THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY of AMERICA Scripture, Tradition, And
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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium in the Teaching of Vatican II A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Theology and Religious Studies Of The Catholic University of America In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Doctor of Philosophy © Copyright All Rights Reserved By James C. Kruggel Washington, DC 2013 Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium in the Teaching of Vatican II James C. Kruggel, Ph.D. Director: John T. Ford, C.S.C., S.T.D. The Second Vatican Council taught in no. 10.4 of its Dogmatic Constitution on Di- vine Revelation (Dei Verbum) (1965) that “Scripture, Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God’s most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.” This sentence offers a particularly organic description of the relationship of these three things that reflects a development from selected preconciliar thought. In his 1950 encyclical Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII presented Scripture and Tradition as “sources” of revelation entrusted to the Magisterium. He did not explain their relationship or discuss a theology of Tradition. Gerardus Van Noort’s seminary manual Dog- matic Theology said the sources of revelation “mix” in the Magisterium which interprets them. The Council asserted a mutual interdependence of the three. It offered a more dy- namic notion of tradition, one associated with a view of revelation as God’s self-disclosure. This view resembled those of Yves Congar, Karl Rahner, and Joseph Ratzinger. The Council presented Scripture and Tradition as expressions of one Word, served by the Magisterium. Dei Verbum 10.4’s teaching was incorporated by Pope John Paul II into his encycli- cal On the Relationship of Faith and Reason (Fides et Ratio) (1998) Ch. 5. Dei Verbum had identified Scripture and Tradition as the rule of faith in no. 21. John Paul II citesDei Verbum 10.4 in support of a teaching that the unity among them and the Magisterium constitutes the rule of faith. This teaching, along with the encyclical’s recalling of intellectual issues related to belief, a major preconciliar concern, suggests that John Paul II perceived a unity between these points and the Council’s emphasis upon a view of revelation as Divine-self disclosure. This dissertation by James C. Kruggel fulfills the dissertation requirement for the doctoral degree in Historical and Systematic Theology approved by John T. Ford, C.S.C., S.T.D. as director, and by Kevin W. Irwin, S.T.D. and John P. Galvin, Dr. Theol. as Readers. ________________________________________ John T. Ford, C.S.C., S.T.D., Director ________________________________________ Kevin W. Irwin, S.T.D., Reader ________________________________________ John P. Galvin, Dr. Theol., Reader ii Dedicated to the memory of my mother, Kathleen S. Kruggel (1930-2011) iii Table of Contents Introduction . .1 I. Prospectus of this Dissertation . 5 Part I: Representative Thinkers on Revelation Prior to Vatican II Chapter 1: Ecclesiastical Perspective: Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis . 7 Vatican Interest in the Nouvelle Théologie . 15 An Analysis of Humani Generis . 19 Summary . 44 Chapter 2: Gerardus Van Noort: Dogmatic Theology . 46 Volume I: The True Religion . 48 Volume II: Christ’s Church . 51 Volume III: The Sources of Revelation and Divine Faith . 55 Summary . 67 Chapter 3: New Perspectives on Divine Revelation—Yves Congar . 69 The Idea of Tradition . 70 The Notion of Tradition . 75 “The Subject of Tradition” . 77 Tradition and the Life of the Church . 82 “Scripture and Tradition in Relation to Revelation and to the Church.” . 86 “The Monuments of Tradition” . 94 Summary . 101 Chapter 4: Conciliar Perspectives on Divine Revelation: Karl Rahner And Joseph Ratzinger . 103 Karl Rahner, “The Concept of Revelation” . 104 Joseph Ratzinger: “Revelation and Tradition” . 111 Joseph Ratzinger: “On the Interpretation of the Tridentine Decree on Tradition.” . 120 Summary . 125 Part II: Vatican II on the Mediation of Revelation Figure 1. Schemas Related to the Development of Dei Verbum . .128 iv Chapter 5: The Preparations for Vatican II . 129 Preparations for the Council . 133 The Theology of Revelation at the time of Vatican II . 