Theology Today Series. 10. The Theology of Inspiration by John Scullion, S. J. (review)

BOOK REVIEWS 691 warranties for truth claims-what is it in the case of Christian Faith? In that Faith one experiences and affirms in dependence on a norm that makes the experience and affirmation Christian. The objective content of that affirmation, its claim to truth, the quality of that experience, its claim to be appreciated-these are all determined by relation to that norm, which makes the specifically Christian what it is. As such that norm must be compared with others exercizing a similar function for expressions that make no pretension of being Christian but simply of being true and for experiences that lay no claim to be Christian values but simply to be appreciable and valuable. In this demand for evidence, Dr. Harvey may be closer to John Locke than to John Newman, with whom he nevertheless sympathizes. At least the Newman of the Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent took issue with Locke precisely on the issue of the morality of knowing and affirming without probative evidence. Still Dr. Harvey does raise the question that I likewise am convinced is central and that will in my opinion be ignored further only at the cost of theological disarray hitherto unparalleled among Christians in modern times. The Catlwlic University of America Washington, D. C. CARL J. PETER Theology Today Series. 10. The Theology of Inspiration, by JoHN ScULLION, S. J. 11. The Theology of Tradition, by ANTHONY MEREDITH, S. J. 12. The Theology of the Word of God, by ALOYSIUS CHURCH, S. J. 16. The Theology of St. Paul, by HENRY WANSBROUGH, 0. S. B. 18. Theology and Spirituality, by JoHN DALRYMPLE. 21. The Christian Social Conscience, by RoDGER CHARLES, S. J. Each 95-96 pp. $0.95. The editor and the publishers of this series deserve applause for keeping their promises. The books are coming strictly to time. The author of Theology of Inspiration is lecturer in Old Testament Exegesis at the Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, Melbourne. He presents briefly but adequately the theology of Inspiration. His treatment of its development between the two Vatican Councils is very interesting. He summarizes the opinions of the great theologians who contributed to the more perfect formulation of the Church's teaching as it is found in the Constitution on Revelation of Vatican II, e. g., Franzelin, Newman, M. J. Lagrange, Benoit, Rahner, Cougar, John McKenzie. It is remarkable that Fr. Lagrange's approach has remained valid and acceptable. Fr. Scullion deals with the teaching of the Church in the encyclicals of 692 BOOK REVIEWS Leo XIII, Benedict XV, and Pius XII. But I wonder if his criticism of Humani Generis on literary forms i.> quite fair. The Pope does not write as an exegete; his purpose is the very practical one of safeguarding the interpretation of the Bible. There are literary forms that are in practice incompatible with " God's sanctity and truth." One has only to read the scriptures of other religions to see that. It is enough to read Allegro's interpretation of our own to see what Pius XII feared. The treatment is adequate for those who have studied and mastered the theology of Inspiration; for the layman this little book may be either a help or a hindrance. Synopsized theology is certainly useful for the cognoscenti. The author of The Theology of Tradition is perhaps the youngest of the contributors, three years ordained with the same in teaching experience at Stonyhurst. But he has produced one of the most satisfying books of the ser1es. In the fourth chapter he seems to be careening toward a tangent, where he says that " the nature and exercise of authority in the Church is one of the crucial issues in any theology of Tradition." He then cites the crisis about H1tmanae Vitae. However, he kept away from the question of pills and gave an excellent judgment on the harmonizing of personal conscience with the commands of authority. Nevertheless, I am still wondering how the chapter fits in. The book is brief and concise and a good commentary on the recent Concilar teaching. In The Theology of the Word of God Fr. Church has written a fairly complete theology of...