Description
Book SynopsisWhile belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is at the very core of the Christian faith, the significance of the Spirit in particular is sometimes overlooked in faith practice and theological reflection, resulting in what theologians call Geistvergessenheit. In this context, Lumen Gentium, one of the most important documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), is usually praised for its pneumatological renewal. The current volume, however, argues that this renewal is no more than modest. The Holy Spirit is still conceived of predominantly as an adjunct to Christ. To substantiate that claim, Jos Moons has developed a novel method of close reading on the basis of which he compares Lumen gentium’s conception of the Spirit to that of Mystici corporis (1943). He also analyses the redaction-historical development of the former and concludes with a plea to envisage the Spirit more boldly: as actively guiding the church, especially by means of the sensus fidelium, its charisms and the discernment of spirits.
Trade Review"This volume makes a notable contribution to the ongoing study of the Second Vatican Council. It is essential reading for anyone interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of contemporary (official) Catholic Pneumatology, not only in its conciliar past, but also where it might well be heading in a near, more synodal, future.", J.Stayne, in: Ephemerides Theologicae Lovaniensis, Volume 99, Issue 1 (2023). "With its careful articulation of methodological and theological issues, this book will be useful for both students at all levels of theological education, as well as seasoned academic scholars. They will welcome its finely nuanced approach to the pneumatology of Lumen Gentium and its ongoing agenda." - Ormond Rush, Australian Catholic University, in: Louvain Studies, Volume 45, Issue 2 (2022). "[I]t is meticulously researched, solidly argued and in the last chapter a forward-looking work. It is not only of interest to catholic theologians focusing on ecclesiology and pneumatology." - Jean-Daniel Plüss, European Pentecostal Charistmatic Research Association, Switzerland, in: Pneuma Volume 44, Issue 3-4 (2022).
Table of ContentsAbbreviations General Introduction 1 Geistvergessenheit 2 Renewal: A Contentious Issue 3 Renewal: Further Clarifications 4 Close Reading: A Method 5 Structure part 1: The Holy Spirit according to Mystici Corporis 1 The Ecclesiological and Pneumatological Context of Mystici Corporis 1.1 Ecclesiological Context 1.2 Structure and Ecclesiology 1.3 Pneumatological Context: Michael Schmaus, Sebastiaan Tromp, Émile Mersch 2 The Pneumatology of Mystici Corporis A Close Reading 2.1 Structure of the Text 2.2 Theological Content 2.3 Argumentative Function 2.4 Conclusion part 2: The Holy Spirit according to Lumen Gentium 3 The Redaction History and Ecclesiology of Lumen Gentium 3.1 Redaction History: A Play in Six Acts 3.2 Ecclesiology: The Church in Eight Parts 3.3 Conclusion 4 The Pneumatology of Lumen Gentium A Close Reading 4.1 Structure of the Text 4.2 Theological Content 4.3 Argumentative Function 4.4 Conclusion part 3: The Pneumatological Renewal of Lumen Gentium 5 From Mystici Corporis to Lumen Gentium 5.1 Similarities between Mystici Corporis and Lumen Gentium 5.2 Pneumatological Renewal 5.3 ‘Deliberate Pneumatological Change for the Better’? 6 The Redaction History of Lumen Gentium 4 6.1 Three Motives for Pneumatological Renewal 6.2 The Holy Spirit according to Lumen Gentium 4 6.3 The Introduction of Lumen Gentium 4 6.4 Lumen Gentium 4 as a Whole 6.5 Lumen Gentium 4 per Sentence 6.6 General Conclusion 7 The Redaction History of Lumen Gentium 48 7.1 The Holy Spirit according to Lumen Gentium 48 7.2 The Development of Chapter Seven 7.3 The Pneumatological Development of Lumen Gentium 48 7.4 General Conclusion 8 The Pneumatological Renewal of Lumen Gentium 9 General Conclusion: Beyond the Council Three Requirements for Further Pneumatological Renewal 9.1 A Renewed Pneumatology 9.2 A ‘Receptive’ Church 9.3 Advancing Pneumatological Topics: Charisms, Sensus Fidelium and Discernment of Spirits 9.4 Conclusion Summary Bibliography Index of Persons Index of (Selected) Subjects
