Giles Hibbert O.P. examines the Hebrew words behind the well known text “Fill the Earth and subdue it, and have dominion over all the ...” (Gen. 1:28) They are taken carefully in both their textual and historical context. He concludes that the best actual translation of  “have dominion over ...” or “be masters of ...” really is “be responsible for ...”.  

Town versus Country in England

In this booklet, Country Matters, Sue Dowell clearly delineates the current tensions and pseudo-tensions between ‘town’ and ‘country’ in the UK and examines them both from a sociological/political point of view, and from a theological one – indicating the way that Christians should commit themselves in this situation.

[This is available as a booklet published by the Jubilee Group, 48 Northampton Rd, Croydon CR0 7HT, UK, price £2.00 or from Blackfriars Publications. ]     

Intersexuality & Scripture

In a most interesting, and somewhat startling, article, Sally Gross offers texts from the Bible and from the Rabbinic commentaries showing that in the sources of our religious faith there is by no means an unqualified ignorance of this condition. This could be of considerable help to intersexed people, those related to them, and to those experiencing problems and tensions (even ostracism) arising from gender-variance. At the same time it should challenges some of our unwarrented assumptions (and theological conclusions) about sex and sexuality and add to our understanding of this whole area – something which is very seriously lacking at present.  

Adult Christianity

We continue with a piece by Fabian Radcliffe O.P. on the need for treating the faithful as adults, which first appeared in Priests & People.  

Third World Debt

Professor Adrian Hastings’ short, but enormously important, article on the actual possibilities of cancelling Third World Debt, first published in New Blackfriars.  

Against the Law

Here, by contrast, we have a ‘Book’ which is not too short for publication in our usual format, but too long! It is at the same time too short for standard book publishing – this makes it an excellent candidate for appearing here. The author, Jordan Bishop (one-time member of the St Albert’s Province of the Dominican Order and now living in Ottawa) is concerned with what we have lost or gained through the passage of history, the enlightenment, the development of legalism and the rule of ‘logic’, with regard to the understanding of human acts.  

Priests – What are they?

And then some recent thoughts – or perhaps a ‘meditation’ – on the nature of the priesthood by Giles Hibbert O.P.  

“One Bread, One Body” – A Response

The recent norms issued by the Hierarchy of England and Wales concerning intercommunion between Catholics and other denominations have been the cause of considerable distress – even amazement. Their unconsultative nature, their lack of coherent logic and their dubious theology, have all contributed to a cry of outrage. Our contribution to the on-going discussion – for surely the matter cannot be left there – comes from the well known progressive ‘grass-roots’ theologian Owen Hardwicke.  

Two Ways of Human Understanding – Knowing and Feeling

Robert Buckenmeyer, from California, offers us a meditation on the Tao. He gives a clear (too clear perhaps?) picture of yin and yang which helps to depict the fragility of western (occidental) thought and its search for ‘Lady Wisdom’. (See also “A Philosopher’s Way – The Teacher” available as a booklet.)  

Jesus’ Surname

It is traditional – especially amongst Catholics – to refer to Jesus of Nazareth simply as ‘Christ’ (or just as frequently perhaps: ‘Our Lord’.) Despite the apparent dependence of this usage upon Scripture, Giles Hibbert O.P. queries it, maintaining that it shows a weakness in our appreciation of the Incarnation, in both our prayer life and in our theology. He goes on to argue that despite the absence of a definite article in the actual Greek the correct translation of Iesous Christos () might well be Jesus the Christ, rather than simply Jesus Christ – which is what seems to us to give him a surname (as well as a ‘Christian’(!) name.)  

Ethics, Morals & a Liberal Education

Dr Buckenmeyer, from his considerable experience of teaching philosophy, offers us further thoughts on the interrelation of ethics and morals. He uses the film (American ‘movie’) “Word of Honor” to illustrate and help analyse his arguments – which, unsurprisingly, go back to Socrates and Confucius.

Gay Marriage?

This is the text of a talk given by Peter Norman at a conference entitled “Same-Sex Partnerships: Wedding Rights to Marriage in Europe”, organized in April 2002 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by Amy Elman, Associate Professor of Political Science and Women’s Studies at Kalamazoo College. Participants were invited to “explore the costs and benefits of extending (civil) rights through marital (or civil) status” and to “consider whether this tactical frame of domesticity is a vibrant alternative that counters or codifies heterosexism.” His particular brief was to contrast some of the radical gay liberationist ideas of the 1970s with, among other things, the pro-marriage tactics currently being deployed by the mainstream LGBT movement, for an audience the majority of which had not yet been born at the time of those earlier discussions. It is hoped that that may explain the otherwise, perhaps, curious mixture of personal reminiscence, polemic and history lesson which this contribution contains.

D E A D L I E R   T H A N   E V E R !

There are at the moment, and likely to be for the immediately forseeable future, only three of the “Seven” presented here. These come from a series of lectures given at Blackfriars, Cambridge (U.K.) during Lent in 1999. Edmund Hill O.P., Christine Fletcher and John Casey present entertaining, as well as learned and enlightening perspectives on the sins, or be they virtues(?), of  Pride,  Sloth and Gluttony.   Read on.

The Service of the Poor

Albert Nolan, once elected Master General of the Dominican Order, preferred to stay working amongst the poor in South Africa rather than take up that office. What we present here was written some years ago but is as vital as ever. Albert compares understanding of, and commitment to, the poor with the traditional steps in Christian Spiritual Growth. He throws a considerable light on the path that Christians have to take to genuinely work for God’s Justice.

[Although we have tried to contact Albert Nolan we have failed and have as a result not obtained his permission to re-present this article in this form. We have presumed it. If he never finds out, no matter! If he does, I hope he will happily surrender his copyright towards our mutual aim in a true brotherly spirit.]   

The Concept of the Father God

Edmund Hill O.P. examines the Hebrew words Elohim, Adonai and Abba, and argues that the concept of the ‘Father God’ is not a biblical one, but a more recent historical development, brought to light and given prominence by the current feminist movement – it is to be found nowhere in the Bible.” The author demonstrates this thesis through a careful examination of these words.  

The Papacy through the Ages

Giles Hibbert O.P. and Edmund Hill O.P. together present a simple (but not, it is hoped, over-simplified) picture of the development of Papacy and its significance on the World stage. Edmund presents the earlier period, from ‘Peter’ through to the Reformation. Then Giles takes it up and carries it through the turbulent period – both theologically and politically – particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, to the present day.

The Garden of Eden

Assunta Kirwan O.P. is presented here, not so much as a scholar (which she was) but as a skilled populariser. She is presenting the work of such scholars as James Barr and Anthony York in their investigations into the story of the Garden of Eden. The conclusions, often quite foreign to our traditional thinking and assumptions, come as a very valuable surprise and give us serious matter for thought with regard to the purpose of life, and of death.  

The Beatitudes – Spirituality or Political Programme?

The biblical concept of justice is central to the formation of the People of God; it is at the heart of the idea of “the Kingdom”. The role of the Messiah is to bring justice, peace and love, to God’s People; to bring the outsider in, to proclaim the Good News to the weak, the oppressed, the dispossessed – to tell them that they are God’s heirs.

The Beatitudes in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, far from being a message of pie-in-the-sky for the would-be ‘holy’, are a call for us, his disciples, to take part in the messianic work – to work for the “Kingdom”, the “Day of Yahweh”, here and now.

This study of Matthew’s famous account of Jesus’s teaching, given us here by Giles Hibbert O.P., can be seen as a piece of scholarly, but for all that not abstract, liberation theology.  

The Church in Ecumenical Perspective

Cecily Boulding O.P. presents very clearly the parameters of present day ecumenism. She clarifies and discusses critical areas in which there are normally found to be different theologies between the Churches: The Church as Mystery; The Church as People; The Church as Sacrament; The Church as Catholic and Apostolic and the Church as Holy.  

One God or Many? – Reflections on the Trinity

Are we really monotheists, or are the Moslems and the Jews not at least partially right when they accuse us of betraying this great principle? Giles Hibbert O.P. examines the possibility that much of our practical Christian belief is tritheistic rather than monotheistic. The reasons for this having become a possibility are examined and then brought to bear not only on our own faith but upon how this might affect our relations to Jews and Moslems.  

The Lamb – The Eucharist as Proclamation of the Gospel

Giles Hibbert O.P. addressed this talk originally to the Newman Association in Manchester, but the ideas on the Eucharist expressed here derive to a considerable extent from conversations and discussion with his colleague, the Methodist Chaplian at York University: Jim Jones – to whom he dedicates this opusculum.  

Jubilee

By examining the problems and complexities involved in translating the original Hebrew of the Old Testament first into Greek (the Septuagint) and then Latin (Jerome’s Vulgate), and finally into modern languages, Giles Hibbert shows us how seriously our understanding of the word Jubilee has been distorted. He shows us how, in its original context, the meaning of Jubilee should be understood as a cry for action – which of course, in the Biblical context, means justice, – a cry for justice for the poor and the oppressed.