DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY. Edited By Xavier Leon-Dufour,
DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY . Edited by Xavier Leon-Dufour,S.J. Translated from the French under th e direction of P. JosephCahill, S.J. New York : D esclee, 1967.619 pp. 12.95.Originally published in French in 1962 under the title Vocabulair.ede Thtfologie Bibliqu e, this work has subsequently undergone severaled itions and has a lso been published in four other languages. It has beenwidely acclaimed by scholars and the present translation represents aresponse to the request to make it available to English-speaking audiences. For this we are indebted to the translators and especially to Fr.Cahill who was responsible for directing the translation .The translation opens up for us a rich work of biblical scholarshipwhose list of contributors contains the top names of French-speakingCatholic scholarship. Especially prominent both for the number andquality of entries are the names of Leon-Dufour, the editor, and PierreGrelot.The work has in mind "the divergent needs of the scholar and thesimple faithful." The pastoral tone and modest size of the undertakingshow that the collaborators had in mind the needs of the latter morethan the former. This is at once the strength and possibly the weaknessof the dictionary. Let me explain this possible weakness.o biblicaldictionary is sufficient unto itself. Thus those who use it must guardagainst the temptation to update their knowledge of the Bible simplyby reference to this dictionary, bypassing the Bible itself and the hardwork involved in its unde rstanding. This dictionary can be a most usefultool. But it is just that.A further reservation. Biblical theology is still a science in search ofitself and this dictionary bears, quite naturally, the distinctive marksof this " identity crisis." Biblical theology is not exegesis but it is findingit difficult to get out from under the shadow of exegesis. It certainly isa necessary comp lement to exegesis. The latter's greatness, its severelyanalytic quality, is also its limitation. Biblical theology attempts to overcome this by looking to the ensemble, through synthesis. But the problem of the ensemble, biblical theology's problem , is the age-old problemof the continuity and discontinuity of the Old and New Testaments.In order to speak of a biblical theology, and not simply a theology ofthe New or Old Testament, one must find a unifying formula to overcome the continuity/discontinuity problem.The formulas most often used to resolve this problem of continuity/162
discontinuity-th e OT prefigu res the NT; the Old Alliance is a shadowof the New; OT contained in hidden way what is offered in full clarification in the NT ; the OT is preparation for the NT- force biblicaltheology to a Christocentric interpretation of the OT. Thus Leon-Dufourin the preface to this work says "The OT, then, is Jesus Christ in preparation and in prefiguration; the NT, Jesus Christ who has come and iscoming . . . The articles in the Dictionary endeavor to participate inthis profound movement of Christian thought which passes from figuresto fulfillment until finally the newness of the gospel appears." There isgreat truth here but surely there is more to the OT and its totality thanits preparative aspect. While preparation was certainly basic to thedivine purpose behind the OT, these books in themselves and in thetotality of their content have a n aspect of permanent value as thedocument on R evelati'on of Va tica n II points out. The "simple faithfu l"who would use this work are particula rly vulnerable to the tendency tosee the Bible solely a nd exclusively as "a profound movement of ChristianLhought which passes from figures to fulfillment."There is also the question of method. If one adopts the above principle of unity for biblical theology, the methodological approach willbe either historical (i.e. chronological) or systematic (i.e. thematic).This work makes a basic option for the latter, attempting to give in thevarious articles a systematic expose of the key themes of the OT andNT. But the Bible is neither history (p ace von Rad) nor system. Itsgenre is rather one of tradition or witness to tradition, a category moresupple than system and more comprehensive than history. This tradition is not simply literary or historical or doctrinal-it is a global tradition which transmits the totality of our religious heritage. Extremelycomplex, no doubt. But biblical