Catholic Theology

Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt is Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland and a deacon of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is a former editor of Modern Theology and the author of several books, including Why the Mystics Matter Now (2003) and Thomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Following Christ (2013). He is co-editor of The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism (Wiley Blackwell, 2011) and has published numerous articles on medieval and modern theology.James J. Buckley is Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland. He has been on the editorial boards of Modern Theology and Pro Ecclesia: A Journal for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, and is a member of the North American Lutheran Catholic Dialogue. He is author of Seeking the Humanity of God: Practices, Doctrines, and Catholic Theology (1992), co-editor of The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism (Wiley Blackwell, 2011), and has published in a variety of journals.

Select Guide Rating

• Abbreviations and Texts xiiiIntroduction: From the Middle of Our Life’s Journey xv1 The Nature and Sources of Catholic Theology 11.1 Catholics 21.1.1 Being and Becoming Catholic 31.1.2 Personal and Communal 41.1.3 Catholics and Other People 61.2 Theology: Fides et Ratio 71.2.1 Fides 91.2.2 Ratio 101.3 The Sources of Catholic Theology 121.3.1 Scripture 121.3.2 Tradition 191.3.3 Magisterium 22Notes 26References 272 God 282.1 The God of Scripture 292.2 Father, Son, and Spirit 352.2.1 The New Testament 352.2.2 The Road to Nicaea 382.2.3 The Road from Nicaea 432.2.3.1 Trouble with terminology 432.2.3.2 Relations and procession 452.2.3.3 Trinity and community 472.3 The Grammar of Divinity 502.3.1 Proofs of God’s Existence 502.3.1.1 Anselm’s “ontological argument” 512.3.1.2 Thomas Aquinas’s “five ways” 522.3.2 God and Being 562.3.3 Language on the Way to God 602.3.3.1 The positive and negative ways 602.3.3.2 Analogy 61Notes 63References 643 Creation and Fall 663.1 The God Who Creates 673.1.1 Creation in the Bible 673.1.2 What Does It Mean to Call God “Creator”? 713.1.2.1 Creation in goodness 713.1.2.2 Creation in freedom 733.1.2.3 Creation from nothing 743.2 The Created Order 763.2.1 Orderly Diversity 763.2.2 Angelic Life 783.2.3 Caused Causes 803.2.4 Creation and Modern Science 813.3 The Human Creature 843.3.1 Imago Dei 843.3.2 Polarities 863.3.2.1 Body and soul 873.3.2.2 Male and female 903.3.2.3 Nature and grace 943.4 Sin 963.4.1 The Fall 973.4.2 Evil and the Goodness of Creation 993.4.3 Original Sin 100Notes 103References 1044 Jesus Christ 1074.1 The Story of Jesus of Nazareth 1094.1.1 The Messiah of Israel 1114.1.2 The Ministry of Jesus: Proclaiming the Kingdom of God 1144.1.2.1 Baptism and calling 1144.1.2.2 Healer and wonder worker 1164.1.2.3 Teacher 1174.1.3 Death and Resurrection 1194.2 The Person of Jesus Christ 1244.2.1 The Road to Chalcedon 1244.2.1.1 The prelude to controversy 1254.2.1.2 Alexandria and Antioch 1274.2.1.3 Two natures in one person 1294.2.1.4 The meaning of the Chalcedonian definition 1324.2.2 The Road from Chalcedon 1344.2.2.1 The Christology of Thomas Aquinas 1354.2.2.2 Devotion to the humanity of Christ 1364.2.3 The Challenges of Modernity 1384.2.3.1 Tradition and suspicion 1394.2.3.2 The psychology of Jesus 1404.2.3.3 The de-Westernizing of Jesus 1434.3 The Work of Christ for Us and for Our Salvation 1454.3.1 Christ as Priest and Offering 1464.3.2 Christ as Prophet 1504.3.3 Christ as Servant-King 152Notes 156References 1575 The Spirit of Holiness 1595.1 The Spirit of God 1605.1.1 The Spirit in Scripture 