The Evolution of Dutch Catholicism, 1958-1974:

Modras, Ronald

projected series of five, of which The The struggle to...

...fordable paperback editions...
...The series A HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF is obviously the indispensable text for This volume investigates the developing concerns of theologians in the West graduate theological study in the develDOCTRINEVOLUME III: ~-IE GROWTH OF MEDIEVAL opment of doctrine, and an important THEOLOGY (600-1300) from 600-1300 to articulate and understand a common faith in the economy of Jaroslav Pclikan salvation and its communication of Out of the many tribes and lanUniv...
...Professor Peli- defined itself over almost two millennia, rather than what they may have actually kan's copious citation from the authors lest even the welcome documents of the themselves then is not only excellent Second Vatican Council solidify into believed...
...John Coleman has Aquinas, it is historically just...
...But the value of this book for uniformity...
...Only Univ...
...faith...
...the sources for which march down the centuries...
...Yet if in joining the rare company the variety of gifts (and opinions) amid proach of secularhistoriography...
...Only by ideology...
...butas the historicalstruggle of men inthe responsibility for the spiritual and intelThe faith of that church is understood Spirit (and out ofthe Spirit) to understand lectual life of the church, they need to normatively, however, with little attenthat they might believe and believe that learn how that church has developed and tion to lay piety...
...Althoughthe author's THE EVOLUTION OF DUTCH cism took on an international signifidecision will startle Catholics educated CATHOLICISM, 1958-1974 cance all out of proportion to Holland's to equate medieval theology with John A. Coleman size or numbers...
...means his volume to differ from those tdd hitifdil dti which reduce themselves to histories of Dutch treat thought...
...it needs nial...
...Rather it can promote the .Tlie Growth of Medieval Theolmargins ofevery page, it confronts read- .. ogy (600-1300 knowledge that they were developed...
...Aquinas begin to acquire authority be- was one of the most traditional in Coleman, a professor ofthe sociology . yond the Italian devotees ofhis own Or- Europe...
...If laymen are to assume their in that intention lies its instruction...
...Little is said therefore about a Thomas Aquinas...
...grace...
...the Baltimore Catechism or the neo- intellectual history as well...
...of chronicled that evolution, providing both when Cajetan's commentary (1507-20) historical background and sociological on the Summa theologiae shifted the pri- R o n a l d M o d r a s analysis...
...The church was `wrapto be studied and not merely read...
...Both are now available in afwas it about...
...projected series of five, of which The The struggle to understand Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600) and The Spirit of Eastern Christendom (600-1700) have already THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION confessing, and teaching Aquinas, what appeared...
...To ers with the very words in which theoloappreciate this process is to understand gians of that age we call "middle" detradition: not distilled as the teaching of reference for scholars of religious and bated and so developed church doctrine...
...If thechurch then was not believing, began to take place, and Dutch Catholi- how did the model church of tradiCommonweal: 312...
...departure, and in him we have at last a This volume is the middle one in a master teacher...
...Profeswhich the church has still maintained its sor Pelikan's series marks a significant of theologians we rise to the ether of ideas, Jaroslav Pelikan nevertheless integrity...
...Its discussion is also perhaps scholarship but wise pedagogy...
...Dense laymen is not as a compendium of the ped around with varieties' of custom, .. with citations from medieval literature, doctrines which were developed in those order, age, and gender...
...of Chicago, $17.50, 333 pp...
...Yet it would he a mistake to F OR CATHOLIC intellectuals this is a Other issues such as authority are peren- equate the unity r f the church t+•ith necessary, if difficult, book...
...Instruction for laymen in too abstracted from the church's symattending to the very words in which church history has been meager, too biosis with society, whose political, eco- theologians in the past have searched for often merely substituting popes-andnomic, and aesthetic expressions must surely have influenced theological con- a consensus of faith can one appreciate heresies for the kings-and-battles apcepts...
...Controversy on some particular guages of the human race this one questions, such as the real presence of catholic church' gathered men toM a r j o r i e O ' R o u r k e B o y l e Christ in the Eucharist, may now seemso gether into the unit: of the one true securely decided as to appear exquisite...
...The book unfolds what peasants at plough oughtto have believed they might understand...
...The result is a superb work of mary and universal theological exercise scholarship with implications worth conin theschools away from commentary on U NTIL THE mid-1950's by any stand- sidering for Catholicism throughout the the Sentences of Peter Lombard did ard, the Catholic church in Holland western world...
...But then revolutionary changes of religion at Berkeley, asks thequestion: der...
...It can and This is a book aboutwhat the church then scholastic manuals on which ge~erations should be more generously appropriated, "believed, taught, and confessed," and of American Catholics have been bred, however...

Vol. 106 • May 1979 • No. 10


 
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