Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer

<p>The subject of this study is the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer of the Oratory. The basic claim of the thesis is that his doctrine of the Church is central to his theological project, second only to his preponderant gaze upon the mystery of the Trinity. Bouyer's ecclesiological vision is...

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Main Author: Yap, J
Other Authors: Professor John Webster, T
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2003
Subjects:
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author Yap, J
author2 Professor John Webster, T
author_facet Professor John Webster, T
Yap, J
author_sort Yap, J
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description <p>The subject of this study is the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer of the Oratory. The basic claim of the thesis is that his doctrine of the Church is central to his theological project, second only to his preponderant gaze upon the mystery of the Trinity. Bouyer's ecclesiological vision is specifically driven by the twin motifs of 'Word' and 'Wisdom'. The deep dogmatic material that lies at the heart of his doctrine is the Church's dependence on Christ, who is both Word and Wisdom. The Church is <em>creatura verbi divini</em> and equally <em>creatura sapientiae divinae</em>. It is constituted by the divine Word, and destined by the divine Wisdom for glory and union with God. The combination of a salvation-historical and christologically sacramental 'Word-ecclesiology', and a properly trinitarian and eschatologically oriented 'Wisdom-ecclesiology', is what distinguishes Bouyer's doctrine of the Church.</p><p><em>Chapter One</em> sets the stage for Bouyer's Word-based ecclesiology through an exposition of his reinforced understanding of the 'Word of God'. <em>Chapter Two</em> traces the Word's crucial development into the Christian 'mystery', and finds that it is none other than Jesus Christ and his saving cross. In turn, the mystery must be embodied in the liturgy, in which it is perpetually proclaimed by and actualized hi the Church. <em>Chapter Three</em> then presents Bouyer's Word-ecclesiology in a twofold articulation: the 'Church of the Word' and the 'Word in the Church'. <em>Chapter Four</em> recognizes a second mode of ecclesiological reflection in Bouyer through his Wisdom-motif which penetrates and complements the dominant logocentric perspective. <em>Chapter Five</em> finally argues that Bouyer's construal of the Church's principal actions (liturgical celebration, evangelical witness, and the total life of prayer and Christian discipleship) is consistent with his christological and trinitarian horizon, and that these ecclesial actions respond most appropriately to the divine initiative manifested in the Word and Wisdom.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:82c95c9f-26ba-4fb4-89bb-de0ba93f9e102022-03-26T21:39:45ZWord and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis BouyerThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:82c95c9f-26ba-4fb4-89bb-de0ba93f9e1020th centuryHistory of doctrinesChurchCriticism and interpretationEnglishPolonsky Theses Digitisation Project2003Yap, JProfessor John Webster, T<p>The subject of this study is the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer of the Oratory. The basic claim of the thesis is that his doctrine of the Church is central to his theological project, second only to his preponderant gaze upon the mystery of the Trinity. Bouyer's ecclesiological vision is specifically driven by the twin motifs of 'Word' and 'Wisdom'. The deep dogmatic material that lies at the heart of his doctrine is the Church's dependence on Christ, who is both Word and Wisdom. The Church is <em>creatura verbi divini</em> and equally <em>creatura sapientiae divinae</em>. It is constituted by the divine Word, and destined by the divine Wisdom for glory and union with God. The combination of a salvation-historical and christologically sacramental 'Word-ecclesiology', and a properly trinitarian and eschatologically oriented 'Wisdom-ecclesiology', is what distinguishes Bouyer's doctrine of the Church.</p><p><em>Chapter One</em> sets the stage for Bouyer's Word-based ecclesiology through an exposition of his reinforced understanding of the 'Word of God'. <em>Chapter Two</em> traces the Word's crucial development into the Christian 'mystery', and finds that it is none other than Jesus Christ and his saving cross. In turn, the mystery must be embodied in the liturgy, in which it is perpetually proclaimed by and actualized hi the Church. <em>Chapter Three</em> then presents Bouyer's Word-ecclesiology in a twofold articulation: the 'Church of the Word' and the 'Word in the Church'. <em>Chapter Four</em> recognizes a second mode of ecclesiological reflection in Bouyer through his Wisdom-motif which penetrates and complements the dominant logocentric perspective. <em>Chapter Five</em> finally argues that Bouyer's construal of the Church's principal actions (liturgical celebration, evangelical witness, and the total life of prayer and Christian discipleship) is consistent with his christological and trinitarian horizon, and that these ecclesial actions respond most appropriately to the divine initiative manifested in the Word and Wisdom.</p>
spellingShingle 20th century
History of doctrines
Church
Criticism and interpretation
Yap, J
Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title_full Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title_fullStr Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title_full_unstemmed Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title_short Word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of Louis Bouyer
title_sort word and wisdom in the ecclesiology of louis bouyer
topic 20th century
History of doctrines
Church
Criticism and interpretation
work_keys_str_mv AT yapj wordandwisdomintheecclesiologyoflouisbouyer