Textus Breviores Theologiam et Historiam Spectantes by Collezione della Pontificia Accademia Teologica Romana

Abstract

BOOK REVIEWS 177 can the various positions; indeed, the theologian not thoroughly familiar with his own tradition sheds little light on an ecumenical stage. The temptation is to nod graciously in the direction of whatever sounds nice; this makes for pleasant tea but aimless theology. Even those whose discussion is quite intramural, within an increasingly pluralistic Roman Catholicism, often fail to understand the depth and sophistication of other points of view. Ramirez':; work should contribute to a better understanding of a not uninfluential strain of thought in the Roman Catholic tradition; dialogue with the pressing questions of today will be profitable to the extent that at least a few of the participants are familiar with the theological school which Ramirez has served so well. Dominican House of Studies Washington, D. C. WILLIAM J. FINAN, 0. P. Textus Breviores Theologiam et Historiam Spectantes. Collezione della Pontificia Accademia Teologica Romana. Liberia Editrice Vaticana. (1) Ba:rtolomeo Carranza, 0. P., Arcivescovo di Toledo (t 1576) De Mysticis Nuptiis Verbi Divini cum Ecclesia et Animabus Iustorum. By ANTONIO PIOLANTI. Pp. 55. L. 400 (2) Agostino Favaroni da Roma, 0. S. A., Arcivescovo di Nazaret (t 1443) De Sacramento Unitatis Christi et Ecclesiae sive de Christo Integro. By ANTONIO PIOLANTI. Pp. 77. L. 700 (3) Guglilemo Amidani da Cremona, 0. S. A. Vescovo di Novara (t 1366) De Primatu Petri et de Origine Potestatis Episcoporum . By ANTONIO PIOLANTI. Pp. 52. L. 500 (4) Domenico de' Domenichi, Vescovo di Brescia (t 1488) Oratio in laudem Beatissimae Caterinae de Senis. By ANTONIO PIOLANTI. Pp. 38. L. 400 (I) Bartolomeo was one of the Imperial theologians of Charles V at the Council of Trent, a contemporary of the great Vitoria and of Melchior Cano of the school of Salamanca. This is one of his unpublished works. It aims at harmonizing the community aspects of the marriage of God's Word with his Church and the more personal aspect of the marriage, so dear to St. Bernard. This suited the trend of piety fostered by the reform of Trent. Shortly after becoming the Archbishop of Toledo the author passed through a cloud of suspicion because of his commentary on the Christian Catechism. He was imprisoned by the Inquisition, but his cause was vindicated by Pope St. Pius V, during whose pontificate his work on the 178 BOOK REVIEWS mystical marriage was written. This more than guarantees his orthodoxy, and although it is not remarkable for originality, it succeeds in systematizing a treatise that was vaguely mystical, and it gathers together the scattered sources on the subject, biblical, patristic, and theological. (!i~) The editor of these texts presents the second fruit of his painstaking research in the hope that it will help students to understand neglected periods and personalities in the history of theology. The author of this work in mystical ecclesiology was born at Rome in 1360 and died in Prato in 1443. He was for two terms the Prior General of the Augustinians. Nominated Archbishop of Nazareth in Italy he participated in the Council of Basle, which at its QQnd session condemned a number of statements contained in his works, especially his lectures on the Apocalypse. Although he commented on the philosophy of Aristotle, he took little notice of St. Thomas, while attempting to give new and original answers to questions already profoundly examined by him. This was due to his critical reaction to the decadent scholasticism of his own time. But his errors began from this arrogant originality. This work on the unity of the Church was written to solve problems arising from the great schism of the West. (3) Msgr. Piolanti gives another reason for publishing this series of textus breviores which is applicable to this fourteenth-century study of the relations between popes and bishops: this question received new attention during and since the Second Vatican Council. The editor regrets the haste with which articles were written and, in the light of this and other neglected sources, sees the need for revising inaccurate statements bearing on the history of the theology of this question. To help scholars, the general editor of these texts has published this work of Guglielmo Amidani, who was for sixteen years...