In the second half of the last century, what were the most powerful, positive voices and minds in the Catholic Church? Here is my all-star, top-ten list, using as criteria:
- Loyalty to the revelation of Jesus Christ as received from Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium.
- Depth and creativity of insight.
- Breath of scholarship: of the ancients and contemporaries; in theology/philosophy and across the disciplines.
- Holiness of life.
- Range of influence.
- Beauty, clarity and inspiration in expression.
1. John Paul. The depth and creativity of his thought; the drama and holiness of his life; and the immense reach of his influence...all make him uncontested Catholic Champion of our time.
2. Balthasar. His engagement of theology in sanctity, beauty, drama and truth; his partnership with mystic Adrienne von Speyr; his incomparable range of scholarship; the depth and creativity of his thought...all make him the incomparable Catholic Theologian of our time.
3. Pope Benedict. His humble, holy, steadiness of life; his depth of insight; the beauty, clarity, simplicity, and grace of his expression...all make him the premier Catechist of our time.
These first three, the Great Triumvirate, will be (in my view) doctors of the Church and in the league of Augustine, Thomas and Newman in historical significance.
4.Bishop Fulton Sheen, Thomas Merton, Patrick Peyton. These and others fueled the Catholic post-war revival (1945-65).
5. DeLubac. His love and loyalty for the Church and Tradition in a contemporary style; his depth and breath of thought; his influence on Vatican II.
6. Kiko Arguello. In his person and "Way" the Church receives the most passionate, militant, deep, clear and countercultural response to the chaos and decadence of our time.
7. Luigi Giussani. In the person and event of Jesus Christ, Giassanni unveiled the raw ontological positivity, notwithstanding the reality of sin, radiant in all human friendship, life and culture.
8. Ralph Martin and the American Charismatics. These channeled the enthusiastic, charismatic energies of revival to engage the best in Evangelical-Pentecostal spiritualty, to fuel a renewal within Catholicism, to develop a new evangelization across the globe, and offer a fierce, ecumenical response to the Cultural Revolution.
9. Chiara Lubich and St. Escrivera. Founders of Focolari and Opus Dei, vital renewal movements in our era.
10. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. While not an academic, she taught, wrote and exercised immense influence over our Church and world by virtue of her sacrificial, heroic charity and holiness.
In composing this list, I realized: First, the list is personal and subjective, rooted in my own person and situation. Second, so many others belong on the list. Third, such thinkers/influencers thrive in schools, communities, groups and movements rather than as isolated individuals. Lastly, many of the greatest spiritual influencers are not scholars but saints, servants of the poor, writers and speakers, clerics.
And so, the next blog will consider the defining schools, groups and movements of 1950-2000 that define Catholicism on the entry into the third millennium.
What a marvelous time to be a Catholic!
Resourcement/Communio School: John Paul, Benedict, Balthasar, DeLubac, Congar,Bouyer, Schindler and the American School.
Renewal Leaders: Kiko, Giasanni, Martin and the American charismatics, Eschriva, Lubich.
Bishop Sheen, Thomas Merton, Patrick Peyton, Mother Angelica, Nouwen, .
Servants of the poor: Mother Theresa, Dorothy Day, Catherine Doherty, Madelene DelBrel.
Neo-Thomists: Gilson, Maritain, Pieper. Grisez, Anscombe,
Personalists: Marcel, Hildebrand. Stein, Mournier.
Dulles, Courtney-Murray, Ostereicher, Phillips.
Cultural critics: Illich, Girard, McLuhan, Dawson, Brague., Schumacher, Ong,
Writers: Flanner O'Connor, Graham Green, Waugh,, Percy
Scott Hahn, Neuhaus, McIntyre, Sheed, DelNoce, Dupre
Chardin, Garrigou-Lagrange, Guardini, Przywara, Taylor,
Popular movements: labor, civil rights, creation of parochial empire, surge in vocations, ecumenism, biblical studies, aid to the developing world. pro-life movement, home schooling, Latin Mass, smaller more Catholic colleges, new conservative religious orders,
Gutierezz, Boff, Freire, Segundo, Sobrino,
Chittister, Kung, Baum, Schillibeckx, Haring.
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