Intro -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- One: Italy at the Millennium -- Two: Establishing Fundamental Principles -- Three: The Mature Theologian -- Four: Standards for Church Reform -- Five: Renewal of Religious Life -- Six: Reflections on Secular Society -- Concluding Remarks -- Appendixes -- Appendix 1: Subject Index to the Writings of Peter Damian -- Appendix 2: Addresses of the Letters of Peter Damian -- Appendix 3: Subject References and Topics in Peter Damian's Sermon and Letters -- Appendix 4: Biblical Citations in Peter Damian's Letters -- Bibliography -- Index.

Contemporary critics have argued that medieval philosophers have transmitted a concept of divine omnipotence that is unintelligible and self-contradictory: one which defines omnipotence as a power capable of producing any effect whatsoever. This study, concentrating upon the first Latin treatise explicitly devoted to omnipotence, places the concept of divine power in its patristic and early medieval context in order to demonstrate that this "traditional" concept of omnipotence was quite unknown among pre-scholastic figures. This work illuminates the patristic and early medieval background to Damian's seminal text and its theological and philosophical concerns. It explores Damian's central argument that God can, if He wills, even annul the past. This conclusion stems from Damian's insistence that divinity's primary attribute is Goodness and not Being. As such, God's power remains constrained only by divine goodness and is able to do anything whatsoever, even effect a logical contradiction, if it is good to do so.

In this reexamination of what it means to have a tradition, Catholic and otherwise, Mark D. Jordan offers a powerful and provocative study of the sin of erotic love between men. The Invention of Sodomy reveals the theological fabrication of arguments for categorizing genital acts between members of the same sex.

Theology of Creation, volume seven of the Collected Essays of Peter Damian Fehlner,presents Fehlner’s writings on creation, spanning forty years of reflection. Emphasizing the dogmatic, Fehlner presents an accessible, yet rigorous, analysis of the key assumptions, missteps, ambiguities, and plain equivocations that have given rise to so much controversy since the appearance of Darwin’s 1859 On the Origin of Species. Basing himself firmly on theological and metaphysical foundations that must be maintained and clarified in order to provide a coherent and faithfully Catholic account of the origins and purposes of the created order, Fehlner clarifies the concept of creation, addresses the distinction between scientific, theological, and metaphysical taxonomies, and points to the Marian mode of the Incarnation as the key for disentangling valid from invalid or ambiguous conceptions of creation and evolution. Throughout these essays, Fehlner strives to present scientific claims in a clear and concise manner, while adhering closely to the method and metaphysical insights of Augustine, Bonaventure, John Duns Scotus, and Maximilian Kolbe. These essays present a fascinating window into the evolution of the thinking of an outstanding theologian and metaphysician wrestling with profoundly impactful questions, both within and beyond the borders of the church.

The Spirit and the Church celebrates the life and legacy of Peter Damian Fehlner, OFM Conv., who for the past six decades has carried the torch of the Franciscan theological and philosophical vision in the fields of ecclesiology, pneumatology, Mariology, and anthropology. Articles by colleagues, former students, and associates fall into three broad categories, corresponding with several of the main areas in which Fehlner has made a longstanding scholarly contribution: the Church's Magisterium and development of doctrine, anthropology,comma and creation; the relation between Mariology, pneumatology, and ecclesiology; and scholarly seeds planted by Fehlner now being cultivated and harvested by younger scholars. All of the essays in this volume engage with Fehlner, evaluate his contributions, and build upon and expand in new directions the contributions of our honoree. The essays in this volume manifest the contemporary relevance of Fehlner's Franciscan vision in terms of his invitation to renew the theology of the Church in a Marian mode in the light of Vatican II.

An exhaustive guide to every significant Christian theologian who lived from the first century to 1308, the year in which John Duns Scotus died. The dictionary encompasses the Catholic, Orthodox, Nestorian and Monophysite traditions, including information not previously available in English. Thoroughly indexed, the dictionary incorporates common variants of names and concepts which will help and direct the reader. The main criterion for inclusion has been contribution to the development of Christian theology. Sub-criteria by which that is measured include, above all, originality and influence on later figures. With over 290 entries, the dictionary provides a handy summary of theologiansi lives and writings together with recent scholarship,as well as an up-to-date, definitive bibliography listing primary texts, translations and secondary literature in the major western European languages. Useful for all levels of academia; no other text matches the depth of the dictionaryis bibliographies. The unprecedented thoroughness of Hill's compilation provides an essential resource for studies at all levels on such a large and varied range of Church thinkers.

In recent years numerous scholars in disciplines not traditionally associated with theology have promoted an interesting thesis. They maintain that one particular Christian doctrine, the Incarnation, had an inordinate influence on the shape of Western culture. The doctrine, they say, was so radical that it mandated an epistemological break with pagan society's perception of the universe and forced Christians to form a new culture. As medieval society worked out the consequences of the doctrine, it gave birth to those attitudes, institutions, and actions that define modern Western culture. The claims are well argued, but it is a historically untested thesis. How the Doctrine of Incarnation Shaped Western Culture is a response to the situation. It investigates whether the presence of the doctrine had the definitive effect on Western culture that so many scholars claim it did. It searches early Christian and medieval sources for evidence and concludes that the doctrine had a dominant effect on the developing culture. No other idea was as omnipresent or pervasive in Western society during its formative stage as the Incarnation doctrine. The doctrine was influential in the establishment of every major facet of Western culture. Its paradox, irrationality, and juxtaposition of opposites created a tension that cried out for resolution, and society responded accordingly. The ideas within the doctrine acted as catalysts for cultural change. As a result, the West developed its most characteristic traits and forged a path that was uniquely its own.

Substantially revised and expanded, this is a new edition of a core text for undergraduates, students, and all those interested in philosophy and religion.

In Bounded Wilderness, Kathryn Jasper focuses on the innovations undertaken at the hermitage of Fonte Avellana in central Italy during the eleventh century by its prior, Peter Damian (d. 1072). The congregation of Fonte Avellana experimented with reforming practices that led to new ways of managing property and relations among clergy, nobles, and the laity. Jasper charts how Damian's notion of monastic reform took advantage of the surrounding topography and geography to amplify the sensory aspects of ascetic experiences. By focusing on monastic landscapes and land ownership, Jasper demonstrates that reform extended beyond abstract ideas. Rather, reform circulated locally through monastic networks and addressed practical concerns such as property boundaries and rights over water, orchards, pastures, and mills. Putting new sources, both documentary and archaeological, into conversation with monastic charters and Damian's letters, Bounded Wilderness reveals the interrelationship of economic practices, religious traditions, and the natural environment in the idea and implementation of reform.