The convergence of traditions, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant.
Edited by Elmer O'Brien.
- [New York] Herder and Herder [1967]
- 141 pages, 22 cm.
- Contemporary theology v. 2 .
Sponsored by Dept. of Theology, Loyola College.
Bibliographical footnotes.
The Orthodox Tradition, by Alexander Schmemann -- The Catholic Tradition, by Jean Daniélou -- The Protestant Tradition, by Heiko A. Oberman
Ecumenism cannot proceed substantially further without more and increasingly comprehensive theological discussion. If Christian believers are going to move toward finally eradicating the lines which divide them, there must be a sharing of widely different theological backgrounds and universal recognition of the historical social and psychological forces that resulted in such differences. In the light of this need Convergence of Traditions is a singular contribution of Traditions is a singular contribution to dialogue. In its pages three outstanding students of theology and theological history, Alexander Schmemann, Jean Danielou, and Heiko Oberman, representing respectively the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions, present discourses that attempt to compensate in some degree for the theological impoverishment sustained by each tradition as a result of the centuries-old divisions. Each of the contributors discusses at length five topics: the Church, Scripture, Tradition and Traditions, Sacraments, Grace. In their discussions the highly divergent orientations of the three traditions becomes evident. Orthodox theology, apolitical, unified, with its emphasis on the transformation of man, inaccessible transcendence of the nature of God, and the iconic character of creation, contrasts markedly with the more objective Roman Catholic tradition, which early in its history met with varying interpretations of the content of faith, and accordingly development into a highly reasoned dogmatic presentation of spiritual reality. In contrast depends for its very existence on intellectual history, here investigated in detail by Professor Oberman, and related to Reformation and post-Reformation theology.