theology must search for itself in thisdirection. It must attempt an explicative analysis of this ensemble, thisglobal tradition: both the tradition of Israel and apostolic tradition. Itmust analyze the ensemble and not simply serve as the general secretaryof exegesis by a simple classification of the details arrived at by exegesis.It must also explicate, that is, attempt to comprehend, explain andjudge this totality of religious tradition lest it forfeit its properly theological role. Adequately to accomplish this is surely beyond the possibility of a work this size. Thus the risk that many readers will be leftwith the impression that biblical theology is rather neat and relativelysimple. Few areas of human endeavor and scholarship are neat andsimple. Biblical studies, like the faith for that matter, offer no exception.Regarding particular articles, a few things should be noted. LeonDufour in the article " Apostles" seems to make too facile a distinctionbetween the function and title of apostle saying that the title of honorbelongs to the Twelve alone. In fact it is only in Luke that the titleapostle is clearly reserved for the Twelve and Paul. The article on Elijah163
Dominic an astates that J ohn the Baptist, citing John 1, 21.25, is not Elijah. It failsto mention that Matt 17, 12-13 certainly makes the identification. Thearticle "Resurrection," when treating Pauline thought, ignores development of his teaching and makes statements from I Thess and I Corseem to be all of a piece with his teaching in Col and Eph. There isalso a tendency, as in the article on Pentecost, to sidestep any distinctionor discussion of the historical event as such and the interpretive detailsof the narrative.In the article "Prophet" ( p. 419) there is a good example of lessthan happy translation: "The prophetic office of the NT, no morethan that of the OT, has for its sole function the prediction of thefuture . " ( " Le prophete du T, pas plus que ce lui de 1' AT, n'a pourseule function de predire l'avenir . . . " ) . The article "Consolation"shows that the work has not entirely succeeded in avoiding the inconsistencies to which collaborative efforts are prone. It states there that"Jesus does not leave His followers as orphans but sends the Paraclete,the Spirit of consolation, to help them in persecution." The cross-reference article " Paraclete" maintains that this understanding of the Paraclete, in the sense of consoler, is derived from a false etymology and isnot attested in the NT!Despite the above reservations and relatively minor criticisms, thisreviewer would recommend the work to anyone who is serious aboutunderstanding the biblical Word of God. It is not the "last word" inbiblical theology, but it is a solid addition to a growing literature. Assuch it commands a wa1m welcome.JAMES J. CuNNINGHAM, O.P.Washington, D .C.THE LITERARY GENRE MIDRASH . By Addison G. Wright, S.S. StatenIsland: Alba House, 1967. 164 pp. 2.95.The word midrash, the name of a fairly ambiguous literary form inthe Biblical narrative, has come to be one of the focal points in today'sdiscussions of Scripture. There are many problems in interpreting thisterm accurately and many different answers have been put forward. Fr.Wright draws upon these previous efforts to present his own solutionto the problem.In the first section of the book, the author, after presenting thedifficulties involved in understanding any li terary genre, notes the pecu liar mystery of this word's origin. Next the variety of literary writingsand activities included under the title midrash, in the long history ofscriptural and Rabbinic literature, is investigated . One might concludeat this point that the fundamental difficulty with midrash is that itswidely extended use has obscured the exact nature of the genre. Thethird chapter looks at the large number of m idrashic vvorks found in164
