With his characteristic insight, clarity, and charity, Aidan Nichols surveys the major writings and theological intuitions of his Dominican confrere Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange (1877-1964), to whom we owe a major twentieth-century appropriation of the Thomist commentators. Originally delivered as lectures at Oxford University, the study traces Garrigou-Lagrange's systematic thought, from the Trinity to eschatology, and attends as well to his understanding of the nature of theology, of metaphysics, of mystical theology, and of the relation of all human acts to man's supernatural end. Demolishing the stereotypical portrait of mid-twentieth century controversies, Nichols shows that what post-conciliar students can learn from Garrigou is how to reason with piety.
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By common consent, the Dominican theologian Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange ranks as the most formidable Catholic theologian of the first half of the twentieth century. But because he put his vigorous intellect in service to the anti-Modernist cause of Pope Pius X, he has frequently been attacked by historians for holding back the forces that eventually led to Vatican II. For that reason he functions nowadays more as a whipping boy for progressive Catholics than as a living voice of the Great Tradition that he should be and really is. Clearly the time has come for a sober, fair and comprehensive treatment of this great man s thought; and Reason with Piety provides just such a lucid survey. This is intellectual history at its most exciting. --Edward T. Oakes, S. J., University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois
Fr. Aidan Nichols is well-known in Catholic circles for well-written, jargon-free books. Accessible but nuanced works on Benedict XVI and Balthasar are just some of his accomplishments in recent years. His latest wonderful offering is on Garrigou-Lagrange, arguably the most controversial theologian of the twentieth century. . . . A target of new theological trends, Garrigou-Lagranges austere, rationalist theology was out of step with the more existential and humanistic currents popular in the latter part of the twentieth century. Advocate of a strictly supernatural end of man, he was extremely hostile to religious naturalism, the idea that religious experience has its foundation in sentiment, ordinary consciousness or human yearnings. This book appears at a moment when humanistic theology appears exhausted, its fruits doubted, theology requiring renewal. John Paul II s last encyclical, Fides et Ratio, required theologians to take seriously again the metaphysical supports of theology. Few theologians in the last century accomplished as much in this regard as Garrigou-Lagrange. As Catholic theology tries to re-find its philosophical feet Garrigou-Lagranges Thomism offers useful footholds, most ably pointed out by Fr. Nichols. --G. J. McAleer, Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland
Fr. Aidan Nichols, who himself enjoys a certain claim to theological brilliance, provides a thrust to the growing renewed interest in the incontestable genius of the twentieth-century theologian and mystic, Marie-Aubin-Gontran Garrigou-Lagrange, known in the Dominican Order as Reginald. Nichols's research is impeccable. His writing is lucid (of course). The book's overall presentation is pedagogically sound. At the same time, no matter how praiseworthy and balanced they are, one book and one perspective never exhaust what should be said about an incontestable theological genius. It may take a century for the Catholic world to discover and to appreciate fully the grace of the Word that Garrigou-Lagrange incarnated at a crucial juncture in the history of the modern Church. For those who can't wait that long, Father Nichols' little book supplies a reliable account of one of the giants of twentieth-century Catholic thought. --Romanus Cessario, O.P., Saint John's Seminary, Brighton, Massachusetts
Fr. Aidan Nichols is well-known in Catholic circles for well-written, jargon-free books. Accessible but nuanced works on Benedict XVI and Balthasar are just some of his accomplishments in recent years. His latest wonderful offering is on Garrigou-Lagrange, arguably the most controversial theologian of the twentieth century. . . . A target of new theological trends, Garrigou-Lagranges austere, rationalist theology was out of step with the more existential and humanistic currents popular in the latter part of the twentieth century. Advocate of a strictly supernatural end of man, he was extremely hostile to religious naturalism, the idea that religious experience has its foundation in sentiment, ordinary consciousness or human yearnings. This book appears at a moment when humanistic theology appears exhausted, its fruits doubted, theology requiring renewal. John Paul II s last encyclical, Fides et Ratio, required theologians to take seriously again the metaphysical supports of theology. Few theologians in the last century accomplished as much in this regard as Garrigou-Lagrange. As Catholic theology tries to re-find its philosophical feet Garrigou-Lagranges Thomism offers useful footholds, most ably pointed out by Fr. Nichols. --G. J. McAleer, Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland
