Doran, Robert M.

English

epublications@Marquette

Marquette Universitye-Publications@MarquetteTheology Faculty Research and Publications Theology, Department of12-1-2013Review of The Quest for God and the Good Life:Lonergan's Theological Anthropology by Mark T.MillerRobert M. DoranMarquette University, robert.doran@marquette.eduPublished Version. Theological Studies, Vol. 74, No. 4 (December 2013): 1041. DOI. © 2013Theological Studies, Inc. Used with permission.SHORTER NOTICES 1041 personal force with Jungian and Girardian readings. Wagner relies on a more literal understanding of Daniel iO and Pauline references to the prin-cipalities and powers. In between these two are essays by David Pawlison and Gregory Boyd, who see evil as a per-sonal or ontological force and pair the biblical understandings with readings from psychology. The book is a genuine dialogue: each of the four authors presents a position to which the other three respond. The book provides a good intro· duction to a realm not famil iar to most Roman Catholics and liberal Protes-tants. Readers wanting a basic under-standing of this discourse would do well to begin with Wagner's chapter, which presents a kind of map. ROBERT SCHREITER Catholic Theological Union. Chicago TliE QUEST FOR GOI) ANI) nn:: GOOI) LIFE: LoNERGAN'S TiIEOt.(X::;ICAL ANnIRO-POLQGY. By Mark T. Miller. Washington: Catholic University of America, 2013. Pp. xvi + 223. $29.95. This volume. a revision of a portion of Miller's dissertation. meets the need for an introductory theological text on the thought of Bernard Lonergan for use in basic undergraduate courses. M. recasts his thesis in a form that is accessible and provides many helpful avenues for engaging students in renee-tion and discussion. The book's ten chapters are divided into three parIS. corresponding to the familiar heuristic structure of Lonergan's theory of history: progress. decline. and redemption. M. correctly grasps that "progress" transposes into historical consciousness the traditional category of "nature"; "decline" docs the same wilh "sin"; and "redemption" provides the organizing ca tegory for a social and historical treatment of ··grace." To accentuate the stress on gelling the anthropology to "move," the open-ing chapter introduces the reader \0 Lonergan's worldview of emergent probability. a real eye-opener for stu-dents when presented clearly and painstakingly. Progress and nature are then studied in terms of (I) the act of understanding or insi~ht: (2) the expansion of intentionality analysis into the four levels of experience, understanding, judgment. and deci-sion; and (3) the role of community in advancing the human good. Decline and sin are located in the context of creation, fa ll , and original and per-sonal sin, but then are understood more richly in terms of Lonerglln's (arguably permanently) valid treat-ment of bias. where shorter and longer cycles of social decline in human his-tory are rooted. Discussion of grace, conversion (religious. moral, and inlel-Icctual). and the graced community cen· tered in the body of Christ concludes the treatment. A basic first- or second-level course can be structured around Ihis book. J would. however, recommend at least two additions: extending the treatment of the human good in the section on progress and nature so as to accommo-date Lonergan's later deyclopment of a normative scale of values, and sup-plementing the treatment of decline and sin with a good dose of Rene Girard's mimetic theory. while allow-ing the same contribution to concretize the treatment M. offers in the fina l section on the Law of the Cross. the central mystery of redemption for Christian theology. The volume should have a long life as a basic text for undergraduate courses in theology. R OBERT M. DOII.AN. SJ . Marquelle University, Milwaukee VATICAN II: A UNIVERSAL CALI. TO HOUNESS. Edited by Anthony J. Ciorra and Michael W. Higgins. New York: Paulist. 2012. Pp. iii + 172. $16.95. Based on a conference held at Sacred Heart University to celebrate the 50th anniversllry of the Second Vatican Council, the book prescnl s renections on the seven closlllg messa~cs fro m the council that were pubhshcd on December 8, 1965: to rulers (R. ScOIl Appleby); to women (Diana L. Hayes); 

Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Quest for God and the Good Life: Lonergan\u27s Theological Anthropology\u3c/em\u3e by Mark T. Miller

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Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Quest for God and the Good Life: Lonergan\u27s Theological Anthropology\u3c/em\u3e by Mark T. Miller

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