Aggiornamento?: Catholicism from Gregory XVI to Benedict XVI: 63

Dr Thomas Izbicki, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in CHOICE Magazine, November 2013

“One of the criticisms often made about church historians is that they ignore the theological issues underlying the facts they are studying. Reading this fascinating book, one is compelled to say that such criticism certainly does not apply here. The book offers a broad and solid synthesis of the evolution of the church and of Catholic theology, from the early nineteenth century up until today. The originality of this volume is precisely that it succeeds to articulate, in seven well-designed and well-documented chapters, the history of the institution as well as the history of its theological reflection. The book introduces us to the great debates that have gone on within Catholic theology since the end of the Enlightenment, showing how these debates have led to the renewal of Catholicism in the last two councils. Along this path, the authors take us into the heart of one the most striking issues of our time, that of the relationship between faith and reason, so highly esteemed by Pope Benedict XVI.”

Prof. Dr. Philippe Chenaux, Pontifical Lateran University, Rome

John A. Dick, Ph.D. (1986) in Theology, Catholic University of Leuven, postgraduate studies as well at Catholic University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Dick is an historical theologian who has focused on Anglican/Roman Catholic relations, secularization, and Religion and Values in U.S. society.

Jürgen Mettepenningen, Ph.D. (2008) in Theology, Catholic University of Leuven, is guest lecturer at the theological faculty in Leuven. He published mainly on ‘nouvelle théologie’, including the book “Nouvelle Théologie – New Theology: Inheritor of Modernism, Precursor of Vatican II” (T&T Clark, 2010).