From late 1517 into early 1521 Catholic theologians and church officials examined Luther’s public... more From late 1517 into early 1521 Catholic theologians and church officials examined Luther’s publications for erroneous doctrines and to weigh the gravity of his heterodoxies. Pope Leo X issued on June 15, 1520, the official censure, in Exsurge Domine, of forty-one positions Luther had advanced, under qualifications as “dangerous,” “erroneous,” or “heretical.” The ranking academic body of Europe, the University of Paris, added on April 15, 1521, its Determinatio that Luther was advancing erroneous or heretical positions in 104 positions lifted from his works. On the way to these judgments, the Dominicans Johann Tetzel, Sylvester Prierias, and Cardinal Cajetan played roles, as did the university theologians of Louvain and Cologne, while Johann Eck contributed significantly to Exsurge Domine. The censures, however, lacked clarity in presenting Luther and his doctrine, since they listed his errant propositions unsystematically and with little precision on their gravity. From them remaine...
stop to inquire why anyone should note the absence of the mysticism of Thomas à Kempis in a book ... more stop to inquire why anyone should note the absence of the mysticism of Thomas à Kempis in a book in favour of the classics" (23, 11). As cotranslator of Vols. 1-4 of The Correspondence of Erasmus (Toronto, 1974-77) and as editor of two tracts for the Erasmi opera omnia (1/1, Amsterdam, 1969), R. A. B. Mynors brings extensive experience to his work of translating the Parabolae. In a devastating footnote at the end of his introduction, Mynors pointedly criticizes the work of Jean-Claude Margolin, Latin editor of the Parabolae (0.0. 1/5, Amsterdam, 1975): "The reader should be warned not to place implicit trust in the identifications of sources in ASD, of which about a hundred are erroneous" (23, 129 n. 12). A spot check reveals that Mynors is habitually on target where Margolin goes wide of the mark. The introductions of Betty I. Knott to the De copia and of Brian McGregor to the De ratione studii are far less controversial. Knott's annotations witness to Erasmus' catholic reading of the classics, not only of Cicero, Virgil, and Horace but even of Suetonius and Apuleius. McGregor's notes helpfully give philosophical backgrounds and refer to current trends in literary criticism of the classics. As works that focus on grammar and stylistics, methodology and philosophy of education, these four treatises are more relevant to students of literary and intellectual history than to theologians. In the Parabolae, perhaps as a result of his debates with conservative theologians, Erasmus generally makes wry comments on the profession (see, e.g., 23, 265). The De copia offers a brief paragraph on scriptural allegories (24, 635). More pervasively, the Antibarbari deals with the theologically significant question of the proper relationship between Christianity and secular culture. As a characteristically Renaissance text, the De ratione studii prefers the study of the Fathers, both Latin and Greek, to that of the scholastics. Erasmus' modest treatise would later influence both the name and the program of the Jesuit Ratio studiorum. At the cost of $45, these two volumes would be less valuable to the library of a theologian than other translations of Erasmus forthcoming from Toronto, e.g., his Paraphrases of the New Testament and the Ratio verae theologiae.
Living in the observant branch of the Augustinian friars in Germany, Johann von Staupitz (ca. 146... more Living in the observant branch of the Augustinian friars in Germany, Johann von Staupitz (ca. 1468-1524) held major leadership posts, was an esteemed preacher, and published works of theologically grounded spiritual edification. Many present-day readers know about Staupitz from his contacts with his younger Augustinian confrere Martin Luther. Staupitz appeals to Pauline soteriology in order to feature Christ's meriting the outpouring of grace which can now raise the hearts of his hearers to the sweetness of his divinity. Staupitz brought out a further contribution to spiritual renewal in early 1518, based on his 1517 Advent sermons in Munich on the love of God. Staupitz treats three erroneous ways to attain love of God, namely, being taught it by others, attaining it by our own abilities, or learning it from the letter of Scripture.Keywords: Augustinian; Germany; God; Johann von Staupitz; Martin Luther; Pauline Inspiration; Pauline soteriology; Scripture; sermons
The article presents interventions by certain expert-consultants (periti) just before and during ... more The article presents interventions by certain expert-consultants (periti) just before and during Vatican II's opening weeks in 1962. Discovering mediocrity in passages of the prepared schemas on God's revelation, Joseph Ratzinger, Pieter Smulders, Karl Rahner, and Jean Daniélou formulated criticisms and framed alternatives that this article reviews. In time, several key conceptions of their alternative texts, such as the soteriological centering of revelation, found a place in Dei Verbum nos. 1–6.
secondary traditions. This is hopefully a healthy sign of a theological catharsis being born out ... more secondary traditions. This is hopefully a healthy sign of a theological catharsis being born out of the spirit of Vatican II. These volumes deserve the attention and effort of all who approach the conciliar documents with great expectations and study them with undiminished and well-founded Christian hope in the self-recreating powers of an unbiased ecumenical theology. I look forward with keen anticipation to the third volume.
