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Durham E-Theses Divine revelation and the infallible church: Newman, Vatican II and Arcic Peterburs, Michael Robert How to cite: Peterburs, Michael Robert (1994) Divine revelation and the infallible church: Newman, Vatican II and Arcic, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5368/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ABSTRACT Divine Revelation and the Infallible Church: Newman, Vatican II and ARCIC The intention of this thesis is twofold: firstly, to define precisely the degree to which John Henry Newman anticipated the teaching of Vatican II on the nature and transmission of Revelation and on the Church's theological understanding of herself; and secondly, to assess the significance of this for contemporary ecumenical discussions between Roman Catholics and Anglicans on authority in the Church. The first section of this thesis, then, is an exploration of Newman's thought on Revelation and ecclesiology. This includes an analysis of some unpublished and hitherto unconsidered material from the Birmingham Oratory Archives, which reveals that Newman had formulated an organic theory of development by 1840; three years before this is generally reckoned to have been the case. This discussion is set within the historical context of Newman's life, and the relevant scholarly material is also surveyed. The second section compares Newman's views, as set out aJaove, with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council in the appropriate sections of its two Dogmatic Constitutions, Dei Verbum (on Revelation) and Lumen Gentium (on the Church). The third section begins with a discussion of the principles upon which Roman Catholics conduct ecumenical dialogue. These are found primarily in the Vatican II document Unitatis Redintegratio, but also in the new Ecumenical Directory; scholarly opinion is also reviewed. There then follows an analysis of the two ARCIC documents on 'Authority in the Church', and the major criticisms of them are considered in detail. Many of these are irreconcilable not only with the documents, but also with one another. It is therefore suggested in the conclusion, that a possible way to overcome some of these divisions is through a discussion of theological method. A brief outline of a potentially helpful method, the seeds of which were sown by Newman, is then provided. DIVINE REVELATION AND THE INFALLIBLE CHURCH: NEWMAN, VATICAN II AND ARCIC HICHAEL ROBERT PETERBDRS The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be pubHshed without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. PHD THESIS UNIVERSITY OF DDRHM DEPARTHENT OF THEOLOGY 1994 2 7 m 1994 No material contained in this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree in this or any other university. Durham, March 1994 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotations from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Michael Peterburs Grantley Cottage Pennine Close Dar1ington Co. Durham DL3 9YA IV DIVINE REVELATION AND THE INFALLIBLE CHURCH; NEWMAN, VATICAN II AND ARCIC CONTENTS Introduction Section I: Newman, Divine Revelation and the Infallible Church Chapter 1 From Bull to Petavius First Developments i . The Arians of the Fourth Century 7 i i . Controversy with the Abbe Jager 12 i i i . Samuel Francis Wood 16 iv. Letters to Francis Newman 19 v. University Sermon XV 34 vi . Diary Appendices and Copybook on Development 40 vi i . Conelusion 47 Chapter 2 A Natural Progression: An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine 49 i. Essay on Development 49 ii. Continuing Revelation 61 iii. Continuity of Its Principles 66 iv. Unfulfilled Prophecy and the Primacy Texts 68 v. Historical Method 78 vi. Eastern Orthodoxy 85 vii. Conclusion 92 Chapter 3 Shape and Form, Structure and Authority: Newman's Idea of the Church 94 i. The Idea of a University 94 i i. The Rambler Controversy 105 iii. The Preface to the Via Media 123 iv. Conclusion 144 Chapter 4 A Tyrant-King? Newman and the Pope's Infallibility 148 i. Neo-Ultramontanism 149 ii. Vatican I and its Definitions 157 iii. The Letter to the Duke of Norfolk 166 iv. Conclusion 177 Chapter 5 Rome, Right or Wrong? Infallibility Examined 179 i. Infallible? An Enquiry 180 11. Papal Infallibility? 