The Priority of Christ: Toward a Postliberal Catholicism

by Robert Barron, Omi Francis George (Foreword)

A Major Statement on Christology from Bishop Robert Barron

For a long time, Christians have tried to bridge the divide between Christianity and secular liberalism with philosophy and theology. Bishop Robert Barron shows that the answer to this debate--and the way to move forward--lies in Jesus. Barron transcends the usual liberal/conservative or Protestant/Catholic divides with a postliberal Catholicism that brings the focus back on Jesus as revealed in the New Testament narratives.

Barron's classical Catholic postliberalism will be of interest to a broad audience including not only the academic community but also preachers and general readers interested in entering the dialogue between Catholicism and postliberalism. The hardcover edition includes a new preface by the author.

Praise for The Priority of Christ

"Barron's wonderful book The Priority of Christ brings postliberalism back to its Catholic home. . . . A downright lovely book, written with a kind of winsome literary flair that exhibits the inviting clarity of a master teacher. Highly recommended."
-- James K. A. Smith , Religious Studies Review

"The book is full of gems worthy of hours of contemplation."
-- Mark G. Boyer , The Priest

Genres: Theology, Religion, Philosophy, Catholic, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Bishop Robert Emmet Barron is an acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian. He is the former Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago and also is the founder of Word On Fire (www.WordOnFire.org).

Bishop Barron is the creator and host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking ten-part documentary series and study program about the Catholic faith. He is a passionate student of art, architecture, music and history, which he calls upon throughout his global travels in the making of the documentary.

Word On Fire programs are broadcast regularly on WGN America, Relevant Radio, CatholicTV, EWTN, the popular Word on Fire YouTube Channel, and the Word on Fire website, which offers daily blogs, articles, commentaries, and over ten years of weekly sermon podcasts. In 2010, Father Barron was the first priest to have a national show on a secular television network since the 1950s.

Fr. Barron received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1982 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and has been a professor of systematic theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. He was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican.

In addition, Fr. Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad. Cardinal Francis George calls Fr. Barron “one of the Church’s best messengers.

Fr. Barron was baptized at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago and grew up at St. John of the Cross parish in Western Springs, Illinois.
WordOnFire.org - Fr. Barron's website launched in 1999 and currently draws over 1 million visitors a year from every continent. Fr. Barron posts weekly video clips, commentaries and radio sermons and offers an audio archive of over 500 homilies. Podcasts of his sermons are widely used by tens of thousands of visitors each month.
TV - EWTN (The Eternal Word Television Network) and CatholicTV broadcasts Fr. Barron's DVDs to a worldwide audience of over 150 million people.

Radio - Since 1999, Fr. Barron's weekly Word on Fire program has been broadcast in Chicago (WGN) and throughout the country (Relevant Radio - 950 AM Chicago) to 28 million listeners in 17 states. Fr. Barron also is a regular commentator on the "Busted Halo Show" on the Sirius satellite radio network based in New York.

DVDs - Fr. Barron's DVDs are used as powerful faith formation tools in universities, schools, churches and homes around the country. The series includes Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues; Faith Clips; Conversion: Following the Call of Christ; and Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness.

YouTube - With over 180 online video commentaries by Fr. Barron, over 1 million viewers worldwide have made him the most popular of any evangelist on YouTube. These frequent, high-quality productions include brief and lively theological reviews of contemporary culture, including movies such as No Country for Old Men, Apocalypto, and The Departed, a three-part critical review of Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great, The Discovery Channel's The Jesus Tomb, the HBO series "The Sopranos", "Rome" and more.

Missions - MISSION CHICAGO features evangelization lectures by Fr. Barron at the behest of Cardinal George. These special missions and presentations throughout the Archdiocese are centered in downtown Chicago and attract business, civic, and cultural leaders.
Books - His numerous books and essays serve as critical educational and inspirational tools for seminarians, priests, parishioners and young people worldwide. His published works are also central to the numerous retreats, workshop and talks that h

Reviews

[Brett Salkeld]

Father Robert Barron is, in my view, the most theologically responsible catechist/evangelist working in the American Church today. Though most of his published works are of the adult education variety, The Priority of Christ demonstrates why his more popular works are so theologically rich. Simply put, Barron is one of our best theologians.



Unsatisfied with the proposed quick fixes, reactionary rants and identity politics that so typify Christianity's relationship with modernity, Barron digs much deeper. He is not afraid to admit that Christianity gave birth to modernity and is responsible for it. As such, nothing less than a radical reordering of our worldview is in order. Barron's efforts in this direction, though unapologetically idealistic, are neither naive nor short-sighted. He knows what he is talking about. The more Christians who come to know what Robert Barron is talking about, the better. Anyone who wants to understand the role of the Church and of theology in the modern world should read this important work.

