CONTENTS Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………….. 1 Chapter One: The Trinity and Religious Diversity ……………………………..6 Bernard Lonergan .………………………………………………………….6 Religious Diversity………………………………………………………......12 Systematic Theological Understanding ……………………………………..26 Theological Framework …………………………………………….29 Contributions ………………………………………………………………..33 Parameters of Study ……………………………………………………….. .38 Outline ……………………………………………………………………....40 Chapter Two: Potential and Possibilities ……………………………………….. ..43 Trinitarian Approaches to Religious Diversity ……………………………...44 Gavin D’Costa: The Trinity and the Encounter of Religions .............44 S. Mark Heim: A Trinitarian Theology of Religious Ends..................54 Jacques Dupuis: A Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism……..64 Lonergan and the Meeting of Religions……………………………………..75 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………...89 Chapter Three: Lonergan’s Two Trinitarian Analogies………………………...92 Lonergan’s Early Trinitarian Thought………………………………………94 De Deo Trino: pars systematica……………………………………………..96 Methodological Questions…………………………………………..96 The Basic Problem…………………………………………..............98 Intellectual Emanation………………………………....……............99 The Divine Relations………………………………………..............104 The Divine Persons…………………………………………............ 105 The Divine Missions…………………………………….. ............109 The Later Lonergan’s Trinitarian Thought………………………………… 118 Human Development from Above Downward………………….......119 A New Analogy……………………………………………………..126 The Divine Missions……………………………………..…..…......132 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….147 Chapter Four: Religions………………………………………………………….. 152 Philosophy of Religion: the Question of God, Religious Studies (and Theology)…………………………………...................................................153 Lonergan’s Model of Religion……………………………………………... 163 God’s Love: Gift and Openness……………………………………. 164 The Sufficiency of Grace…………………………………………… 169 Inner and Outer Dimensions………………………………………. 173 Universalist Faith………………………………………………... 179 The Distinctiveness of Christianity………………………………… 181 Lonergan and the Encounter of World Religions………………………….. 184 Robley Edward Whitson…………………………………………… 186 Convergence……………………………………………….. 188 Theology…………………………………………………… 189 History and revelation ……………………………………....191 Friedrich Heiler……………………………………………………. 193 Wilfred Cantwell Smith………………………………………….. 195 Raimundo Panikkar………………………………………………... 199 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………. 203 Chapter Five: The ‘Trinification’ of History…………………………………… 208 God for Us…………………………………………………………………..208 The Divine Missions……………………………………………………….. 214 Uniqueness and Complementarity…………………………………………. 220 Theology of the Holy Spirit………………………………………………... 226 History and Freedom………………………………………………………..231 ‘Trinified’ History…………………………………………………………. 249 Dialogue, Mediation and Otherness………………………………………... 252 Theology and Meaning in an Evolving Church and World………………... 270 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………. 278 Conclusion: Lonergan’s Contributions…………………………………………. 280 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………….....297 THE CONTIBUTIONS OF BERNARD J.F. LONERGAN TO A SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY Doctor of Philosophy in Theology 2008 Faculty of Theology, University of St. Michael‟s College and the Department of Theology, Toronto School of Theology Darren J.E. Dias ABSTRACT This dissertation offers an extended engagement with Bernard J.F. Lonergan‟s trinitarian theology as it pertains to a systematic understanding of religious diversity. Renewed interest in trinitarian doctrine as the central Christian mystery with practical implications for theology and praxis as well as the key reality and concept in a coherent and ordered understanding of the Christian faith connects this doctrine with many areas of theology. In the current context of pluralism as fact, trinitarian theology provides the heuristic and hermeneutic to understand and appropriate the meaning of religious diversity in the life of the Church. This dissertation is a systematic approach to the question of religious diversity. Thus, it presumes and affirms conciliar dogma (the Nicea-Constantinopolitan Creed) and theological doctrines (the psychological analogy for the Trinity). The „unified field structure‟ proposed by Robert M. Doran, which is comprised of Lonergan‟s four-point hypothesis coupled with a theory of history, serves as the theological framework and foundation toward an understanding of religious diversity that is open to and anticipates new developments that are bound to occur through the ongoing conversations between the world‟s religions. 