The critique (on today's First Thing's website) of recently deceased Fr. David Tracey by Monsignor Tom Guarino...respectful, insightful, lucid and (miraculously) metaphysically user-friendly...provoked a question: Who are the most influential Catholic American theologians (for better or for worse) since WWII?
(You are well aware, kind reader, of how Fleckinstein loves top-ten-type lists!)
Regarding professional theologians and influence on the guild and thereby on the Church and society, I go with a first team of:
-Courtney Murray.
-Oestrreicher.
-Dulles.
-Tracey.
-D.L. Schindler.
-R. Brown.
-Hahn.
Expanding "American" to include those north and south of USA we need to include:
-Lonergan (Canadian).
-Gutierrez (Peruvian).
-Boff (Brazilian).
The best theological minds of our hierarchy would be:
-George.
-Chaput.
-Sheen.
-Barron.
Since philosophy is so close to theology we might also include:
-McLuhan (Canadian).
-MacIntyre.
-Kreeft.
-Grant (Canadian).
More popular, less academic but widely influential theologians:
-Merton.
-Nouwen.
-Rohr.
-Novak.
-Neuhaus.
-Weigel.
-Groeschel.
-Von Kam.
Important women theologians (Disclaimer: Fleckinstein is not a student of feminist theology.)
-J. Smith.
-M. Healy
-E. Johnson.
-R. Reuther.
Who, dear Reader, would you add? Delete? Do not be shy to "comment."
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