[Father Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

We went chapter by chapter through this book last year, guided by the author. Aside from the unique experience of discussing a work of theology in front of the one who composed it, I found this to be a worthwhile read. Father Barron's thesis is essentially this: we've been so busy trying to fit Christ into our preconceived categories that we've lost sight of the original figure. It is this diversion that has caused much of the crises in contemporary theology, from the classroom to the pulpit, and Father Barron argues convincingly for the solution: let Christ speak for himself. When we do so, allowing him to reveal himself through the Scriptures as they ask to be interpreted, we recover the inherently attractiveness of the life of faith and receive a new incentive to give ourselves over completely to the life of discipleship.

Father Barron points to certain medieval theological controversies as the germ of our current theological troubles. Specifically, certain nominalist thinkers (most notably William of Ockham) proposed a kind of theological system in which the divine existence was not "other" than our own, but could be placed within the category of "being" alongside created beings, without qualifying this claim. Thus, God was seen to be one being among many--albeit the most powerful and glorious being--and it was this strain of thought that ultimately lead to the view that God's freedom is incompatible with our own. That is, if God is all-powerful in the same way that I (or an angel) would be if given unlimited power, then those with less power are subject to him in such a way that limited, created freedom is compromised. Human freedom can only be achieved over and against divine freedom. As Enlightenment thinkers appropriated this understanding of the divine-human relationship, it became clear that one or the other had to go, and the more strident voices of secular humanism won out (in some sense, rightfully so). Obviously, this had its effects on certain thinkers of the Reformation as well--most notably John Calvin and his doctrine of double predestination (God wills some souls to go to heaven and others to go to hell, from all eternity, without any regard for their works on earth).

Yet, Father Barron reminds us that Deism/atheism held in the name of human freedom and radical interpretations of "justification by faith" held in the name of divine sovereignty are not the only alternatives. In accordance with the metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas, Barron cries "a plague on both your houses" and puts forward a startling solution (at least to those of us conditioned by the terms of the debate): God Incarnate. "If the incarnation is an accomplished fact, then the presence of the ture God is not invasive or interruptive but noncompetitive. In light of this coming together, we must say that there is a rapport of coinherence between divinity and humanity, each abiding in the other in such a way that humanity is elevated by the proximity of the divine." The first portions of the book explore the meaning and origin of this thesis in such a way as to provide an introduction to the major sources of the theological and philosophical tradition even as they are accepted or rejected as valid.

The reference in the title to "postliberal Catholicism" is quite accurate. Father Barron sees the pattern of the liberal project (defined as the integration of Enlightenment thought into Christian theology in an effort to sidestep the problems presented by the historical particularity of Christ) as essentially corrupting the Church's self-understanding and her mission. He is unabashedly in favor of recovering the rich theological tradition that takes as its starting point the Incarnate Lord and his life, death, and resurrection, though without a sentimental naivete that strives to return to an era that has passed. What results is a compelling portrait of postliberal theology that allows itself to be positioned by the Scriptures, and not the other way around.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I appreciated most about this book is Barron’s clear articulation of his arguments from philosophical, theological, and biblical perspectives, with a constant endeavor to weave these approaches together. As a Lutheran, reading from outside his tradition, and finding my own tradition frequently critiqued in these pages, I thought he represented my community’s views fairly, for the most part. Mostly, however, he expanded and enlightened my own understanding of Roman Catholicism, which is why I read the book. It is a challenging read, but well worth the time and effort.

[Fr. Jeffrey Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Barron at his best, and far more academic than his normal books.

Parts III, IV, and V (Epistemological, Metaphysical, and Ethical applications of his Christology) are absolutely worth reading. I was especially helped by the epistemological section.

Part II, where he applies his Christology to the Gospels, is not as helpful, especially since Pope Benedict did a very similar thing, but better, in the Jesus of Nazareth series.

Worth a read if you want meaty theology that is not written for academics only.

[David Selsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reader took a long break 2/3 of the way through and as a result it was hard to regain the thread of the narrative after time away. It needs to be stated that Robert Barron is a fantastic theologian. He has the rare gift of explaining in very clear language and terms what appears at first glance as inscrutable theological concepts and traditions. Barron's writing is not just clear but bracing and inspiring. He has an uncanny ability to synthesize and collate arguments and schools of thought and put all the information together in a narrative the layman can understand.

The two quibbles I have are Barron's tendency to repeat conceptual metaphors and analogies. This can be excused because one imagines he uses these analogies and similes in his pastoral care as a priest. A priest doesn't assume everyone he's speaking or writing to has heard his spiel before, so it is worth repeating if he's found a nugget of wisdom or a particular formulation that works well. Also, he's a priest. His job is to save souls. Some ideas need repeating. That being said, there is a repetitiveness to the diction that was noticeable. And secondly, the last section of the book where he profiles four saints who embody four particular virtues, in addition to feeling hurried, also feels tacked on and didn't bring the book to an organic conclusion.

