Healing Fractures in Contemporary Theology

Since Vatican II, the key question that has developed in Catholic theology, often unstated or unrecognized, is, what is theology? The thesis presented here is that contemporary theologizing is ""fractured"" in many places and to varying degrees. These fractures can vary in seriousness between theologians, and a particular theologian may suffer from some fractures but not others. The fractures addressed here are between -theology and spirituality -theology and philosophy -theology and liturgy -the literal and spiritual senses of sacred scripture -theology, preaching, and apologetics -theology and ethics -theology and social theory -dogmatic and pastoral theology -theology and the ""koinonial"" Christian life -theologians and non-theologians - the generation gap between Gen X and Millennial/Post-Millennial Catholics, and -theology and the Magisterium. For each of these, an attempt is made to examine the symptoms, give a diagnosis, and write a prescription.

About the Author :
Tracey Rowland holds the St. John Paul II Chair of Theology at the University of Notre Dame (Australia). From 2014-2019 she was a member of the 9th International Theological Commission, and in 2020 she was a recipient of the Ratzinger Prize.



Peter John McGregor is a Lecturer in Theology and Spirituality at the Catholic Institute of Sydney and is a member of the Emmanuel Community (Communauté de l'Emmanuel).

Review :
"Comprised of beautifully written and spiritually powerful essays, this is an instructive and aspirational book. It instructs by bringing together a valuable set of interlocking views of the theological task. It is aspirational because it reminds us that resolving all these fractures is beyond any individual's abilities. No wonder that the greatest theologians have generally been members of religious orders! Each of the essays could be a book in itself. Very highly recommended!"
--Matthew Levering, Mundelein Seminary

"At a moment when fractures in contemporary theology reveal themselves as deep fractures in the unity of the church, this book comes as welcome medicine. In manifold ways, the authors of these essays remind us that the breaches between being and history, faith and life, theology and philosophy, and dogmatic and pastoral theology cannot be repaired by sociological and pragmatic means, but only by rediscovering the primacy of the Logos in whom all things are made."
--Michael Hanby, the John Paul II Institute

"Like so much today, contemporary theology is beset by fragmentation and 'fractures' of various kinds. In these fine essays, the contributors not only diagnose the causes and symptoms of many such 'fractures' in contemporary theology but also prescribe remedies for their healing. Emerging from the collection as a whole is a coherent, multifaceted vision for the reintegration of theology as a vital and vibrant practice. It is a timely, constructive, and illuminating volume."
--William M. Wright IV, Duquesne University