So what's wrong with modern exegesis anyway?

For much of the last two centuries, Catholic scholars have been determined to adopt approaches to biblical exegesis developed by Protestant scholars.  At first, most were prevented from doing so due to the vigorous efforts of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century Popes concerned with the destructive effects of modernism.  All of that changed when the spirit of Vatican II was allowed to run unfettered.

Increasingly though, this consensus is being challenged.  Pope Benedict XVI's book Jesus of Nazareth Volume 1 contained an extended critique of the historico-critical method, and this was followed up by his Post-Synodal exhortation Verbum Domini.  And other academic theologians are picking up the gauntlet the Pope has thrown down.

Fr Aidan Nichols

Last last year Fr Aidan Nichols OP published a very useful book called Criticising the Critics Catholic Apologias for Today.

Criticising the Critics is a much needed attempt to put together a response to the most dangerous outright heresies, and some of the more problematic directions in the modern Church. One of the particular joys of Nichols' approach is that he doesn't limit himself to outright heresies, but also tackles some of the problematic directions that have led to the predominance of what one might call "Catholic-lite".

His chapter directed at academic exegetes usefully draws together some key points of the emerging critique of the historical-critical method. First Nichols points to the rationalism and historicism inherent in the method that have essentially rendered academic exegesis “existentially irrelevant”. Then he draws on recent critiques that seek a return to the idea that one must read scripture ‘not in splendid isolation but as a disciple in the company of saints’.

Certainly anyone who has suffered through academic Scriptural studies with its tedious preoccupation with questions of authorship, dating, the path of development of the text, and other philological questions will enjoy his citation of Bockmuehl’s view that the reductionism inherent in this method is akin to ‘restricting the study of a Stradavari to the alpine softwood industry of Trentino’.

This book is well-worth buying, and provides a helpful bibliography for those interested in further reading on this subject.

And on the net...

Some other recent articles and materials of interest available online of note include:

• a talk by Fr Marcus Holden on the problems with form criticism, and Pope Benedict's revolutionary agenda, given at the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy July 2011 conference;
• Rev John Hunwicke on text criticism and Anglican humour, citing Fr Ronald Knox's parody on the identity of pseudo-Bunyan' (about half way through the talk), speaking at the Anglicanorum Coetibus Conference in Texas, July 2011 (and do read through the archives of Fr Hunwicke's Liturgical Notes blog for many useful gems);
• the recent New Theological Movement blog post on St Mary Magdalene (and many other excellent articles over there).