Toward Vatican III: The Work That Needs to be Done ed. by D. Tracy, H. Küng, J. Metz (review)

BOOK REV1EWs 149 In spite of its great length and its tendency to be repetitious at times, this book is indeed a valuable contribution to Bonaventurean scholarship. Moreover, Quinn's precisions with respect to the problem of Christian philosophy are not only quite helpful with respect to Bonaventure himself, but should admit of application to other medieval thinkers as well, Aquinas included (as Quinn has himself suggested). In sum, his study will be required reading for all future students of Bonaventure and for other serious students of thirteenth-century philosophy. The Catholic University of America Washington, D. C. JOHN F. WIPPEL Toward Vatican III: The Work That Needs to be Done. Ed. D. 'TuAcY, H. KuNG, and J. METZ. Seabury, 1978, pp. 333. $5.95. From May ~9 to June 1, 1977, a colloquium was held at the University of Notre Dame. It was sponsored by Concilium, which was holding its editorial board meeting at the time, and hosted by Notre Dame's Center for Pastoral and Social Ministry and The Catholic Theological Society of America. Seventy-one theologians and social scientists gathered to discuss the topic which provides the title of this volume: Toward Vatican III: The Work That Needs to be Done. Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, President of Notre Dame, had this to say concerning the purpose of the colloquium in his letter of invitation to the participants: " The meeting is not designed to be a call for 'Vatican III '-a title which is intended to be symbolicbut rather to block out scholarly research in the theological and in the social sciences which needs to be done before the Church can come to its next critical turning point.... The participants will be asked to articulate the new questions which should occupy our scholarly concerns in the years ahead " (p. 3). The topic of the colloquium is exciting, and the calibre of those delivering papers is impressive; e.g.: Roland Murphy, Hans Kiing, Edward Schillebeeckx, Avery Dulles, Johannes Metz, Charles E. Curran, Rene Laurentin, Myles Bourke. However, while the present volume, which emerged from the.colloquium, has some high points, many of the contributions are rather disappointing. The disappointment is not so much that there is a great deal that one disagrees with, although there is some of that, but rather that much of what is said seems dry, stale, and unimaginative. In a volume that purports to look to the future and articulate new questions , much concerns old questions and problems and much has been said before. Nonetheless, there are a number of worthwhile pieces, and a few of those deserve comment. 150 BOOK REVIEWS The colloquium· (and resulting .volume) is divided into eight parts. The first part contains opening addresses. The next seven parts delineate different topical areas of discussion: Church and Doctrine, Church and Ecumenism , Church and the Individual, Church and Society, Church and Reform, Church and Worship, and Social Scientific Perspectives. There are twentyseven articles altogether. The following is a sample: "Vatican III-Prob~ lems and Opportunities of the Future: The Bible" by Roland Murphy; "Doctrine and the Future: Some Suggestions" by Carl Peter; "Vatican III: Problems and Opportunities for the Future" by Hans Kiing; "Ecumenism : Problems and Opportunities for the Future" by Avery Dulles; "The Lethargy of Christian Spirituality in Developed Countries: Reasons and Perspectives " by Christian Duquoc and Casiano Floristan; " Canon Law and Reform: An Agenda for a New Beginning " by William A. Bassett; " A Sociology of Belief and Disbelief: Notes toward a Perspective on Religious Faith and Community" by James T. Barry. One of the more interesting papers was delivered by Myles Bourke: "The Future of the Liturgy: Some New Testament Guidelines." Bourke points out the obvious fact that the liturgy has been a critical area since Vatican II. What is or is not right with the new liturgy has sparked many an argument. One of the points that Bourke wishes to stress, and feels may be overlooked, is that the liturgy is a participation in the present heavenly liturgy of Jesus at the throne of the Father. " The eucharistic worship is united to Jesus's ministry in the' heavenly sanctuary' (Heb. 8:2) ... (p. 244) ." Bourke believes that it is this reality...