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Future of Catholic Biblical Scholarship: A Constructive Conversation

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As the authors state, the use of the word "constructive" has a dual intent . . . to construct a discussion of the current state of Catholic biblical scholarship . . . and to do so in a constructive manner. This book is a "conversation," and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subjects of exegesis, biblical interpretation and the role of Sacred Scripture in the Church today.

Luke Timothy Johnson is a former Benedictine monk and priest, now married with children and teaching at the Chandler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta GA. William Kurz is a Jesuit, currently a Professor of New Testament at Marquette University in Milwaukee WI. Both are excellent writers, well-versed in their subject and relatively clear in their style.

In general, I would describe the approach to the subject as orthodox . . . although not constrictively so. The book has a series of chapters by each author. At the end of one author's chapters, the other author comments. Then there is a summary conclusion section with a series of questions and answers, such as "Why is it important to claim a distinctive Catholic identity within biblical scholarship?" Although the book includes a general survey of the current "state-of-affairs" in the Catholic biblical scholarly world, there is ultimately a focus on the future and the need for renewal and reform in the interpretive process and its influence on the life of faith.

A key element of the book is a discussion of the distance between the academic setting of scholarship and the church today. Both authors acknowledge that this is an issue that needs to be addressed within the academy. Too much scholarship, even in Catholic universities, is done in a detached manner from the Church, in some extreme instances, done in direct opposition to the Church. Neither author wishes to return to the past . . . but both authors believe that a middle ground between the academy and the Church must be reached . . . and the key to that endeavor is to look to the past, renew current practices with the best from our Tradition, and more directly relate that renewal to Scripture itself, within the context of faith . . . not intellectual academics.

Dr. Johnson's approach is essential historical . . . the need to recover aspects of the premodern approach to interpretation . . . his approach begins with an introductory chapter of "catholic" scholarship, a general discussion about "rejoining" a conversation with the Church's past, followed by specific discussions around Origen and Augustine. Johnson's discussion is concluded with an excellent overview from the perspective of imagination . . . the need to recover a less intellectual, academic approach to the Bible and incorporate a more spiritual, imaginative aspect.

Fr. Kurz takes a different approach . . . looking at specific biblical passages and developing the idea of renewal from a discussion of these passages . . . directly relating a renewed interpretive process through Sacred Scripture itself.

Both authors maintain that elements of the Church's traditional approach to interpretation and understanding have been lost . . . or unwisely rejected . . . and there needs to be a recovery of elements of that past. The current approach is not to be discarded . . . both have great respect for the historical-critical method . . . but both acknowledge that the modern approach has resulted in too much physical and spiritual separation between the academy and the Church. The book closes with a series of questions, which both authors answer, leading to a great summary by Dr. Johnson, ". . . the willingness to change some of our practices as scholars, to undergo something of an intellectual and moral conversion, making the life of faith the starting point and goal of our scholarly efforts," which is an excellent summary of the book's purpose.

I would especially recommend this book to lay readers who are interested in a more detailed discussion of the current state-of-affairs in the Roman Catholic Church . . . and Christianity generally . . . concerning biblical interpretation and its role in the faith life of Christians and the Church.