Catholicism: Study Edition by Richard P. McBrien (review)

482 BOOK REVIEWS for the contingent physical universe without violating Swinburne's principle because they consider the existence of the universe to be dependent not just on God's logically necessary being but also on acts of his free-that is, logically contingent-will. So neither of the arguments Swinburne gives for rejecting the notion of God as a logically necessary being seems to me a good one, and I think that the central argument of the book would have been considerably strengthened if Swinburne had extended his adherence to simplicity to include acceptance of simplicity in its technical sense as a divine attribute implying God's necessary existence. There are many other issues in Swinburne's book this review might have concentrated on. For example, if we accept the " big bang " theory of the origin of the universe, which appears to be the current view of most scientists , then it seems to me that Swinburne's own version of the teleological argument (which he summarizes and accepts on pp. 140-141) is vitiated by the same sort of objection he himself raises {p. 135) against the simple " spatial order " version of the argument. The " vast uniformity in the powers and liabilities of bodies throughout endless time and space " (p. 140) can be explained naturally by the fact that the entire universe has evolved from the by-products of a single explosion. And although his solution to the problem of evil, based on the value and importance of man's freedom, is ingenious and promising, it seems to me open to some of the well-known objections so eloquently expressed by Ivan Karamazov. Though there is much to disagree with in the book, it is, I think, the best and the most philosophically interesting among recent defenses of theism. It must be taken seriously, and it is well worth studying. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, Virginia ELEONORE STUMP Catholicism: Study Edition. By RICHARD P. McBRIEN. Minneapolis: Winston Press, 1981. Pp. U!90. Paperback $24.50. Richard McBrien is a paragon communicator of contemporary theological ideas. He writes in a style that is simple, direct, clear, appealing, and persuasive. He comes from a theologically progressive, renewal-minded position and presents himself as a bridge between the Church of yesterday and the Church of today (p. xxviii) . His is a work of systematic or " constructive theology" (p. xxx). The two-volume trade edition of Catholicism has received a Christopher Award and the Annual Book Award of the College Theology Society. It has been acclaimed by most reviewers as a beau- BOOK REVIEWS 483 tiful summary and a remarkable success. It is a serious attempt at a synthesis of all that is important to the Catholic believer today. It starts from Christian Tradition and displays a basic openness to all truth and every positive value. It acknowledges the real problems of interpretation involved in bringing Catholic doctrine to bear on contemporary problems. It is hope-filled, optimistic; in the best sense it is human in approach. Thus, it uplifts us and challenges us to investigate our faith. The new Study Edition contains an unusual two-page statement from the Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Father McBrien requested formal ecclesiastical approval for the one volume edition. He made the corrections requested by the censor and was granted a nihil obstat. Nevertheless, Bishop William E. McManus declined to grant the imprimatur. His reasons were that Catholicism is not a "basic text of instruction" and therefore does not require canonical approval according to the latest norms. Secondly, the book attempts a synthesis of traditional and contemporary theological speculation, some of which is only tentative and probable even in the minds of the authors. Thirdly, the bishop anticipates that exten5ive review of the book may result in further perfecting changes in future editions (p. vi) . It is difficult to see how the bishop could miss the point that Catholicism is intended as a textbook, for McBrien states this clearly (p. 19) and even gives instructions on how the book could be used as a text in a one- or two-semester course (pp. 1195-1196) . Whatever one might judge about the appropriateness of giving...