Dr. Mary Healy, a fine Scripture scholar who teaches at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit (I highly recommend her exceptional commentary on the Gospel of Mark), has posted some thoughts about the Pope's new book:
The fact that Benedict XVI has spent what little time he can squeeze out of his papal schedule continuing work on his three-volume Jesus of Nazareth indicates the tremendous importance he attributes to the renewal of theology, and in particular, biblical theology.
The second volume of Jesus of Nazareth, covering the events of Holy Week, will be released tomorrow, March 10. (The pope is already working on the third volume, a “prequel” covering the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke.) I have read the preview copy of volume 2 sent to me by the publisher, and it is as theologically rich and insightful as the first volume.
It seems to me that Benedict’s deepest goal is to provide a model of what biblical theology can look like when the tools of modern scholarship are integrated with faith in Scripture as a living word from God. The pope is seeking to reunite what has long been split apart—Scripture and theology, biblical exegesis and Christian faith. He is not afraid to do things that are considered taboo in some biblical circles:
• He synthesizes reflections based on each of the four gospels (and even Paul) into a single coherent whole rather than only looking at, say, the christology of Mark or the christology of John.
• He interprets Scripture from within the living tradition of the Church, rather than as a supposedly neutral bystander.
• He holds that the real, historical Jesus is none other than the Jesus of the gospels.
• He takes as the purpose of his biblical investigations that both he and his readers might encounter Jesus and grow in friendship with him.
Yet at the same time the pope takes very seriously questions of history and the gradual development in the early church’s understanding. The result is a reflection in which each detail of the passion accounts opens up unexpected depths; each detail interconnects with the whole mystery of Jesus’ identity and messianic mission. Even the differences in perspectives among the evangelists only bring out the figure of Jesus in clearer relief.
Read the entire post on the "Speaking of Scripture" blog.
Comments