Presents points of view on the sensus fidelium from a wide range of theologians and pastors and makes an outstanding contribution by widening its application to ethical and not only doctrinal issues.

This volume surveys the various theological approaches that Christian denominations bring to the issue of religious pluralism. Writers from eleven Christian traditions discuss the challenges and possibilities raised by religious pluralism.

Except for some excellent studies on the notion of koinonia, few works have been devoted to a revival of the entire vision of the Church around communion, a vision of ecclesiology which is rooted in the solidarity that finds its locus in Jesus Christ. Church of Churches, the fruit of several years of research, teaching, and ecumenical involvement, is intended to overcome this lack. It is not an exhaustive study but rather a point of departure for discussing how the vision of the ecclesiology of communion - the most difficult question of the ecumenical debate - can break down the barrier of misunderstanding, suspicions, and claims in which the diverse ecclesial traditions are locked.

Michael Lawler sets out a new approach for theology which must, he says, be historical, empirical, and in interdisciplinary collaboration with the social sciences. He explores the relationship between practical theology (which is concerned with the church as it is and as it ought to be) and sociology, using as example two Catholic moral doctrines: artificial contraception and divorce and remarriage without prior annulment. In addition to being a useful primer on the relationship between theology and sociology (both theoretical and empirical), the book provides a wonderfully clear description of the sea-changes that have occurred in Roman Catholic theology worldwide over the past 70 or so years.

Table of Contents SIntroduction: Vocation, Friendship, and the Catholic Moral Tradition Alessandro Rovati and Matthew Philipp Whelan “A Shadowy Sort of Right”: The Ius Necessitatis and Catholic Moral Theology Matthew Philipp Whelan Nurturing Masculinities: Constructing New Narratives of Fatherhood Jacob Kohlhaas Theologies of Labor and the Limits of Capital Nicholas Norman-Krause Sensus Fideli—Whom? Retrieving Insights from Johann Adam Möhler Gina Maria Noia Virtue as Birth Control: An Examination of the Account of Rational Participation as a Component of Natural Law in Humanae Vitae and the Documents of the Papal Commission Arielle Harms Catholic Social Teaching, Liberalism, and Economic Justice Jason A. Heron and Bharat Ranganathan A Good Moral Teacher Must Be a Good Pre-Moral Teacher: On the Pedagogical Limits of US Constitutional Law Jason Menno The Healing Power of the Body of Christ: An Ecclesial and Neurological Argument for Social Connection Despite Social Distancing Christopher Krall, SJ Looking for Good Work: From Matthew Crawford to Pope Francis via Wittgenstein Mark R. Ryan

For more than fifty years, Fr. Matthew L. Lamb has been one of the major figures in American Catholic theology through his writing, teaching, and involvement in scholarly societies. Over a decade ago, Fr. Lamb moved from the Department of Theology at Boston College to develop the graduate programs in theology at Ave Maria University in response to what he identified as the widespread decline in theological education. Twelve years into their operation, the graduate programs in theology have begun to produce junior scholars who have attained appointments in universities and seminaries across the United States. In Wisdom and the Renewal of Catholic Theology, Thomas P. Harmon and Roger W. Nutt have brought together some of this first generation of Ave Maria graduates to produce a collection of essays to honor their teacher and the architect of their theological education.