The essays in this volume, dedicated as a Festschrift to Prof. Dr. Mathijs Lamberigts (KU Leuven), are scholarly reflections on the ongoing renewal in the Church, as articulated mainly against the background of research on Augustine and Vatican II studies. The volume discusses the views of Augustine on grace and free will, deification, and the theology of marriage. With regard to Vatican II, this book offers lasting contributions in the area of liturgy, interreligious dialogue, Catholic social teaching on the family and human ecology, and the role of women. In some essays systematic theology and pastoral practice are placed in mutual critical tension, so that both become more creative and mutually enriching. This tension is studied in relation to Scripture, the Church fathers, liturgy and particular issues such as eco-theology, methods of participatory pastoral leadership, and the common good.
