Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology

Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology provides both a historical and a theological analysis of the achievements of the renowned generation of theologians whose influence pervaded French theology and society in the period 1930 to 1960, and beyond. It considers how the principal exponents of ressourcement, leading Dominicans and Jesuits of the faculties of Le Saulchoir (Paris) and Lyon-Fourvière, inspired a renaissance in twentieth-century Catholic theology and initiated a movement for renewal that contributed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The book assesses the origins and historical development of the biblical, liturgical, and patristic ressourcement in France, Germany, and Belgium, and offers fresh insights into the thought of the movement's leading scholars. It analyses the fierce controversies that erupted within the Jesuit and Dominican orders and between leading ressourcement theologians and the Vatican. The volume also contributes to the elucidation of the complex question of terminology, the interpretation of which still engenders controversy in discussions of ressourcement and nouvelle théologie. It concludes with reflections on how the most important movement in twentieth-century Roman Catholic theology continues to impact on contemporary society and on Catholic and Protestant theological enquiry in the new millennium.

Table of Contents:
Gabriel Flynn: Introduction: The twentieth-century renaissance in Catholic theology I:The ressourcement movement: history and context 1: Gemma Simmonds, CJ (Heythrop College, University of London, UK): Jansenism - an early ressourcement movement? 2: Gerard Loughlin (Durham University, UK): Nouvelle théologie: a return to Modernism? 3: Francesca Aran Murphy (University of Notre Dame, USA): Gilson and the ressourcement 4: Michael A. Conway (Pontifical University, St Patrick s College, Maynooth, Ireland): Maurice Blondel and ressourcement 5: Étienne Fouilloux (Université Lumière, Lyon 2, France): A new Lyon School (1919-39)? 6: Henry Donneaud, OP (Institut Catholique, Toulouse, France): Gagnebet's hidden ressourcement: a Dominican speculative theology from Toulouse 7: A. N. Williams (University of Cambridge, UK): The traditionalist in spite of himself: Teilhard de Chardin and ressourcement 8: John Saward (University of Oxford, UK): L'Église a ravi son coeur: Charles Journet and the theologians of ressourcement on the personality of the church 9: Joseph A. Komonchak (Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA): Humani Generis and nouvelle théologie 10: Hans Boersma (Regent College, Vancouver BC, Canada): Analogy of truth: the sacramental epistemology of nouvelle théologie 11: Jürgen Mettepenningen (Catholic University of Louvain, [K.U. Leuven], Belgium): Nouvelle théologie: four historical stages of theological reform towards ressourcement (1935-65) 12: Christopher Ruddy (Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA ): Ressourcement and the enduring legacy of post-Tridentine theology II: Central figures of the ressourcement 13: Janette Gray, RSM (Jesuit Theological College, Victoria, Australia): Marie-Dominique Chenu and Le Saulchoir: a stream of Catholic renewal 14: Gabriel Flynn (Mater Dei Institute, Dublin City University, Ireland): Ressourcement, ecumenism, and pneumatology: the contribution of Yves Congar to nouvelle théologie 15: David Grumett (University of Exeter, UK): Henri de Lubac: looking for books to read the world 16: Bernard Pottier, SJ (Jesuit Faculty of Theology, Brussels, Belgium): Daniélou and the twentieth-century patristic renewal 17: James Hanvey, SJ (Heythrop College, University of London, UK): Henri Bouillard: the freedom of faith 18: Edward T. Oakes, SJ (University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein IL, USA): Balthasar and ressourcement: an ambiguous relationship 19: Jake C. Yap (Loyola School of Theology, Quezon City, Philippines): Louis Bouyer and the unity of theology III: Ressourcement as a threefold programme of renewal 20: Benedict T. Viviano, OP (University of Fribourg, Switzerland): The renewal of biblical studies in France 1934-54 as an element in theological ressourcement 21: Keith F. Pecklers, SJ (Gregorian University, Rome, Italy): Ressourcement and the renewal of Catholic liturgy: on celebrating the New Rite 22: Brian E. Daley, SJ (University of Notre Dame, USA): Knowing God in history and in the church: Dei Verbum and 'nouvelle théologie' IV: Ressourcement and 'the Church in the Modern World' 23: Stephen M. Fields, SJ (Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA): Ressourcement and the retrieval of Thomism for the contemporary world 24: Gerald O Collins, SJ (Gregorian University, Rome): Ressourcement and Vatican II 25: Paul McPartlan (Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA): Ressourcement, Vatican II, and eucharistic ecclesiology 26: Richard Lennan (Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge MA, USA): The theology of Karl Rahner: an alternative to the ressourcement? 27: Lewis Ayres, Patricia Kelly, and Thomas Humphries (Durham University, UK): Benedict XVI: a ressourcement theologian? 28: Marcus Pound (Durham University, UK): Lacan's return to Freud: a case of theological ressourcement? 29: Paul D. Murray (Durham University, UK): Expanding Catholicity through Ecumenicity in the Work of Yves Congar: Ressourcement, Receptive Ecumenism, and Catholic Reform 30: John Webster (University of Aberdeen, UK): Ressourcement theology and Protestantism 31: Andrew Louth (Durham University, UK): French ressourcement theology and Orthodoxy: a living mutual relationship? John McDade, SJ (Heythrop College, University of London, UK): Epilogue: Ressourcement in retrospect

About the Author :
Gabriel Flynn is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Mater Dei Institute, Dublin City University. Paul D. Murray is Director of the Centre for Catholic Studies and Professor of Systematic Theology at Durham University.

Review :
`an indispensible introduction to the ressourcement movement.' Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper `With 34 contributors and 50 pages of bibliography, this book provides a thoroughly documented and masterly analysis, both historical and theological, of the wonderful if wholly unexpected renewal that Catholic theology underwent in the years 1930 to 1960' Fergus Kerr, The Tablet `Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology represents the definitive academic 'handbook' for the English-speaking world, for a long time to come, on one of the most important and influential movements in 20th century Catholic theology. The remarkable breadth of topics treated and the impressive variety and consistently high quality of scholars involved bespeaks the significant ongoing impact of the ressourcement movement on contemporary Catholic as well as Protestant theology. This volume will need to belong to the working libraries of all theologians, Catholic or Protestant, who continue to reflect on how one of the most important theological movements of the 20th century continues to impact the theological inquiries and perspectives of the new millennium.' Reinhard Hütter, Duke University Divinity School `Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology constitutes a landmark in the historical and theological research about the ressourcement movement and we applaud the editors for realizing this project.' Ward De Pril, Louvain Studies