Fr. Aidan Nichols, who himself enjoys a certain claim to theological brilliance, provides a thrust to the growing renewed interest in the incontestable genius of the twentieth-century theologian and mystic, Marie-Aubin-Gontran Garrigou-Lagrange, known in the Dominican Order as Reginald. Nichols's research is impeccable. His writing is lucid (of course). The book's overall presentation is pedagogically sound. At the same time, no matter how praiseworthy and balanced they are, one book and one perspective never exhaust what should be said about an incontestable theological genius. It may take a century for the Catholic world to discover and to appreciate fully the grace of the Word that Garrigou-Lagrange incarnated at a crucial juncture in the history of the modern Church. For those who can't wait that long, Father Nichols' little book supplies a reliable account of one of the giants of twentieth-century Catholic thought. --Romanus Cessario, O.P., Saint John's Seminary, Brighton, Massachusetts
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
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The Return of Neo Scholastic Thomism,
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This review is from: Reason with Piety, Garrigou-Lagrange in the Service of Catholic Thought (Paperback)
Fr. Aidan Nicholas, O.P. provides a good introduction to the esteemed Fr. Reginald Garrigou O.P.. Lagrange, the dean of 20th century Roman Thomism. He gives a nice biographical presentation, mixed in with some of the more salient points of Fr. Lagrange's brand of Thomism-- especially his emphasis on God as the only self subistent being. He also explains the major themes of Garrigou's work: Thomistic philosopy of being, the proofs for God, the Theology of the Trinity, Apologetics, Providence, Incarnation, Atonement, Contemplative Prayer etc. According to this realistic, Neo-Thomistic perspective, one begins to grasp the problems with Suarezian and Scotist metaphysics and theology.Finally, there is a sympathetic treatment of Garrigou Lagrange and the Modernist problem, highlighting how the great Garigou Lagrange defended the Catholic faith against the very real enemy of theological modernism. One can only wish that he had been alive to defend the faith after the Council, but then his brilliant treatment of God's Providence forbids us to seriously entertain such non-Providential fantasies! However, I do wish that the good Fr. Nichols had gone into the Nature/grace (DeLubac) question more deeply, but perhaps for an update on that one could turn to the new book by Lawrence Feingold to be published by the Catholic University of America press in 2010. For further readings by Fr. Reginald Garrigou LaGrange, O.P., I would recommend "Reality, a Synthesis of Thomistic Thought" written by the master himself, and republished by the Ex Fontibus Co. in 2007. Tan Books has also republished some of his classic works on Mary, the Mother of God, Providence and Grace, Contemplative Prayer etc. We are indebted to Fr. Aidan Nichols for his excellent work in reemphasizing this much maligned contemplative theologian of the Thomistic tradition. Let us pray for Fr. Nichols and the English Dominicans as they prepare England for the Papal visit in September.
2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
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This review is from: Reason with Piety, Garrigou-Lagrange in the Service of Catholic Thought (Paperback)
Garrigou-Lagrange was a great theologian and a great man. He was a very astute explicator of St. Thomas' doctrines, and all doctrines of the Church. Nichols' review of a small part of his work bears the characteristic of most writers today who review the works of great men: they look down on the greats from a position of superiority and condecension, as if the theological pipsqueakery that dominates Catholic theology these days is superior to all that went before. No reverence, little respect - what a tragedy.Nichols begins with a summary of Pascendi of St. Pius X, on the modernists, whom Garrigou-Lagrange fought valiantly all his life. A brief, uninformative summary it is indeed. I suppose the difficulty of discussing modernism in the Church is enormous, when one approves heartily of modernists, such as Benedict 16 and John Paul 2, while writing a book about an anti-modernist whose teaching opposed them. And trying to make it look as though these opposing positions are compatible, or do not conflict with each other, simply obscures good descriptions of both modernism and anti-modernism. Readers who want to know about Garrigou-Lagrange's writings should get his works and go to the source. "Reality: A synthesis of Thomistic Thought" is excellent - his books for laymen are unsurpassed in explaining Thomistic teaching to laymen. "The Savior and His Love for Us" is wonderful, as is "The Mother of the Savior", "Predestination", "Life Everlasting" and others. Again, he explains the doctrines of St. Thomas and the Church in laymen's terms, thoroughly and beautifully. Some of His more technical scholastic works are also reprinted today. Many of these books are available on Amazon - I strongly recommend them.
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