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Henri de Lubac begegnen (Zeugen des Glaubens)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 25, 2024
Henry de Lubac (1896-1991) was a French Catholic theologian, and eventually a cardinal. He is particularly interesting because he lived through an era of enormous change, and his works contributed significantly to some of those changes.
One of his key achievements was to re-introduce the study of Patristic sources into mainstream theology. Theologians had always been aware of ancient sources, but over the centuries they had become reading material for spirituality, rather than study documents for theology. This was due to an assumption that their significant ideas had already been incorporated into mainstream theology. So, why waste time going back to them? De Lubac’s work on retrieving and republishing ancient texts showed that that assumption was wrong, and that there was much to be gained from re-studying Patristic sources.
His other great achievement was to challenge and over-turn contemporary ideas about the distinction between nature and grace. In the neo-scholasticism of the era, theology distinguished sharply between non-Christians who lived according to nature and reason, and Christians who lived according to grace and Revelation. Baptised Christians were orientated towards heaven, and non-Christians had a very different future fate in store for them. One of de Lubac’s insights was that this two-fold destination did not make sense. He thought that the one God who created the world would have a single destination in mind for all of humanity. That view was initially controversial, but it prevailed at Vatican II in Gaudium et Spes 22.
One aspect of de Lubac’s life revolved around censures. Between 1950 and 1958 he was disciplined for ‘pernicious errors on essential points of dogma.’ Three of his books were removed from libraries and he was banned from publishing. Throughout this period he submitted, until the bans were removed. But at no point was he actually formally accused of anything specific, or given an opportunity to reply and rebut an accusation. And whatever errors were sufficiently serious to see him disciplined for 8 years, suddenly evaporated when he was rehabilitated in 1958 with no apparent change required in his views or actions. Many of de Lubac’s friends were outraged over the lack of justice in how they perceived that he had been treated. De Lubac himself refused to condemn or criticise anyone.
One aspect of the book which I found a little disappointing was that it veered towards hagiography. (Perhaps that isn’t entirely surprising, given the decision of the French bishops conference in 2023 to petition the Vatican to begin the cause of his canonisation?). However, it left the book a little unbalanced. De Lubac is an admirable figure for many reasons. But there is also a case to be made that his words and actions were intemperate and contributed towards the disfavour which he fell into. To make that observation is not to seek to justify how he was treated. But it is to recognise that there is another set of issues which are relevant to getting a fuller picture of De Lubac’s life. (Some of that other set of issues can be seen in 'The Thomistic Response to the Novelle Theologie' - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...).
Overall, this is a relatively short and clear account of De Lubac’s life and major publications. Around 10% of the text is dedicated to notes, with a useful ‘further reading’ section. The book is written in a clear and readable way, which largely avoids jargon and unnecessary complications. This makes the book suitable for readers from all backgrounds.
(These comments are based on the 2008 Ignatius Press edition).
One of his key achievements was to re-introduce the study of Patristic sources into mainstream theology. Theologians had always been aware of ancient sources, but over the centuries they had become reading material for spirituality, rather than study documents for theology. This was due to an assumption that their significant ideas had already been incorporated into mainstream theology. So, why waste time going back to them? De Lubac’s work on retrieving and republishing ancient texts showed that that assumption was wrong, and that there was much to be gained from re-studying Patristic sources.
His other great achievement was to challenge and over-turn contemporary ideas about the distinction between nature and grace. In the neo-scholasticism of the era, theology distinguished sharply between non-Christians who lived according to nature and reason, and Christians who lived according to grace and Revelation. Baptised Christians were orientated towards heaven, and non-Christians had a very different future fate in store for them. One of de Lubac’s insights was that this two-fold destination did not make sense. He thought that the one God who created the world would have a single destination in mind for all of humanity. That view was initially controversial, but it prevailed at Vatican II in Gaudium et Spes 22.
One aspect of de Lubac’s life revolved around censures. Between 1950 and 1958 he was disciplined for ‘pernicious errors on essential points of dogma.’ Three of his books were removed from libraries and he was banned from publishing. Throughout this period he submitted, until the bans were removed. But at no point was he actually formally accused of anything specific, or given an opportunity to reply and rebut an accusation. And whatever errors were sufficiently serious to see him disciplined for 8 years, suddenly evaporated when he was rehabilitated in 1958 with no apparent change required in his views or actions. Many of de Lubac’s friends were outraged over the lack of justice in how they perceived that he had been treated. De Lubac himself refused to condemn or criticise anyone.
One aspect of the book which I found a little disappointing was that it veered towards hagiography. (Perhaps that isn’t entirely surprising, given the decision of the French bishops conference in 2023 to petition the Vatican to begin the cause of his canonisation?). However, it left the book a little unbalanced. De Lubac is an admirable figure for many reasons. But there is also a case to be made that his words and actions were intemperate and contributed towards the disfavour which he fell into. To make that observation is not to seek to justify how he was treated. But it is to recognise that there is another set of issues which are relevant to getting a fuller picture of De Lubac’s life. (Some of that other set of issues can be seen in 'The Thomistic Response to the Novelle Theologie' - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...).
Overall, this is a relatively short and clear account of De Lubac’s life and major publications. Around 10% of the text is dedicated to notes, with a useful ‘further reading’ section. The book is written in a clear and readable way, which largely avoids jargon and unnecessary complications. This makes the book suitable for readers from all backgrounds.
(These comments are based on the 2008 Ignatius Press edition).
March 5, 2024
this book for me Simplified Henri De Lubac’s Thought. I am so grateful to the author.
As a complete layman and simple mind person, I was able to experience and understand so much that I never would’ve been able to. I I am grateful to the author I also saw on YouTube, with Bishop Barron expressing some of the same thoughts. It decided to look up the book and I’m glad I did.
As a complete layman and simple mind person, I was able to experience and understand so much that I never would’ve been able to. I I am grateful to the author I also saw on YouTube, with Bishop Barron expressing some of the same thoughts. It decided to look up the book and I’m glad I did.
February 1, 2022
Helpful historical contextualization of de Lubac. Most helpful of all was the background to the grace and nature controversy that I simply could not understand until I read this book. Other sections on de Lubac's theology were uneven, jumping around topics only loosely related.
October 27, 2008
A brief but excellent intellectual and personal biography.
April 30, 2014
Excellent, clear and interesting biography and introduction of one of the 20th's great theologians. De Lubac comes across as a man of great humility, love for the Church, and Christ.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews