The Churches and the Church by Bernard Leeming, S. J. (review)

660 BOOK REVIEWS concludes: "Paul, therefore, believed in the divine nature of Christ, in spite of the ambiguity of some of his expressions, which must not be interpreted too ingenuously ... He did not invent his belief in Christ's divinity under pressure of pagan religion. He discovered it on the Damascus road and finally learned it from the tradition handed on to him by the earliest Christians." As already indicated, this study is particularly instructive regarding the significance of the fact of Christ's resurrection and exaltation in the apostles' and disciples' grasp of Jesus' divinity. In his study of St. John's conception of Christ's divinity, Fr. Donatien Mollat, S. J., begins with the Johannine concept of Jesus' "glory." In St. John's writings, this word most closely approximates our abstract noun "divinity." Fr. Mollat studies not merely the word "glory" itself but also (1} the mystery of Jesus' personality as presented us by St. John as well as (2) the formulas by which he expresses this mystery: Messenger, Son of Man, Son of God and Word. Actually, "glory" represents a sort of synthesis of all these expressions. The following conclusions are drawn from the author's investigations: a} St. John looks upon Christ as the consummation of his people's destiny, since its history converged on him and its religion reached its perfection in him; b) in him the fulness of divine truth was offered to every man, divine life was given without restriction, and his light illumined the whole universe revealing its true colors; c) St. John's Gospel marks a more advanced stage of reflection on the data it possesses in common with its predecessors, namely, the mission of Jesus, his heavenly origin, his oneness with the Father and his pre-existence. But it is not on this account in any sense fraudulent. Rather, the Johannine account is at once the most profound and the most faithful record of what Jesus had been for his followers from earliest times: Son of God. To all who sincerely desire to learn more about the divinity of Christ in the Scriptures, I warmly recommend this splendid little book. It was written by biblical scholars with clarity, precision and definition. The various studies reflect what is latest and best in biblical research. There is never a substitute for quality. It is in this book. Providence College, Providence, R. I. THOMAS AQUINAS CoLLINs, 0. P. The Churches and the Church. By BERNARD LEEMING, S. J. Westminster, Md.: The Newman Press, 1960. Pp. 340, with index. $6.50. One of the most helpful features of Fr. Leeming's Principles of' Sacramental Theology was the clear, sympathetic and up-to-date presentation of Protestant positions on the sacraments. No one, then, will be surprised to BOOK REVIEWS 661 learn that the author has devoted a volume to the whole problem of the ecumenical movement among our separated brethren. The Churches and the Church is obviously the fruit of long and profound acquaintance with the existing movement toward unity that is taking place outside the Church. The material is excellently ordered. The initial chapter sketches what is known as the Ecumenical Movement, with special references to the various unions already accomplished. Chapter two is devoted to tracing the rise of the impulse toward unity and the factors that are fostering it. There is a very enlightening summary of the "New Look" in Protestant theology (p. 41) . Perhaps the third chapter is the most valuable; it contains a careful exposition of the development of ecumenical thought, centering around the key question of doctrinal unity. Chapter four is a frank exposition of ecumenical strains and stressesa fascinating account of what might well be called the maneuvering of the various groups engaged in the search for unity. Chapters five and six mark a transition from the Churches to the Church; first of all the attitude of the Churches towards Rome and then the Catholic attitude toward the ecumencial movement. The final chapter very honestly exposes the Catholic principles of ecumenism, making quite clear the divergent meanings of the term " ecumenical " when used by Protestants and Catholics. Several appendices contain important documents from both sides on the...