Thursday, December 10, 2009

Archbishop Agostino Marchetto on the Hermeneutic Applied to the Second Vatican Council: An Update on the Much Anticipated English Translation

When I think of forthcoming book releases, two in particular jump out at me, but the one which I wish to speak on today -- one which I am personally very interested in reading -- is the English translation of Archbishop Agostino Marchetto's book, The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council: A Counterpoint for the History of the Council.

In his book, Marchetto critiques the so-called "Bologna School" which he says has done well in "monopolizing and imposing one interpretation" of the Second Vatican Council, presenting it as a kind of "Copernican revolution, the passing to... another Catholicism". He further critiques their interpretation of the Council as an event or "spirit", rather than looking at the Council through the lens of its actual documents. It is within this historical context that Marchetto argues for the hermeneutic of continuity, or reform in continuity, and against the hermeneutic of rupture.

(For those who would like to read some of Archbishop Marchetto in his own words, may I point you to the following piece: A Timely Re-Read on a Critique of a Particular, and Popular, Hermeneutic of Vatican II)

I spoke with the publisher in order to get an update for our readers on the present status of this forthcoming release. It sounds as though things are moving along well at this point and they expect a general public release this February.

The book is 705 pages and will be priced at $40.00 USD.

The NLM will keep you informed.

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