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A School of Theology - Le Saulchoir

Marie-Dominique Chenu Joseph A Komonchak Mary Kate Holman

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Paperback

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English
ATF Press
01 July 2023
"This little book, published in 1937, was one of the most controversial works of Catholic theology in the first half of the 20th century. It describes how theology was practiced at Le Saulchoir, the house of studies of the French Dominican province then in exile in Belgium. There, a distinct ""school of theology"" had emerged, one that favoured critical historical investigation of the Christian tradition, including the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. More interested in locating Aquinas in his own time and place than in drawing speculative conclusions from his works, it differed in orientation and methods from most other schools of theology at the time, including other houses of the Dominican Order.

The book's author, Marie-Dominique Chenu (1895-1990) began teaching at Le Saulchoir in 1920, and was an enthusiastic proponent of its distinctive spirit and method. In 1932 he was promoted to master of theology and made regent of studies. He urged theologians to expand the horizons of their curiosity to include the achievements and challenges of their own day. In 1936, in a talk for the feast of St. Thomas, Chenu delivered an enthusiastic address about the work of Le Saulchoir, and was encouraged to turn it into this book. Not content with describing his school's orientation, Chenu was also critical of how theology was being pursued elsewhere, even by Dominicans, even in Rome. Roman Dominicans were displeased with the book, and it was quickly taken out of circulation. In 1942 it was placed on the Index of Forbidden Books and Chenu was removed from his teaching post and banished from Le Saulchoir.

Despite its brevity, its limited initial audience, and its condemnation, this little book is historically significant. It represents a major trajectory of modern Catholic theology as it faced the turn to the subject in philosophy and the rise of historical consciousness in theology. Many of the ideas for which it was initially condemned were embraced at Vatican II and have since influenced the methods of contemporary Catholic theology.

This translation includes a critical introduction situating the book in its historical context and provides footnotes to assist readers in identifying persons, events, and ideas."
By:  
Edited and translated by:   ,
Imprint:   ATF Press
Country of Publication:   Australia
Dimensions:   Height: 229mm,  Width: 152mm, 
Weight:   260g
ISBN:   9781922737922
ISBN 10:   1922737925
Pages:   168
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

In 1920 Chenu was appointed Professor of the History of Dogma at Le Saulchoir (and in late 1921 turned down a request from his doctoral supervisor Garrigou-Lagrange's to return to the Angelicum as a lecturer).[5] He began to develop his theological perspective replacing the non-historical approach to Thomism that he had learned from Garrigou-Lagrange at the Angelicum with an historicist reading of Aquinas. At Le Saulchoir he was the teacher of Dominicans Yves Congar and Edward Schillebeeckx.In 1930 Chenu founded the Institut d'Etudes M�di�vales de Montr�al.[1]Chenu served as rector of Le Saulchoir from 1932 to 1942, [6] and was therefore very involved in the move of Le Saulchoir from Belgium to �toilles, near Paris, in 1937.In 1937 Chenu privately issued a book entitled Une �cole de th�ologie: Le Saulchoir.[7] In February 1938 he was called to Rome and reprimanded for this work.[citation needed] Then, in February[citation needed] 1942, Une �cole de th�ologie was placed on the Vatican's Index of Forbidden Books because of its ideas about the role of historical studies in theology.[7] He was removed as rector of Le Saulchoir.[7] He would never again teach there. Friends got him a post at the �cole des Hautes �tudes in Paris, and he subsequently taught at the Sorbonne and the Institut catholique de Paris.

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