story of Jesus of Nazareth 109

4.1.1 The Messiah of Israel 111

4.1.2 The Ministry of Jesus: Proclaiming the Kingdom of God 114

4.1.2.1 Baptism and calling 114

4.1.2.2 Healer and wonder worker 116

4.1.2.3 Teacher 117

4.1.3 Death and Resurrection 119

4.1.4 The Claim of Jesus 122

4.2 The Person of Jesus Christ 124

4.2.1 The Road to Chalcedon 124

4.2.1.1 The prelude to controversy 125

4.2.1.2 Alexandria and Antioch 127

4.2.1.3 Two natures in one person 129

4.2.1.4 The meaning of the Chalcedonian definition 132

4.2.2 The Road from Chalcedon 134

4.2.2.1 The Christology of Thomas Aquinas 135

4.2.2.2 Devotion to the humanity of Christ 136

4.2.3 The Challenges of Modernity 138

4.2.3.1 Tradition and suspicion 139

4.2.3.2 The psychology of Jesus 140

4.2.3.3 The de-Westernizing of Jesus 143

4.3 TheWork of Christ for Us and for Our Salvation 145

4.3.1 Christ as Priest and Offering 146

4.3.2 Christ as Prophet 150

4.3.3 Christ as Servant-King 152

Notes 156

References 157

5 The Spirit of Holiness 159

5.1 The Spirit of God 160

5.1.1 The Spirit in Scripture 161

5.1.2 The Spirit in Creed and Controversy 165

5.2 The Holy Spirit and Human Life: Disputed Questions over Grace 170

5.2.1 Grace and Predestination 171

5.2.2 Scholastic Distinctions 173

5.2.3 Justification by Faith, Catholics, and Protestants 176

5.2.4 Dominicans, Jesuits, and Jansenists 179

5.2.5 The Grace of Christ and the Salvation of Non-Christians 181

5.2.6 Spiritual Gifts and Charismatic Renewal 187

5.3 Mary 190

5.3.1 Disciple and Mother of Jesus 191

5.3.2 Theotokos 192

5.3.3 Extending the Narrative: Marian Doctrines 193

5.3.4 Contracting the Narrative: Mary and the Church 196

Notes 197

References 198

6 The Church 201

6.1 People of God and Body of Christ 202

6.2 The Pilgrimage of the People of God 206

6.2.1 Jew and Gentile in the Body of Christ 207

6.2.2 Catholics and Donatists in Africa 208

6.2.3 Pope Gregory VII and the Freedom of the Church 211

6.2.4 Reformations Protestant and Catholic 214

6.2.5 Freedom from the Church, and Vatican Council I on Papal Infallibility 216

6.2.6 Vatican Council II and Disputes over Reform 218

6.3 One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic 221

6.3.1 Diverse Unity 222

6.3.2 Holiness and Its Failures 224

6.3.3 Particular and Universal Catholicity 227

6.3.4 Apostolic Foundations 230

6.4 The Church’s Missionary Solidarity with Today’sWorld 232

Note 235

References 235

7 Praying Always 237

7.1 Hoop-jumpers and Do-gooders 238

7.2 Praying Always in an Ordinary Life 239

7.3 Praying Always in the Sacramental Economy 243

7.3.1 Efficacious Signs of Grace 244

7.3.2 Instituted by Christ 249

7.3.3 Entrusted to the Church 251

7.3.4 Divine Life Dispensed to Us 253

Notes 255

References 255

8 The Seven Sacraments 257

8.1 Sacraments of Initiation 258

8.1.1 Baptism 258

8.1.1.1 Baptism in Scripture and tradition 259

8.1.1.2 Baptismal meanings 262

8.1.2 Confirmation 264

8.1.2.1 Confirmation in Scripture and tradition 265

8.1.2.2 Spirited witness 266

8.1.3 Eucharist 268

8.1.3.1 The Eucharist in Scripture and tradition 269

8.1.3.2 Sacrifice, sacrament, and presence of Christ 272

8.2 Sacraments of Healing 276

8.2.1 Penance 276

8.2.1.1 Penance in Scripture and tradition 277

8.2.1.2 Reconciliation with God through the Body of Christ 280

8.2.2 Anointing of the Sick 283

8.2.2.1 Anointing of the Sick in Scripture and tradition 284

8.2.2.2 Illness in the economy of salvation 286

8.3 Sacraments at the Service of Communion 289

8.3.1 Holy Orders 289

8.3.1.1 Holy Orders in Scripture and tradition 290

8.3.1.2 The Church’s priesthood and the threefold ministry 296

8.3.2 Matrimony 298

8.3.2.1 Matrimony in Scripture and tradition 299

8.3.2.2 Communion, intimacy, and partnership 305

Notes 308

References 309

9 The Good Life 312

9.1 The Tradition of LivingWell 313

9.1.1 Walking in theWay of Life 313

9.1.2 Catechists and Confessors 317

9.1.3 Casuistry and the Birth of Moral Theology 320

9.1.4 Catholics in the Modern Moral Marketplace 322

9.2 Love as Virtue 325

9.2.1 Happiness 326

9.2.2 What is Virtue? 329

9.2.3 Cardinal Virtues 331

9.2.4 Theological Virtues 335

9.3 Love as the Law of Christ 339

9.4 Perplexities of Action 343

References 345

10 The End 347

10.1 God’sWord of Promise 349

10.1.1 The Promise of Creation and Covenant 349

10.1.2 Jesus, the Kingdom, and Resurrection 352

10.1.3 Paul: Grieving with Hope 354

10.1.4 Apocalyptic Patience 355

10.2 Traditions of Catholic Hope 356

10.2.1 Worldly and Otherworldly 356

10.2.2 Solidarity with the Dead 359

10.2.3 Modernity, Progress, and Eschatology 363

10.3 Thinking the End 367

10.3.1 Timetables, Signs, and Images of Hope 368

10.3.2 Hope of Justice for the Dead 369

10.3.3 Heaven, Hell, and Universal Hope 372

10.4 The Substance of Things Hoped For 374

Notes 376

References 376

Appendix: Conciliar Formulae 378

Index of Scriptural Citations 382

Name and Subject Index 388

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