Book Re view sthe wntmgs of post-exilic rabbis. This material, since it represents thefinal stage of the literary fonn, is used as the basis for a definition .Finally, by using selections from the rabbis and from Scripture, Fr.Wright exemplifies even more clearly the precise meaning he wouldgive midrash.Although there are constant references throughout the book to manyunfamiliar works of strictly J ewish origin, acquaintance with these isnot essential for understanding the a uthor's main thesis. On the otherhand, the interested scholar is provided with a n ample suppl y of footnotes for further individual study.THoMAs McCREESH, O .P.D over, MassachusettsTHE CANON OF THE MASS AND LITURG ICAL REFORM. By CiprianoVagaggini, O .S.B. Sta ten Island: Alba House, 1967. 200 pp. 4.50.The Can on of the Mass and Liturgical R eform should help to provide the basis for a much-needed discussion as well as an indication ofthe directions we may expect liturgical reform to take in the future.Dom V agaggini addresses himself in this work to the canon of th eMass alone, and within the canon, to the text only and not the accompa nying actions. His approach is one of care and respect for the antiquity a nd merits of th e present canon ; noneth eless, his appraisal is objective a nd his criticisms of the defects a nd inherent limita tions of thecanon are thoroughgoing.The first portion of the study contains a selection of representativeanaphoras from the various traditions of the East and West, in bothLatin and English. In addition to these ancient canons, the author hasalso included two contemporary attempts at correction of the Romancanon: those of H a n Kung and K a rl Amon. Following these selectionsa critical diagnosis of all the merits and defects of the modern canonis given. The Roman canon despite its many advantages, stylistic aswell as theological a nd liturgical, still presents numerous difficulties,such as an a ppa rent lack of unity, a lack of connection of ideas in someplaces, and several drawbacks in th e narration and formula of institution.For V agaggini, the suppression or abandonment of the Roman canonis an unthinkable solution. Wha t then of the so-called "corrections" ?Although he proposes some minor changes himself, which would notalter the sub ta nce of the canon but simply tend to unify it, he makes itamply evident in his telling criticisms of Kung and Arnon that attemptsat substantial corrections only perpetuate undesirable qualities whilesometimes eliminating desirable and necessary quali ties.Wha t solution is there to the very real problems which exist? Dom165
Dominican aVagaggini proposes retention of the present canon with minor changes( for example, the elimination of the A mens and the deletion of some ofthe saints from the commemorations) with a second canon with a movable preface which could be used by the celebrant as his own discretion (Canon B ). In addition, a third anaphora with a fixed prefacewould a lso be provided (Canon C). This would contain a fuller exposition of the entire History of Salvation than does the present canon,which for its part has th e advantage offered by the movable preface, ofhighlighting particular aspects of that History.The texts of these proposed canons along with a detailed documentation of the ideas and terminology from which they have been composed completes this study. The documentation alone, drawn fromScripture, the Fathers, and other liturgical traditions, contains valuableinsights to a fuller appreciation of the theology of the Mass.B ERNARD CoNFER,O.P.Do ver, MassachusettsTHE EUCHARIST TODAY. Edited by Raymond A. Tartre, S.S.S. NewYork: P.J. Kenedy, 1967.271 pp. 5.95.As center and ource, the Eucharist gives life to all Christian activityand provides the firm ground in which that activity can thrive. Anadequate understanding of the mystery of the Eucharist is essential forevery Christian. Fr. Colman O'Neill points out in the preface to thisvolume of essays that "the message that the Church has to preach andthe task that every Christian has to carry out in the world cannot beproperly evaluated if they are not seen as extensions of the mystery ofthe Eucharist." Th e Eucharist Toda)' is valuable as an aid to understanding the significance and apostolic dimensions of the Eucharist.The essays in this volume are divided into two sections. The first,"The Real Presence in Theology," deal with the theological aspects ofthe mystery: the Gospel accounts of the institution of the Eucharist; theontological presence of Christ in the Eucharist; and such current themesas transfinalization and transignification.The second section, "The Real Presence in Liturgy and Life," examines the Eucharist in the context of the liturgy and Christian life andpiety. A useful appendix includes excerpts from the writings of JohnXXIII a nd Paul VI on the Eucharist, as well as indication of thefactors which went into shaping the encyclical Myst erium fidei.As its title suggests, this volume gives an excellent view of the stateof Eucharistic theology in the post-conciliar era.RosARIO ScoRoo,Washington , D.C.166O .P.