1615.1.2 The Spirit in Creed and Controversy 1655.2 The Holy Spirit and Human Life: Disputed Questions over Grace 1705.2.1 Grace and Predestination 1715.2.2 Scholastic Distinctions 1735.2.3 Justification by Faith, Catholics, and Protestants 1765.2.4 Dominicans, Jesuits, and Jansenists 1795.2.5 The Grace of Christ and the Salvation of Non-Christians 1815.2.6 Spiritual Gifts and Charismatic Renewal 1875.3 Mary 1905.3.1 Disciple and Mother of Jesus 1915.3.2 Theotokos 1925.3.3 Extending the Narrative: Marian Doctrines 1935.3.4 Contracting the Narrative: Mary and the Church 196Notes 197References 1986 The Church 2016.1 People of God and Body of Christ 2026.2 The Pilgrimage of the People of God 2066.2.1 Jew and Gentile in the Body of Christ 2076.2.2 Catholics and Donatists in Africa 2086.2.3 Pope Gregory VII and the Freedom of the Church 2116.2.4 Reformations Protestant and Catholic 2146.2.5 Freedom from the Church, and Vatican Council I on Papal Infallibility 2166.2.6 Vatican Council II and Disputes over Reform 2186.3 One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic 2216.3.1 Diverse Unity 2226.3.2 Holiness and Its Failures 2246.3.3 Particular and Universal Catholicity 2276.3.4 Apostolic Foundations 2306.4 The Church’s Missionary Solidarity with Today’s World 232Note 235References 2357 Praying Always 2377.1 Hoop-jumpers and Do-gooders 2387.2 Praying Always in an Ordinary Life 2397.3 Praying Always in the Sacramental Economy 2437.3.1 Efficacious Signs of Grace 2447.3.2 Instituted by Christ 2497.3.3 Entrusted to the Church 2517.3.4 Divine Life Dispensed to Us 253Notes 255References 2558 The Seven Sacraments 2578.1 Sacraments of Initiation 2588.1.1 Baptism 2588.1.1.1 Baptism in Scripture and tradition 2598.1.1.2 Baptismal meanings 2628.1.2 Confirmation 2648.1.2.1 Confirmation in Scripture and tradition 2658.1.2.2 Spirited witness 2668.1.3 Eucharist 2688.1.3.1 The Eucharist in Scripture and tradition 2698.1.3.2 Sacrifice, sacrament, and presence of Christ 2728.2 Sacraments of Healing 2768.2.1 Penance 2768.2.1.1 Penance in Scripture and tradition 2778.2.1.2 Reconciliation with God through the Body of Christ 2808.2.2 Anointing of the Sick 2838.2.2.1 Anointing of the Sick in Scripture and tradition 2848.2.2.2 Illness in the economy of salvation 2868.3 Sacraments at the Service of Communion 2898.3.1 Holy Orders 2898.3.1.1 Holy Orders in Scripture and tradition 2908.3.1.2 The Church’s priesthood and the threefold ministry 2968.3.2 Matrimony 2988.3.2.1 Matrimony in Scripture and tradition 2998.3.2.2 Communion, intimacy, and partnership 305Notes 308References 3099 The Good Life 3129.1 The Tradition of Living Well 3139.1.1 Walking in the Way of Life 3139.1.2 Catechists and Confessors 3179.1.3 Casuistry and the Birth of Moral Theology 3209.1.4 Catholics in the Modern Moral Marketplace 3229.2 Love as Virtue 3259.2.1 Happiness 3269.2.2 What is Virtue? 3299.2.3 Cardinal Virtues 3319.2.4 Theological Virtues 3359.3 Love as the Law of Christ 3399.4 Perplexities of Action 343References 34510 The End 34710.1 God’s Word of Promise 34910.1.1 The Promise of Creation and Covenant 34910.1.2 Jesus, the Kingdom, and Resurrection 35210.1.3 Paul: Grieving with Hope 35410.1.4 Apocalyptic Patience 35510.2 Traditions of Catholic Hope 35610.2.1 Worldly and Otherworldly 35610.2.2 Solidarity with the Dead 35910.2.3 Modernity, Progress, and Eschatology 36310.3 Thinking the End 36710.3.1 Timetables, Signs, and Images of Hope 36810.3.2 Hope of Justice for the Dead 36910.3.3 Heaven, Hell, and Universal Hope 37210.4 The Substance of Things Hoped For 374Notes 376References 376Appendix: Conciliar Formulae 378Index of Scriptural Citations 382Name and Subject Index 388