Abstract
The stated aims of this fine volume are threefold. In the first instance the distinguished author, Charles E. Curran, wants to make available to interested readers the approaches and methods of 12 major figures influencing the development and direction of moral theology in the United States. Secondly, the author hopes through this publication to foster a dialogue between all those involved in the discipline of moral theology in the United States. He is acutely aware of the deep divisions between, what have been called, the conservative and liberal approaches to moral theology. The fact that so called conservative and liberal moral theologians belong, in general, to different academic societies and publish in different academic journals indicates the serious and deep- rooted nature of the contemporary divide and the absence of meaningful dialogue and engagement. Finally, and probably most importantly in the author’s mind, the volume sets out to demonstrate the significance of Sitz im Leben for the approaches, content, and methodology of the chosen theologians. For many of the chosen theologians Vatican 11 and the encyclical Humanae Vitae were decisive theology-shaping events. For others, realities like racism or ethnic identity provided the context for moral reflection in the academy.
The author knew and engaged with all the chosen authors. John Ford, for example, was a colleague when Curran began his teaching career at the Catholic University of America; Bernard Haring and Joseph Fuchs were his teachers in Rome and solid supporters of him during his, sometimes troubled, academic career; Richard McCormick was a close friend and they coedited many volumes of the Readings in Moral Theology series. Margaret Farley, Lisa Sowle Cahill, and James Keenan are described as ‘dialogue partners and friends in our mutual journey of doing moral theology.’ The other scholars presented in the volume—Germain Grisez, Romanus Cessario, Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Bryan Massingale, and the New Wine, New Wineskins movement—all had personal and professional contact with Curran over many years.
The chapter on the New Wine, New Wineskins movement is particularly interesting. This movement’s Sitz im Leben is not that of Vatican II or Humanae Vitae but the cultural change that was experienced by American Catholics in the decades after Vatican II. The old subculture of Catholic neighbourhoods, associations, and schools underwent radical change. A new generation of Catholics felt they were adrift in a pluralistic world. This group of young theologians first met at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and continue to meet and publish. A novel feature of this group is that it is restricted to academics who have not yet secured tenure. This has the positive consequence that the memberships is constantly changing. Established academics like Julio Hanlon Rubio, David Cloutier, and William C. Mattison were part of the original group and their places have been filled with a new generation of young scholars. They are described as evangelical rather than conservative and they have a keen interest in understanding and nurturing the relationship between the Church and Culture. This interest is manifested in, amongst other things, their concern for the faith formation of their students in colleges and for the rediscovery of their Catholic identity in order to oppose some of what they find in contemporary culture. A second significant issue raised by this group is their desire to move beyond the current impasse in Catholic moral theology between so-called liberal and conservative groups. This search for common ground is evident in the work of Julio Hanlon Rubio in the second publication of this movement Leaving and Coming Home.
James Keenan is singled out for his commitment over many years to the discipline of moral theology per se. This prolific scholar has published works on a wide range of topics including the history of moral theology, the role of the virtues, the significance of conscience, and the role of casuistry. He also wrote the ‘Notes on Moral Theology’ for Theological Studies from 1993 to 2017. These notes, which were primary bibliographical, reveal his scholarly research and interest in many areas of moral theology. Keenan’s commitment to the discipline of moral theology is clearly seen in his role as founder and director of the Catholic Theological Ethics in the Word Church (CTEWC). This organization has held international conferences that have attracted hundreds of moral theologians from across the globe. In July 2010, for example, 600 Catholic ethicists from 73 countries assemble in Trent. Eight years later a similar number attended their conference in Sarajevo. These international conferences were preceded by a range of regional meetings including, Bangalore (2015) and Bogota (2016). These conferences have contributed enormously to the health and vitality of moral theology by enabling life-giving conversations between theologians from very different cultures and contexts.
This is a clearly written and very informative book. The first and thirds aims of the book are, in the estimation of this reviewer, clearly fulfilled. Through the in-depth analysis of the chosen scholars the reader is left with a clear picture of the decisive moments in the unfolding history of moral theology. Because the scholars presented are, by and large, scholars on the world stage, this book is an important addition to the library of anyone interested in the discipline of moral theology. Hopefully, its publication will contribute to the second aim of the author: the fostering of dialogue between the different voices within moral theology.