200 ill. Cone 1us Ion 205 Section II: Newman and the Second Vatican Council Chapter 6 Proclaiming the Word Newman, Vatican II, and Revelation 209 1. The Nature of Divine Revelation 211 ii. The Transmission of Divine Revelation 222 iii. Comparison with Newman 240 a) The 'Personal and the Propositional 241 b) The Mutual Relation of Scripture and Tradition 247 iv. Evaluation 250 v. The Possibility of Irreformable Definitions the Connexion between Revelation and Infallibility 251 Chapter 7 Proclaiming the Kingdom: Newman, Vatican II, and the Church 256 1 , The Mystery of the Church 256 1 i , The People of God 262 ill, The Hierarchical Structure of the Church 269 1V . The Laity 280 V. Comparison with Newman 285 a) The Mystery and Sacrament of the Church 285 b) The:Hierarchical Structure 292 c) The Laity 298 VI Evaluation 300 vi i Conelusion 301 Section III: Newman and the Quest for Christian Unity Chapter 8 The Search for Unity: Foundations for the Building of Ecumenical Dialogue 303 i. Catholic Principles of Ecumenism 304 ii. The Practice of Ecumenism 321 iii. Conclusion 335 VI Chapter 9 Pope or no Pope? • ARCIC on Authority 338 i. Authority in the Church I 339 ii. • Authority in the Church II 350 iii. Criticisms of ARCIC on Authority 361 I Revelation: 361 a) Dogmatic Formulae 361 b) Pneumatology 363 c) Councils and Reception 365 d) Jus Divinum 370 II Ecclesiology 374 a) Confessional Identity 374 b) The ROle of the Laity 376 c) The Authority of the Ordained Ministry 377 d) Ecclesial Status 378 iv. Conclusion 382 Chapter 10 The Creative and the Cognitive, the Beautiful and the True: Method in Theology 386 i. Toward a Postcritical Theology 389 ii. From Precritical to Postcritical 390 iii. The Critique of Criticism 390 iv. The Sources as Clues 394 V. The Validation of Discoveries 401 vi. From Faith to Understanding 409 vii. Summary 414 viii. Conclusion 418 Abbreviations 420 Notes 422 Bibliography 501 Vll INTRODUCTION John Henry Newman, whose thought had a profound effect upon both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, is arguably the greatest English theologian of the modern period. In fact, he is hailed by many as a progenitor of the Second Vatican Council and as a forerunner of ecumenism. While the latter claim is difficult fully to substantiate, it is certainly true that there is much in Newman's thought that is of use to ecumenical dialogue, and the degree to which he anticipated the teaching of Vatican II in several key areas is quite remarkable. It is not the purpose of this thesis, however, to argue that Newman was the 'hidden presence' at Vatican II, or that his thought had a great impact upon it. Such a connexion would seem almost impossible to prove, since one would need to know not only how influenced the Council Fathers and periti were by Newman, but also what other influences helped to form their opinions. But that there is significant agreement between Newman and the Council on several important issues is incontrovertible. The intention of this study, therefore, is twofold: firstly, to define precisely the degree to which Newman anticipated the teaching of Vatican II on the nature and transmission of Revelation and on the Church's theological understanding of herself, with regard to her character, membership and structure; and secondly, to assess the significance of this for contemporary ecumenical discussion between Roman Catholics and Anglicans on authority in the Church. This limitation of the field of study is deliberate, and this for two reasons. Firstly, Vatican II covered such a broad range of topics, that to compare each of its documents with Newman's thought would be unrealistic and, within the confines of a thesis, almost unmanageable; and secondly, if Newman is to be of value to contemporary theology, this must be in some central rather than peripheral way. Hence the concentration in Section II on the two Dogmatic Constitutions promulgated by the Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum and Lumen Gentium, and in Section III on ARCIC's Agreed Statements on 'Authority in the Church', since it is these, along with the criticisms that have been raised against them, that highlight the fundamental areas of agreement and disagreement between Catholics and Anglicans. Since the details of Newman's life and writings are so well known, historical narrative has been kept to a minimum. It was necessary, however, to expound his works in some detail: firstly, so that the comments and criticisms of Contemporary scholars could be examined; and i secondly, to enable a detailed comparison of his theology with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.