PACIFICA

AUSTRALASIAN THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

Volume 14, Number 3, October 2001

Contents, Abstracts, Notes on Contributors


 

Articles

CHARLES HILL, Jonah in Antioch 245

Abstract: 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.

 

JAMES MCEVOY, Narrative or History? – A False Dilemma The Theological Significance of the Historical Jesus 262

Abstract: 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 understanding 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.

 

NEIL ORMEROD, The Psychological Analogy for the Trinity: At Odds with Modernity 281

Abstract: 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.

 

NEIL BROWN, Experience and Development in Catholic Moral Theology 295

Abstract: The Roman Catholic moral tradition appears completely to ignore contemporary human experience. Yet, there is a growing recognition 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.

 

ALAN FALCONER, Ecumenics, Teaching Ecumenics and Ecumenical Formation 313

Abstract: 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 opportunities 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

 

T. D. ALEXANDER AND BRIAN S. ROSNER (eds.),

New Dictionary of Biblical Theology Michael Symons 326

 

MARK G. BRETT,

Genesis: Procreation and the politics of identity Tim Bulkeley 328

 

PETER BOLT AND MARK THOMPSON (eds.),

The Gospel to the Nations: Perspectives on Paul’s Mission Nigel Watson 330

 

ELIZABETH J. SMITH,

Bearing Fruit in Due Season: Feminist Hermeneutics and the Bible in Worship Judith E. McKinlay 331

 

ROBIN GILL (ed.),

Theology and Sociology: A Reader Michael Mason 333

 

PETER CONNOLLY (ed.),

Approaches to the Study of Religion Ross Langmead 335

 

GAVIN D’COSTA,

The Meeting of Religions and the Trinity. Neil Ormerod 338

 

KENNETH R. MELCHIN,

Living with Other People: An introduction to Christian ethics based on Bernard Lonergan Kathleen Williams 339

 

MARTIN SUTHERLAND (ed.),

Mission without Christendom: exploring the site Neil Darragh 342

 

SUSAN K. WOOD,

Sacramental Orders Gerard Moore 343

 

PETER C. HODGSON,

God’s Wisdom: Toward a Theology of Education John B. Koch 345

 

JOHN A. SALIBA,

Christian Responses to the New Age Movement: A Critical Assessment Brett Knowles 347

 

JENNIFER CAMERON,

A Dangerous Innovator: Mary Ward (1585-1645) Margaret Press 349

 

REINHARD HüTTER,

Suffering Divine Things: Theology as Church Practice Graeme Garrett 352

 

OWEN HARDWICKE,

Living Beyond Conformity: An Experience of Ministry And Priesthood Alan Cadwallader 354

 

BRUCE T. MORRILL (ed.),

Bodies of Worship: Explorations in Theory and Practice Patrick Fahey 357

 

JOSEPH A. GRASSI,

The Five Wounds of Jesus and Personal Transformation Patrick Colbourne 359

 

JOHN R. QUINN,

The Reform of the Papacy R. Dominic Brogan 360

 

Annual Index 2001 363

 


Notes on 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.