Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles, and Criteria

Since the Second Vatican Council, an exciting array of new theological voices, themes, and venues for reflection has emerged. Laymen and women today offer many noteworthy contributions to theology; theologies have developed in new cultural contexts, such as Latin America, Africa, and Asia; and new themes-such as peace, justice, liberation, ecology, and bioethics-have come to the fore in public concern and theological reflection. While these are fundamentally positive developments, this period has witnessed a certain fragmentation of theology. In the end, amid legitimate and valuable diversity, Catholic theology has been challenged to maintain a common voice with a clear sense of identity. Theology Today addresses the vital question of what exactly is Catholic theology. It considers basic perspectives and principles that characterize Catholic theology and offers criteria by which diverse theologies may be recognized as authentically Catholic. The major themes are listening to the Word of God, abiding in the communion of the church, and giving an account of the truth of God. Many topics are considered, such as faith’s response to God’s Word, the study of scripture as the soul of theology, fidelity to the Apostolic Tradition, attention to the sensus fidelium, responsible adherence to the ecclesiastical magisterium, the companionship among theologians, the rationality and unity of theology, theology as science and wisdom, and theology’s place in the university and its role in the church’s constant dialogue with the world. By reflecting on this thought-provoking document, Catholic theological inquiry stands to be reinvigorated.