That being said, overall the book is very good and well worth one's time. As mentioned above, Barron is a wonderful guide through Enlightenment and proto-Enlightenment thinkers who birthed modernity. In addition, he ably breaks down how different threads within Catholicism anticipated and in some ways helped bring about modernity. It's very interesting and Barron writes lucidly about all of it. Readers will enjoy this book whether they are well-versed in the intra-Catholic debates about how this tradition of thought led to this edifying or disappointing outcome or if they are readers learning about these ancient thinkers for the first time.

[John Droesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? A rich and profound tour-de-force through the incredible mind of Bishop Barron. Once again, I am amazed at how he can draw from so many sources, including his own genius insight, and construct a readable and moving text about the centrality of Christ. This book is definitely dense, but still accessible to most motivated readers and is relevant to both Catholics and Protestants alike. I will definitely return to this text for refreshing inspiration, as well as for any future research or writing. Most importantly, if read thoughtfully and prayerfully, it will draw you into the clear reality that, "Philosophy, ethics and cultural forms do not position him (Christ); he positions them. To understand that reversal is to grasp the nettle of the Christian thing." So true Bishop, so true. Thank you for this wonderful contribution to the vast intellectual and spiritual tradition of the Catholic Church.

[Jonah Peleus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a worthwhile read, more suitable to a postgraduate or scholarly audience in view of Barron's dense interweaving of concepts from a variety of notable theological and philosophical names. One has to marvel at his extensive reading and the manner in which he ties various streams of thought together. He has truly cogitated the seminal ideas of key medieval, modern and contemporary minds. Critics of Barron would find many of their criticisms unfounded after reading this work. Although, one will indeed notice that he is a thoroughly 'modern' theologian with respect to his style, scriptural hermeneutic, and Christology - and this has certain strengths, but certain issues too, yet he is still orthodox and spiritual, with Thomism as his touchstone.

A main contested point I would highlight is when he proports a Christology of Christ's coming-to-awareness of His own divinity, that "he is the beloved Son of God," (p.98). As an older work, maybe Barron would not support this notion anymore, but it's certainly unsavoury Christology. But, this aside, and other minor elements, this is a worthwhile book.

Its main thesis: Christ is the centre to everything, including our approach to being (ontology) and knowing (epistemology). He offers a cogent attack against nominalism and traces its logical unfolding into Kant and postmodernism. The patrimony of this 'modernism' is a theology of divine competitiveness: a God over-and-above the world, with God's Being and Will a threat to human being, freedom and autonomy. This default way of looking at God is contrary, Barron rightly highlights, from a proper Christian theology, evidenced in Thomas Aquinas. Christ is the proof against this God vs. Creation dichotomy. He speaks of a coinherence (what the Greek Fathers might have called 'synergy') between God and creation, the Divinity and man, manifest and realised in the Incarnate Word.

[Phillip Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly love Bishop Barron and his work. His podcasts, videos, books, and Word on Fire Institute have been life-changing resources for me and thousands of others. This book serves as the foundation for his "theology" in dense groundwork of his Catholic formation and thinking. it is intellectual and spiritual tour-de-force but is not for the intellectually faint of heart. The book is very academic in its structure and written for the reader with deep grounding in philosophical, liturgical, literary, and historical materials. The neophyte will need a glossary of philosophical terms handy as well as Google to be able to follow his movements amid such depths of thinking. For me, it felt like a deeper dive from his wonderful work in The Strangest Way and I will be unpacking it's contents for years to come as I continue my own journey.

This book is not the place to start if you're new to Robert Barron or Christianity, and most of us will never get there in terms of fully grasping the complete scope of what he presents within this book. However, if you really want to work your brain and dive deep, this is a great addition to the library and a book you'll be able to return to frequently as you grow in spiritual and philosophical depth.

[Mark Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and Inspiring

Stunning. I'm a pretty well read protestant pastor, but I'm just beginning to explore Catholic theologians. I started reading Bishop Barron during a project on Christian Epistemology, and I got much more than I bargained for. The majority of the book is an extremely well argued call for the centrality of Christ, not as an idea but as a incarnate person in a story. This part may be difficult reading for one unaquainted with academic theology, but it's pretty accessible given it's context. Recognizing the issues of academic expression, Barron then presents his argument in embodied form through the stories of real persons. The second part of the book is pictures of how the Christ centered life in the mode presented in the first part play out through thr stories of four female saints of the recent past. These are moving and inspiring and easy to read.