Book Re vie w sTHE TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AS CONTAINED IN HERDOCUMENTS. Originally prepared by Josef Neuner, S.J. and Hein-rich Roos, S.J. Edited by Karl Rahner, S.J. Staten Island: AlbaHouse, 1967. 456 pp. 6.95.The usefulness for a theology student of a reasonably complete andaccurate translation of the principal documents of the magisterium canscarcely be overestimated. This work fulfills that need admirably. Itwas originally prepared in 1938 and a later edition-with no significantchanges-was published in German a short time ago. It does not contain any of the documen ts of Vatican II since they should be studied intheir entirety and to include them he re wou ld drastically change thisbook. This book is not as complete as the more famous Enchiridion ofD enzinger but it does contain the most important texts. The arrangement is topical rather than chronological as in D enzinger.Comparison with The Church T eaches-a similar work prepared bythe Jesuits at St. l\1ary's, Kansas, more than a decade ago--may be useful. The two works are similar in structure and length. For example, ifwe compare the corresponding sections on Original Justice and OriginalSin we find that many elements (Trent, selections from earlier councilsand from condemned propositions of Du Bay ) are almost identical ; butthat some elements differ. Thus Neuner-Roos gives a chapter from theProvincial Council of Cologne ( 1860) and Th e Church T eaches givesa chapter from the schema proposed at Vatican I. Neuner-Roos givesa chronological list of the docum ents cited and the introductory notesseem a little better than those of Th e Church T eaches, although itsindices seem somewhat less complete. A table is included showing thecorrespondence of number in Neuner-Roos with older editions of Denzinger as well as the newer Denzinger-Schonmetzer.J usTIN HENNESSEY,O .P.Washington, D .C .POST-CONCILIAR THOUGHTS: Renewal and Reform of Canon Law .Edited by 1ft Neophytes Edelby, Teodoro Jimenez Urresti, and PetrusHuizing, S.J. (Concilium, vol. 28 ). Glen Rock: Paulist Press, 1967.182 pp. 4.50."Church life and Church law belong together," Pius XII told anaudience twelve years ago. This third volume of Concilium to be devotedto Canon Law brings a new meaning to the Pope's statement, and willbe of considerable interest to everyone concerned with the Church law.It begins with a healthy emphasis on the dependence of Canon Law ontheology, and affirms that the rule of the Church is both pastoral andjuridical, profoundly religious in content. In view of the challenging167
Dominicanadevelopments in the Church's theological and pastoral life, editorPetrus Huizing warns that the new codification should proceed carefully, and that there ought to be no insistence on an early appearanceof an entire Code.Bishop Neophytos Edelby makes a strong plea for a separate law forthe Eastern churches. Ivan Zuzek adds in a bibliographical survey thatthe Oriental law should be profoundly ecumenical in principle, provisional in character, and similar in content to the law of the nonCatholic Orientals so that it may easily be assimilated at a time of reumon.In the best of these articles, Fr. Huizing calls for a long period ofexperimentation before a new ystem of penal laws is provided for theChurch. The complexity of present life makes it mandatory that thepresent discipline be reduced to basic principles and a few directives onpunishment. He insists that the future penal law of the Church shouldbe concerned only with the public aspects of the life of th e community,and offers valuable pointers for the future reform of these laws.Hans Heimerl advocates a constitutional law for the Church whichwould enunciate the basic rights and duties of its members. Paul Boylefurnishes a commentary on the resolutions of the Canon Law Society ofAmerica concerning the new codification, and Peter Shannon puts forward some suggestions on the lex reformanda.In addition to other helpful articles (e.g. on episcopal conferences,and on the relationship of religious to the bishop in the pastoral life ofa diocese) , there is a valuable docum entation article concerning stirringsin religious life.CAJETAN KELLY, O.P.Washington, D.C.THE CHRISTIAN OF THE FUTURE. By Karl Rahner, S.J. (QuaestionesDisputatae, 18 ). New York: H erder and H erder, 1967. 104 pp. 2 .25.Comprising four reflections on the state of the Church in the conciliarand post-conciliar periods, Th e Christian of the Future begins fittinglyenough with the subject of ' The Changing Church." H ere Rahnerconsiders the various ways in which the Church can and ought tochange. Defined dogma undergoes development when misunderstandings are corrected or new understanding achieved in an attempt to reforumu late dogma in terms more congenial to non-Catholic Christians.The authentic but undefined magisterial teaching of the Church issubject to even greater development. In this category the concreteformu lations, though not the underlying principles, employed by theChurch may be inadequate and require revision . Rahner realistically168
