John Henry Newman and Georges Florovsky: an Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue on the Development of Doctrine Daniel Lattier
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Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 2012 John Henry Newman and Georges Florovsky: An Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue on the Development of Doctrine Daniel Lattier Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Lattier, D. (2012). John Henry Newman and Georges Florovsky: An Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue on the Development of Doctrine (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/800 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN AND GEORGES FLOROVSKY: AN ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE A Dissertation Submitted to the McAnulty Graduate School of Liberal Arts Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Daniel J. Lattier December 2012 Copyright by Daniel J. Lattier 2012 JOHN HENRY NEWMAN AND GEORGES FLOROVSKY: AN ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE By Daniel J. Lattier Approved November 12, 2012 ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Radu Bordeianu Dr. George Worgul Associate Professor of Theology Professor of Theology (Committee Chair) (Committee Member) ________________________________ Dr. Bogdan Bucur Assistant Professor of Theology (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. James Swindal Dr. Maureen O‘Brien Dean, McAnulty Graduate School of Chair, Department of Theology Liberal Arts Professor of Theology Professor of Philosophy iii ABSTRACT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN AND GEORGES FLOROVSKY: AN ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE By Daniel J. Lattier December 2012 Dissertation supervised by Dr. Radu Bordeianu This dissertation examines the idea of doctrinal development in the writings of John Henry Newman and Georges Florovsky, who are both representative thinkers in their respective Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Newman‘s theory of doctrinal development proposes that divine revelation has been given once and for all, but that the Church is still growing in its understanding of this revelation. This growth sometimes results in new doctrinal definitions, which require confirmation of their truth by an infallible authority. The essence of Newman‘s theory has been received as compatible with Roman Catholic theology, and constitutes a hermeneutical lens through which Roman Catholics view the categories of revelation, Tradition, and authority. On the contrary, many leading Orthodox theologians of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have expressed serious reservations about the idea of doctrinal development, iv leading one to wonder if there are some unexamined hermeneutical disagreements between Roman Catholics and Orthodox on these categories. In order to respond to these Orthodox reservations, I constructed the dissertation as a dialogue between Newman and Florovsky on doctrinal development. More specifically, I arranged the dissertation as a dialogue between Newman and Florovsky on their understandings of revelation, Tradition, and authority—categories implied in the idea of doctrinal development. The first goal of the dissertation is to show that Newman‘s theory of doctrinal development is in fact compatible with Orthodox understandings of revelation and Tradition. The understanding of authority in Newman‘s theory does not currently share this compatibility, but dialogue does offer the opportunity for mutual enrichment of Newman‘s and Florovsky‘s thought on this category. A second goal is to expose Newman‘s theory to Orthodox categories of thought in the hopes of further developing Newman‘s theory itself. One of the principal developments that results from this exposure is the clarification that Newman‘s theory is a function of the incarnational character of his theology. Showing that the affirmation of doctrinal development follows from an incarnational, or Christocentric, theology represents the third and final goal of this dissertation. v DEDICATION To Kelly, John, Finn, James, and Alethea. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Above all, thanks are due to Christ, who provided me with the strength to endure the ascetical trials that attend dissertation writing. I could not have completed this dissertation, much less pursued graduate work, without the unwavering faith and constant encouragement of my lovely wife, Kelly. She and my children sacrificed much over the past six years so that my studies could reach fruition in this work. Thank you, honey, for continuing to run the race with me. I truly do not deserve you. I would like to give special thanks to John and Kathy Corrigan—my father and mother-in-law—whose support also made my graduate work possible. They have also made great sacrifices so that I could complete my studies. Their support sprang not only from their love of me, their daughter, and their grandchildren, but also from their love of the Church, and their belief that my work might somehow contribute to the growth of the Body of Christ. I would also like to thank my father, Doug, and my mother Mary and her husband Manfred, for their help during these years of my graduate school sojourn. I am grateful for the mentorship and gentle guidance of my dissertation director, Fr. Radu Bordeianu. He first introduced me to the writings of Georges Florovsky, and it was in his class that the idea for this dissertation first emerged. Fr. Radu was always prompt in responding to me during the dissertation process, and his comments and edits helped to improve my abilities as a writer. I look forward to further collaboration with him in future years. vii I would also like to thank the other members of my dissertation committee—Dr. George Worgul and Dr. Bogdan Bucur—for reading my dissertation on rather short notice, and for their kind comments during the defense. In addition, I am truly appreciative of the entire theology faculty of Duquesne University, who provided me with a thorough theological education, and an initiation into the academic life. And finally, I would like to thank my good friend, Matthew Baker, for his magnanimity in pointing me toward invaluable resources on Florovsky, and in carefully reading and editing the drafts of my chapters. He was really the fourth member of my dissertation committee. He is one of the greatest scholars I know, and his writings and our conversations remain a consistent source of edification to me. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract .......................................................................................................................... iv Dedication ...................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... x Introduction ................................................................................................................... xii Chapter One: Newman and Florovsky on the Mode and Character of Revelation............. 1 1.1: Newman on the Mode and Character of Revelation ....................................... 2 1.2: Florovsky on the Mode and Character of Revelation ................................... 42 1.3: Dialogue ..................................................................................................... 80 Chapter Two: Newman and Florovsky on Tradition and Doctrinal Development ......... 102 2.1: Newman on Tradition ............................................................................... 103 2.2: Florovsky on Tradition .............................................................................. 144 2.3: Dialogue ................................................................................................... 184 Chapter Three: Newman and Florovsky on the Role of Authority in Doctrinal Development ....................................................................................... 215 3.1: Newman on Doctrinal Development and Authority ................................... 219 3.2: Florovsky on Doctrinal Development and Authority ................................. 254 3.3: Dialogue ................................................................................................... 282 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 302 Selected Bibliography ................................................................................................. 311 ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS WORKS OF NEWMAN I would like to thank the National Institute of Newman Studies for providing online editions of many of Newman‘s writings that I have used in this dissertation on newmanreader.org. Apo. Apologia pro Vita Sua. Edited by Ian Ker. London: Penguin, 1994. Ari. The Arians of the Fourth Century. London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1908. Ath. 1,2 Select Treatises of St. Athanasius. London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1903. Cons. ―On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine.‖ Rambler (July 1859): 198-230. D.A. Discussions and Arguments on Various Subjects. London: Longmans, Green & Co.,