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5.0 out of 5 stars
AS IF THEY RETITLED MELVILLE'S NOVEL: BED AND BREAKFAST IN NEW BEDFORD, July 31, 2007
This review is from: The Language of Dissent: Edward Schillebeeckx on the Crisis of Authority in the Catholic Church (Hardcover)
One feels that perhaps the alarming title was chosen by someone at production for its shocking commercial element (and the bright orange cover). But we cannot judge a book by its cover any more than by its title. The Name of the Rose rarely if ever conveys its essence. Not to wallow thus deliciously in semiotics, but a better title for this brilliant and valuable study might be "A Comprehensive Introduction with Commentary upon the life's work of one of the most important Catholic Theologians of the Twentieth Century," as indeed the The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism calls the Dominican and Reverend Father Edward Schillebeeckx one of three most important Catholic theologians of that watershed era. But even as Introduction to the magnificent work of Father Schillebeeckx, we may not enter boldly here without shielding ourselves with a healthy, solid Dictionary of Philosophy, particularly post-Kantian but including Aristotle, unless of course your philosophy coursework left you well prepared to distinguish your ontology from your epistemology sight unseen. Despite the excellent and informative endnotes, such definitions of philosophical terminology is assumed rather than provided. Daniel Speed Thompson here does an excellent job at presenting the totality of Father Schillebeeckx's prolific and profound life's work, its evolution, its aims, and its historical, religious, political and cultural contexts, yet he cannot pause to spoonfeed the reader with what we have the responsibility of bringing with us to the table from Philosophy 101. To write of this enormous and complex Concorde superjet, he cannot reinvent with us the wheel, or the writing would require too many volumes. He brilliantly and surgically limits himself to the essentials, and we can easily access further information as we require. Thus this is truly a brilliant introduction not only to the Theology of Father Schillebeeckx but to the related fields of modern philosophy, etc. To understand our modern Catholic Church and its pronouncements (many of which echo the resounding thought of Father Schillebeeckx) we need know Father Schillebeeckx. Let this book serve you as introduction, as biography, as philosophical biography, as schema for his complex and evolving writings, much as Stuart Gilbert provided a comprehensible schema for James Joyce's Ulysses, or Joseph Campbell A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake: Unlocking James Joyce's Masterwork. Yet unlike Campbell, this does not strip the infinite profoundities of theological meaning and mystery from Father Schillebeeckx, but raises a lamp to light our way and see that which we would not otherwise see. Strongly recommended for all Catholics and all those curious to learn just what it is to be Catholic. As Saint Ambrose wrote long ago, Theology is Faith seeking Understanding. By Daniel Speed Thompson we may come to understand Father Schillebeeckx; by the Reverend Father Schillebeeckx we may come further along in understanding our Faith, and finally gain the strength and understanding, and the wisdom, to follow Our Lord's primary commandment to "love one another."
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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most interesting is Prof. Speed Thompson's concept of "nonantithetical dialectic" in the later Schillebeeckx, August 3, 2007
This review is from: The Language of Dissent: Edward Schillebeeckx on the Crisis of Authority in the Catholic Church (Hardcover)
Gratefully Professor Thompson brings the evolving theology of the Reverend Father Edward Schillebeeckx into its larger and contemporary philosophical context, much as the great Father Schillebeeckx himself brings the absolute and eternal truths of our Faith into the context and language of our post-modern times. Unfortunately they bring it into the most elevated language of our academic worlds, and not that used and understood by the vast mass of our post-literate times. I was especially impressed by Prof. Speed Thompson's formulation of the phrase "nonantithetical dialectic" to describe the nonconfrontational complementarity of the theological dynamics described so deeply by Father Schillebeeckx. Thus we use the language of Twentieth century philosophy in order to describe the zenith of our twentieth century theology. It would be both arrogant and impossible for me to sum up here Prof. Thompson's comprehensive and brilliant summing up of Father Schillebeeckx. As in Schillebeeckx himself, each page, each paragraph, every single line, requires analysis and a talmudic commentary. I can only urge you to read closely this excellent study as a portal to the theology of Father Schillebeeckx, as a portal to our own Faith. I urge you to pack a substantial and philosophical dictionary for our journey of Faith. Strongly recommended for all commited Catholics, and the philosophically curious traveller. Read them and weep no more.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
HELPED ME AND IT MIGHT HELP YOU TOO, August 2, 2007
Everyone knows there is no stew as thick as reading Father Schillebeeckx. Nothing as glorious, as blindingly brilliant, nothing as multi-faceted, nothing as profoundly informative, yet nothing as thick. Each line bears a highlighting, and the pages of used books by Father SChillebeeckx have often been painted bright yellow with a broad brush, and then stars in the margins to remember the REALLY important phrases, for it is phrases, not only sentences, not only paragraphs, of brilliance which blind the reader. This book by Prof. Thompson is very welcome by all of us who wish to understand Father Schillebeeckx, named on of the three greatest CAtholic theologians of the Twentieth Century. This book in itself requires a familiarity with philosophy, as well as Catholic theology, but it is a great aid in crossing the treacherous chasm to an understanding of Father Schillebeeckx and thus our own Catholic faith. So many have not made it across that deep chasm and wallow broken upon the rocky reefs of uncomprehending condemnation. Father SChillebeeckx deserves nonesuch, but only our gratitude for opening our eyes and hhearts and minds to a deeper appreciation and understanding of our Faith, for keeping our Faith alive in these modern times, when so many rush to close the window of Faith. May God continue ever to bless the great and brilliant Father Schillebeeckx, for providing us this sure path to our Faith, and for all his life's work which God has inspired. May we have the courage and attention, the intelligence, perseverence, the grace and further gifts of the Holy Spirit to study him, and the time in peace, and the able assistance of such as Professor Thompson.
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