Book Reviewspoints out that in a given instance an individual may be in advance ofthe official Church teaching, and in his own judgment and privatepractice may adopt a different course. Generally, he believes that it isadvisable, even necessary, to leave more things open to individual judgment than has been the practice in the Church until now.The second essay, entitled "Situation Ethics in an Ecumenical Perspective," deals with the relati·o nship of Catholic essentialist ethics andsituation ethics as it is in a Protestant Christian interpretation. In theexplicity ethical realm, as in many other areas of human activity, atheoretical principle can remain constant, while its practical application changes in the face of new circumstances. In effect the principleitself ceases to be objectionable to those who had formerly opposed itbecause of the concrete application given it. Thus, in the case of situation ethics, though there are many points of theory which deserveserious discussion on an ecumencial level, Catholic practice in manyinstances has become quite similar to that of Protestants espousingsituation ethics.The third essay, "The Church's Limits-Against Clerical Triumphalists and Lay Defeatists," takes up the question of the extension of theChurch's teaching in matters involving secular reality. Both of thegroups cited in the essay's title tend to give too large a role to theChurch's teaching ministry in these areas. Arguing against such ov
Edited by Xavier Leon-Dufour, S.J. Translated from the French under the direction of P. Joseph Cahill, S.J. New York: Desclee, 1967.619 pp. 12.95. Originally published in French in 1962 under the title Vocabulair.e de Thtfologie Biblique, this work has subsequently undergone several
DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY, edited by T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, 90-104. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsit, 2000. Systematic theology and biblical theology Systematic theology and biblical theology. the turning points that have given rise to dif-ferent apprehensions of biblical theology. In one sense, wherever there has been dis-
Biblical theology History of biblical theology Christ. Though the victory has been decisively achieved, its final celebration and realization . In NEW DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY, edited by T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, 11-20. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2000. History of biblical theology of rejecting the OT altogether .
5 James D. Price, 'ריִע' in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis: Volume 3, edited by Willem A. VanGemeren, (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1997), 396-399. . 18 D. A. Carson, 'Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology' in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, edited 3. 28 29 Revelation, City, .
The School of Biblical Theology Seminary is an institution of higher learning where the Bible is central in preparing men and women for ministry to serve Christ and His Church through Biblical thought and Christian life. OFF CAMPUS/ON LINE The School of Biblical Theology Seminary is a non-resident school of Theology and ministry.
BRLJ Brill Reference Library of Judaism BRS The Biblical Resource Series BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin BTS Biblical Tools and Studies BZ Biblische Zeitschrift BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft . CBET Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CBR Currents in Biblical .
with the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by R. Kittel. This emergence of Biblical Theology was ended, by all accounts, by James Barr's critique of Kittel, especially in The Semantics of Biblical Language.2 In its wake, Brevard Childs spoke of a 'crisis' in Biblical
A Century of Protestant Theology / Table and Tradition Hogg, D. Anselm of Canterbury Holifield, E. B. Theology in America Hodgson, P. & R. King, eds. Christian Theology Jenson, R. Systematic Theology John Paul II, The Gospel of Life / The Splendor of Truth / Theology of the Body Journet, C. Theology of the Church Kelly, J. N. D.
on biblical theology. What makes their contribution unique is the marriage of historical . exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic theology. God's Kingdom through God's Cov-enants brims with exegetical insights, biblical theological drama, and sound systematic theological conclusions.
