Doing Theology

Doing Theology shows how sound theology draws on the Christian sources of theological wisdom, beginning in attentive listening to the witness given in the canonical and inspired books of the Bible. Beginning by demonstrating how major Christian thinkers (Irenaeus, Origen, Luther, and others) pursued theological understanding, it then reviews the directions given by Vatican Council II for working out a beneficial and well-grounded Christian theology. The book offers guidelines for theological work in the Church’s tradition as manifested in creeds, the fathers, liturgy, and holy lives, and traces the emergence of the Church’s teaching office, showing its particular charism for contributing to Christian thought and life when its teachings are properly weighed and interpreted. A set of appendices exposes the reader to major texts of Vatican Council II, and shows the breadth of theological service given by the experts who contributed competently in a variety of ways to the Council. Doing Theology will serve well in basic-level Catholic seminary and college courses in introduction to theology and theological method. Further, it will help any teacher of Catholic theology, whether in college and a secondary school, to refresh his or her hold on a sound theological method of listening to the sources and explaining the coherence of God’s saving work and word. †