139 Two Pre-Conciliar Schemata (1960) “The Sources of Revelation” and “Defending the Deposit of Faith” . 145 Proposed Formula for the Profession of Faith . 149 Draft Constitution De Fontibus Revelationis (Forms A, B) 1961 . 151 Draft De Fontibus Revelationis (Form C) 1962 . 160 Draft Constitution De Deposito Fidei . 161 Draft Constitution De Ecclesia . 168 Conclusion: Divergent Views about Revelation . 169 Chapter 6: Conciliar Discsussion of Revelation . 171 Conciliar Discussion of De Fontibus Revelatonis (Form C) . 173 Pope John XXIII’s Intervention and the Creation of the Mixed Commission . 181 Schema De Verbo Dei . 183 Discussion of the schema De Ecclesia . 185 Draft Constitution on Revelation De Divina Revelatione (Form D): 1963 . 191 ‘De Divina Revelatione (Form E): 1964 . 199 De Divina Revelatione (Form F): 1965 . 208 Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum (Form G) . 217 Conclusion . 219 Chapter 7: The Second Vatican Council’s Teaching about Revelation . 220 Dei Verbum § 7 . 223 Dei Verbum § 8 . 229 Dei Verbum § 9 . 237 Dei Verbum § 10 . 242 Lumen Gentium § 25 . 252 Conclusion . 260 Part III Chapter 8: A Postconciliar Teaching on Revelation: Fides et Ratio (1998) . 262 Dei Filius (1870) . 262 Fides et Ratio . 270 Introduction . 272 Chapter 1: “The Revelation of God’s Wisdom” . 275 Chapter 2: “Credo ut Intellegam: Believing that one may understand” . 278 Chapter 3: “Intellego ut Credam: Knowing that one may believe.” . 280 Chapter 4: “The Relationship Between Faith and Reason” . 284 Chapter 5: “The Magisterium’s Interventions in Philosophical Matters” . 288 v Chapter 6: “The Interaction Between Philosophy and Theology” . 293 Chapter 7: “Current Requirements and Tasks” . 296 Conclusion of the Encyclical . 300 Conclusion . 305 The Teaching of Vatican II about Revelation . 310 Postconciliar Teaching on the Mediation of Revelation: Fides et Ratio . 315 Retroscript and Postscript . 316 Bibliography . 317 vi Acknowledgements It would not be possible to thank everyone who had some role in this dissertation. A dissertation is truly a community enterprise, made possible by the support and coopera- tion of many. First and foremost is the help of the revealing Triune God Himself, and Our Lady His faithful servant, who leads all to her Son. To consider Divine revelation is a work pursued in prayer with the help of God’s grace. Also vital are my parents, Paul and Kathleen Kruggel, who consistently supported me throughout the process, along with the rest of my family—Don, Anne, Kevin, Rich, and Katie & her boyfriend Ian. This dissertation is dedi- cated to my mother, who left his world in 2011. Throughout the process, my director Fr. John Ford provided careful intellectual and editorial guidance. My initial readers were of great help. Fr. Joseph Komonchak provided detailed historical and theological guidance, and Fr. Patrick Granfield, OSB, provided care- ful editorial guidance. My final readers were of great help as well. Fr. Kevin Irwin and Fr. John Galvin both provided helpful editorial guidance and theological observations. Of in- estimable help were many friends and colleagues who have helped form my understanding of Divine Revelation, including Michael Sirilla, Christopher Malloy, Andrew Minto, Scott Hahn, and many others. vii Introduction How is Divine Revelation communicated? The Second Vatican Council taught that Divine Revelation is communicated through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium.1 The Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) described the interrelationship of these three means of communication as follows:2 It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls (§ 10). What is this interrelationship of Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium? This dissertation answers this question by: (1) examining selected writings about Revelation, Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium in the period prior to Vatican II; (2) considering the teaching of Dei Verbum in regard to the mediation of Revelation through Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium; (3) examining the post-conciliar teaching of Pope John Paul II in his encyclical, Fides et Ratio, On the Relationship of Faith and Reason (1998). The primary focus of this dissertation is Revelation, God’s self-disclosure to the human race. After the immediate events of divine disclosure,.