New Book: General Principles of Sacramental Theology

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Roger W. Nutt has released a new book with The Catholic University of America Press entitled General Principles of Sacramental Theology.

General Principles of Sacramental Theology addresses a current lacuna in English-language theological literature. Bernard Leeming's highly respected book Principles of Sacramental Theology was published more than sixty years ago. Since that time, there has been a noted decrease, especially in English-language sacramental theology, in treatments of the basic topics and principles—such as the nature of the sacraments of signs, sacramental grace, sacramental character, sacramental causality, sacramental intention, the necessity and number of the sacraments, sacramental matter and form, inter alia—which apply to all of the sacraments.

Rather than deconstruct the Church's tradition, as many recent books on the sacraments do, Roger Nutt offers a vibrant presentation of these principles as a sound foundation for a renewed appreciation of each of the seven sacraments in the Christian life as the divinely willed means of communion and friendship between God and humanity. The sacraments bestow and nourish the personal communion with Jesus Christ that is the true source of human happiness. Recourse to the patrimony of Catholic wisdom, especially St. Thomas Aquinas, can help to highlight the sacraments and their significance within the plan of salvation.

This book will be of use in seminary, graduate, and undergraduate courses. It is further offered as a source of hope to all those seeking deeper intimacy with God amidst the confusion, alienation, and disappointment that accompanies life in a fallen world. The sacraments play an irreplaceable role in pursuing a Universal Call to Holiness that is so central to Vatican II's teaching.

Roger W. Nutt is associate professor of theology at Ave Maria University, Florida

“This book will help priests and laity alike to gain a fuller understanding of the worth and power of the sacraments. Prof. Nutt helps to move the conversation about the sacraments forward in a much-needed way in our day.”
— Paul Keller, OP, The Athenaeum of Ohio

News from the Albert the Great Center

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News from the Albert the Great Center

Two items of note from the folks at the Albertus Magnus Center for Scholastic Studies:

First, the proceedings from their 2016 Summer School, "Thomas's Commentary on the Romans", are available for pre-order. Included in the volume are several of the papers given as lectures during the school on themes such as sacrifice, faith, and as well as the from their scholastic disputation.

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Thomism in Czech Journal of Philosophy Available Online

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The editors have decided to make available online a recent issue of the Czech Journalof Philosophy devoted to Late Scholasticism. It is a "Festschrift" for Prof. Stanislav Sousedik.  You can find interesting articles on Thomism as well as on other schools.

http://filcasop.flu.cas.cz/index.php?page=mimoradna-cisla&subpage=explorations-in-late-scholasticism

 

S.M.A.R.T. Call for Papers at ACPA

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S.M.A.R.T. Call for Papers

The Society for Medieval and Renaissance Thomism (S.M.A.R.T.) is planning a session for the 2017 meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, Dallas, TX, 16-19 November 2017. It is accepting papers on all aspects of Thomism from 1274 to the publication of the Carmelite Cursus Theologiae (1631-1701).

Please send papers and direct enquiries to Domenic D’Ettore at ddettore[at]marian[dot]edu. Papers and abstracts received by 15 May will receive full consideration. Selection preference will be given to complete papers. The submission of an abstract alone should be accompanied by a Curriculum Vitae. A final version of the paper will be required by 1 September 2017 in order to facilitate a response paper which will be given during the conference session.

New Book on Sacraments as Instrumental Causes

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The Catholic University Press has brought out Father Reginald Lynch's The Cleansing of the Heart:  The Sacraments as Instrumental Causes in the Thomistic Tradition.  He addresses a distinctive part of the Thomistic tradition.  Fr. Lynch received an STL from the Dominican House of Studies and the University of Notre Dame.  He has participated in sessions of the Society for Medieval and Renaissance Thomism (S.M.A.R.T.).  The link is here: http://cuapress.cua.edu/books/viewbook.cfm?book=LYCH

 

 

 

New Book: Thomism and Predestination

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A new book entitled Thomism and Predestination: Principles and Disputations is now available from The Catholic University of America Press. See below for more details. 

 

"There is perhaps no aspect of traditional Thomistic thought so contested in modern Catholic theology as the notion of predestination as presented by the classical Thomist school. What is that doctrine, and why is it so controversial? Has it been rightly understood in the context of modern debates? At the same time, the Church's traditional affirmation of a mystery of predestination is largely ignored in modern Catholic theology more generally. Why is this the case? Can a theology that emphasizes the Augustinian notion of the primacy of salvation by grace alone also forego a theology of predestination?

Thomism and Predestination: Principles and Disputations considers these topics from various angles: the principles of the classical Thomistic treatment of predestination, their contested interpretation among modern theologians, examples of the doctrine as illustrated by the spiritual writings of the saints, and the challenges to Catholic theology that the Thomistic tradition continues to pose. This volume initiates readers―especially future theologians and Catholic intellectuals―to a central theme of theology that is speculatively challenging and deeply interconnected to many other elements of the faith.

ABOUT THE EDITORS

Steven A. Long is a professor of Theology at Ave Maria University and author of Teleological Grammar of the Moral Act (Sapientia Press of Ave Maria University Publications). Roger W. Nutt is an associate professor of Theology, codirector of the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal, and editor-in-chief of Sapientia Press of Ave Maria University. Thomas Joseph White, OP, is the director of the Thomistic Institute at the Domincan House of Studies. He is the author of several books including The Incarnate Lord: A Thomistic Study in Christology (CUA Press), and coeditor of the theological journal Nova et Vetera."

Person, Soul, & Consciousness - Berkeley Dominicans, Summer 2017

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The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology is hosting its 2nd Triennial Dominican Colloquium in Berkeley on the intersection between Philosophy & Theology July 12-15, 2017; the theme will be Person, Soul and Consciousness. Philosophers and Theologians will engage this topic exploring questions of contemporary importance. The event will involve a significant engagement with the thought of St. Thomas, as the list of plenary-session speakers suggests: Lawrence Feingold, Thomas Hünefeldt, Steven Long, Nancey Murphy, David Oderberg, Ted Peters, Markus Rothhaar, Richard Schenk, OP, D.C. Schindler, Michael Sherwin, OP, Eleonore Stump, and Thomas Weinandy, OFM. Cap. The deadline for the Call for Papers is in March, 2017. A $500 award is available to the best graduate student submission. More information is available at www.dspt.edu/conversation2017. Sponsored by the DSPT and the Friars of the Dominican Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Western USA).