From late 1517 into early 1521 Catholic theologians and church officials examined Luther’s public... more From late 1517 into early 1521 Catholic theologians and church officials examined Luther’s publications for erroneous doctrines and to weigh the gravity of his heterodoxies. Pope Leo X issued on June 15, 1520, the official censure, in Exsurge Domine, of forty-one positions Luther had advanced, under qualifications as “dangerous,” “erroneous,” or “heretical.” The ranking academic body of Europe, the University of Paris, added on April 15, 1521, its Determinatio that Luther was advancing erroneous or heretical positions in 104 positions lifted from his works. On the way to these judgments, the Dominicans Johann Tetzel, Sylvester Prierias, and Cardinal Cajetan played roles, as did the university theologians of Louvain and Cologne, while Johann Eck contributed significantly to Exsurge Domine. The censures, however, lacked clarity in presenting Luther and his doctrine, since they listed his errant propositions unsystematically and with little precision on their gravity. From them remaine...
stop to inquire why anyone should note the absence of the mysticism of Thomas à Kempis in a book ... more stop to inquire why anyone should note the absence of the mysticism of Thomas à Kempis in a book in favour of the classics" (23, 11). As cotranslator of Vols. 1-4 of The Correspondence of Erasmus (Toronto, 1974-77) and as editor of two tracts for the Erasmi opera omnia (1/1, Amsterdam, 1969), R. A. B. Mynors brings extensive experience to his work of translating the Parabolae. In a devastating footnote at the end of his introduction, Mynors pointedly criticizes the work of Jean-Claude Margolin, Latin editor of the Parabolae (0.0. 1/5, Amsterdam, 1975): "The reader should be warned not to place implicit trust in the identifications of sources in ASD, of which about a hundred are erroneous" (23, 129 n. 12). A spot check reveals that Mynors is habitually on target where Margolin goes wide of the mark. The introductions of Betty I. Knott to the De copia and of Brian McGregor to the De ratione studii are far less controversial. Knott's annotations witness to Erasmus' catholic reading of the classics, not only of Cicero, Virgil, and Horace but even of Suetonius and Apuleius. McGregor's notes helpfully give philosophical backgrounds and refer to current trends in literary criticism of the classics. As works that focus on grammar and stylistics, methodology and philosophy of education, these four treatises are more relevant to students of literary and intellectual history than to theologians. In the Parabolae, perhaps as a result of his debates with conservative theologians, Erasmus generally makes wry comments on the profession (see, e.g., 23, 265). The De copia offers a brief paragraph on scriptural allegories (24, 635). More pervasively, the Antibarbari deals with the theologically significant question of the proper relationship between Christianity and secular culture. As a characteristically Renaissance text, the De ratione studii prefers the study of the Fathers, both Latin and Greek, to that of the scholastics. Erasmus' modest treatise would later influence both the name and the program of the Jesuit Ratio studiorum. At the cost of $45, these two volumes would be less valuable to the library of a theologian than other translations of Erasmus forthcoming from Toronto, e.g., his Paraphrases of the New Testament and the Ratio verae theologiae.
Living in the observant branch of the Augustinian friars in Germany, Johann von Staupitz (ca. 146... more Living in the observant branch of the Augustinian friars in Germany, Johann von Staupitz (ca. 1468-1524) held major leadership posts, was an esteemed preacher, and published works of theologically grounded spiritual edification. Many present-day readers know about Staupitz from his contacts with his younger Augustinian confrere Martin Luther. Staupitz appeals to Pauline soteriology in order to feature Christ's meriting the outpouring of grace which can now raise the hearts of his hearers to the sweetness of his divinity. Staupitz brought out a further contribution to spiritual renewal in early 1518, based on his 1517 Advent sermons in Munich on the love of God. Staupitz treats three erroneous ways to attain love of God, namely, being taught it by others, attaining it by our own abilities, or learning it from the letter of Scripture.Keywords: Augustinian; Germany; God; Johann von Staupitz; Martin Luther; Pauline Inspiration; Pauline soteriology; Scripture; sermons
The article presents interventions by certain expert-consultants (periti) just before and during ... more The article presents interventions by certain expert-consultants (periti) just before and during Vatican II's opening weeks in 1962. Discovering mediocrity in passages of the prepared schemas on God's revelation, Joseph Ratzinger, Pieter Smulders, Karl Rahner, and Jean Daniélou formulated criticisms and framed alternatives that this article reviews. In time, several key conceptions of their alternative texts, such as the soteriological centering of revelation, found a place in Dei Verbum nos. 1–6.
secondary traditions. This is hopefully a healthy sign of a theological catharsis being born out ... more secondary traditions. This is hopefully a healthy sign of a theological catharsis being born out of the spirit of Vatican II. These volumes deserve the attention and effort of all who approach the conciliar documents with great expectations and study them with undiminished and well-founded Christian hope in the self-recreating powers of an unbiased ecumenical theology. I look forward with keen anticipation to the third volume.
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