2 I argue that a Lonerganian-trinitarian approach will result in a new set of questions elicited by the context of religious diversity different from the current debates circumscribed by Christocentric, ecclesiological and soteriological concerns. Such an approach will result in a shift in discourse from causality to that of meaning and a concomitant movement from the metaphysical language and categories of a theoretical theology to the language and categories of a methodical theology derived from intentionality analysis. Lonergan‟s trinitarian thought and analysis of human development from above downward that are explored in this dissertation are two significant areas that remain underexploited and which, I believe, have great potential for any theological enterprise. Relevant to this topic is the experience, appropriation and meaning of the religious Other and the difference upon which diversity is predicated. The implications of this study are better described as anticipations and possibilities in future directions that Christian theology and praxis may in positively evaluating religious diversity. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It is a truism that dissertations are never written alone. Thus, I am happy to express my gratitude to those who have contributed to this project. My director Dr. Robert Doran, SJ has been a gentle and patient mentor for this project. His critical comments and editorial insights have pushed this dissertation farther than I ever could have. Moreover, I am indebted to Bob for his profound and singular contributions to the academy in the areas of Lonergan studies, Trinitarian thought, historical theory and methodical theology. Without these contributions such a project would have been unimaginable. I was able to affirm Lonergan‟s analysis of human development from above because of the community of love into which I was lucky enough to be born. From a very early age my mother, Vivien, exposed us to various cultures and religions and taught us to delight in diversity. She also introduced us to the Holy Spirit in prayer. My father, Romero, taught us the value of friendships and the importance of existential freedom. My sister, Daphne, has been my constant and consistent champion, and for that I am very grateful. Thankfully, she and her husband Peter have had enough children to satisfy my mother‟s desire for grandchildren. Zachary, Spencer, Olivia and Banana remind me that there is more to life than academics and that theology has to do with real life. The Canadian Dominican province continues to value intellectual life as part of its mission and ministry making this project the fruit of my assignment to studies in Toronto. The former prior provincial, Denis Dion, OP, took a risk on me and this endeavour in my assignation; I would be remiss not to convey my thanks to him. The Aquinas House 4 community in Toronto welcomed, sustained and trusted me throughout this endeavour. My thanks to the friars: Claude Richard, OP, Philippe LeBlanc, OP, Michel Cote, OP, and Marcos Ramos, OP; a special word of appreciation to Philippe for sharing his editorial skills and keen eye for typos. The community of discourse at the Faculty of Theology of St. Michael‟s College provided the support, encouragement, fellowship, advice, and mentoring opportunities that a doctoral student needs. I would like to express my gratitude to Dean Anne Anderson, CSJ for her many kindnesses to me; and to Dr. John McLaughlin and Dr. Michael Attridge who offered wonderful advice (get it done!) and friendship. I am grateful to Dr. Ellen Leonard, CSJ and Dr. David Whalen, OSFS for their mentorship in teaching and research. More thanks are due to friends and colleagues who have seen me through this process. Stephanie Rutherford, Marilyn Elphick, Andrea DiGiovanni, OP and Mark Yenson, Jennifer and Chris Jacobs-Vandegeer: together we shared many valuable experiences and ideas which enriched my writing as well as our hopes and fears which quelled my nerves. Finally, I would like to mention three people who passed away during my writing of this dissertation whose enthusiastic support remains with me: my confrere, Claude Poirier, O.P.; my uncle Henry DeMello; and my mentor E.J. Demerah, CSsR. The medieval Dominican mystic Meister Eckhart wrote: “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, „thank you,‟ that would suffice.” This is my prayer. 5 CHAPTER ONE: THE TRINITY AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY I believe that we are fast approaching the day when it will not be possible to attempt a Christian systematic theology except in serious conversation with the other great ways. But that conviction needs the further test of an explicitly and lengthy systematic theological work.1 -David Tracy Religious diversity is one of the most pertinent issues facing religions today. How does a religious tradition understand the simultaneous presence of multiple religious traditions and what could this understanding and reality mean?