[Jacob Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. Simultaneously simple and profound. The basic thrust is that, if one believes that Jesus is what the Church claims he is, i.e. the template for all creation and the image of God Himself, then to be consistent one has to use Christ, his life, message, etc. as the criteria for evaluating all of the rest of reality, truth, ethics, etc. rather than attempting to justify or make sense of Christianity in the context of some supposedly universal set of logical principles or foundational truths. Again, a fairly simple point, but far-reaching in its implications. Barron concludes the book with an examination of four female saints who he feels exemplified this sort of Christocentric worldview: Therese of Lisieux, Edith Stein, Katherine Drexel, and Mother Teresa.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! If I could give it 6 stars, I would. The first real theology book I've read since finishing seminary a year-and-a-half ago. Fair warning, it would not be easy to get into without a foundation in philosophy. Nonetheless, a compelling vision of moving beyond contemporary dead ends in Christology, biblical studies, and moral theology that stifle motivation for evangelization. The last four chapters on saints as models for ethics are worth reading alone. I'd love to see Bishop Barron write a series of essays on different saints as models of various virtues and how life in Christ elevates and transforms everything into radical love.

[Eileen O'Finlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Barron's The Priority of Christ is a stellar theological argument. As always, he deftly presents his argument with superior supporting documentation. My only caveat is, if you're going to read this, be sure you're up on your philosophy and theology as it presumes a fair understanding of both. I believe this book was written for other theologians. I'm not certain, but I think it may have been based on his doctoral thesis. It's not a book most people are going to breeze through, but if you are looking for solid Catholic theology, this is it. IMHO, Barron is one of the very best writing today.

[Marty Langlois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop Barron is Consistently Phenomenal!

I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of depth in theology, the philosophy and even some practical arguments that can be applied in various apologetic situations. I also became more aware of my personal need to read more philosophy because some of the references in the book went over my head. Otherwise, great way to reinforce the priority of making Christ the center of my life. Thank you Bishop Barron... now to discern the next book to read.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated Fr. Barron's portrayal of Christ, and centralization of the Gospel, particularly as he frames it in the context of the cycle of grace.
I am not Catholic, but gained more of an understanding of the Catholic faith, particularly their Christology and interpretation of grace in reading this work.

[Thomas R. Hrdlick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, construct-changing book. Must read for Catholics; important read for anyone trying to understand where we are metaphysical and how we got here.

[Guy Parker]

I placed this on my list because Bishop Barron says it’s his finest work.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very deeply theological, it took reading in small bits to understand and examine all Bishop Barron is saying. God is love. Christ is the answer.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not yet finished, but Barron's argument (advice) here is both carefully academic and convincing. Here, in some good ways, postliberal looks like preliberal...

[Ryan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the reading of this book, at time it was very dense and I had to pull out Google a few times for many phrases in Latin and other Languages that he used, but overall this book is a great read that really dives into the heart of what modern Christian thought should be about.

[Cameron M]

I've read a few works by Bishop Robert Barron, and this would be his Magna Carta, if you will, compared to the other pieces. The Bishop's academic play is on full display in 'The Priority of Christ' and it is a dense read to say the least. You can tell that Barron went 'all out' in this book and for good reason. He probably had a blast writing this profound work, but it was also likely vexing for the man.
The Priority of Christ had put me in a few different places at different times. The book draws on theological masterminds of the Church's tradition and their richness is savory. Bishop Barron does an excellent job at explaining much of the otherwise tough-to-chew-on material so that it's approachable to us laymen. However, his habit of dancing around with some of the Latin, French, German, without explaining or even really needing it would become wearisome at points and thus lead me to boredom at times. I became particularly bored at about the middle third of the book. The material is solid, of course, but it could be that my naivete created a sense of slight indifference in what was said in various parts.
I will gladly say, however, that I particularly loved the final chapters outlining four of our Tradition's heroic women. Having been a follower of Word on Fire and Bishop Barron for years now, I'm fully aware of his affection towards St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Edith Stein, St. Therese (the little flower) and St. Katherine Drexel. These short mini-biographies were inspiring and written well. Bishop Barron selects these four radiant women for their elevation of the cardinal virtues, and with good reason. The risen Christ is on full display in all of these women, and I'm grateful for having read a little bit more of these witnesses.
Parts of the book were of utmost interest to me, such as Part II (The Narratives) and Part IV (The Noncompetitively Transcendent and Coherent God). Here in these parts, Barron captures my attention full well by developing the themes of Christ as the person in His humanity, and then also how it plays into the Davidic fulfillment of the Old Testament.
Overall a great read. It is very dense, and I wouldn't throw this to someone who doesn't already have a fair understanding or comprehension of the theology of the Incarnation of Christ.