Customer Reviews

The prophetic theology of George Tyrrell (American Academy of Religion studies in religion ; no. 22)

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Wells says: "I have tried to develop an understanding of the theology of George Tyrrell that is historically sensitive but re-evaluated from a post-Vatican II position " (P.4). If I have understood Wells correctly, the post-Vatican II position from which he evaluates Tyrrell is an existential one. In this exciting presentation of Tyrrell's thought Wells has succeeded in identifying the prophetic aspect of Tyrrell's character. Many scholastic investigations of the writings of significant theologians are undertaken from the perspective of the historical context or crisis that precipitated their works. Wells has managed to present an investigation that illustrates Tyrrell's historical significance and reveals his prophetic character which transcends the historical context. Wells writes: "...it needs to be said at the outset that my concern centers wholly on Tyrrell; where questions of relationship between his thought and contemporary views arise, my sole intention remains that of eliciting the proper significance of the Irish priest's ideas" (P. 5). As an existentialist, Tyrrell wrote with the intention of finding himself and the journey of this volatile personality parallels the journeys of many of Christ's faithful today. In our age of heightened individuality, which often turns to narcissistic individualism, Tyrrell's journey into self-conscious understanding of himself and the Church, which he claims to have never left, is accurately documented by Wells. Tyrrell's individuality is that of the theologian. It is not the individualism of the philosopher. Wells is faithful to the title of his book and helps us to understand that "What is of concern is that Tyrrell's role as an almost prescient formulator of things to come be recognized" (P. 42). This is not a book which is written to address, in popular fashion, the existential angst among Christian believers today. Rather, it is a thoughtful and richly rewarding intellectual appreciation of the prophetic legacy of one who suffered through the formulation and re-formulation of his ideas for the good of the individual and of the Church. Wells, in re-evaluating Tyrrell from a post-Vatican II perspective, shows how Tyrrell's thought transcends the Victorian theological constraints of his time.