Aidan Nichols

Though I give this book 3 1/2 stars, I do recommend any serious Catholic to read and consider the issues. Those, like myself, who are converts or those, like myself, born after the council, will do well to read and understand the issues facing the council and the consequences of the decisions made.

The dialogue occurs as a series of letters between a SSPX-supporting journalist (traditionalist) who views the council as a rupture with both traditional Catholicism and Sacred Tradition, and a show more priest who recognizes the concerns many have, agrees with some of them, but nonetheless believes the council can be legitimately viewed within the hermeneutic of continuity. The exchanges are respectful and informative.

I am hesitant to give it higher rating for two reasons:

1) Doorly, who takes the traditionalist position, fails to clearly establish her main premise that the council is a rupture. She assumes it throughout, and much of the rest of her arguments rest on this assumption.

2) Fr. Nichols, who takes the official position, is not as direct as I would like to him to be when answering Doorly's questions. I would have like to see some responses include more ancient authorities.

In the end, it was unsatisfying, though indeed edifying. show less

This study contributes to the revival of a more full-blooded Marian teaching and attempts to take the path set by ressourcement theology in recovering the robust voice of witness to Mary. Aidan Nichols, OP, works through the biblical, patristic, and medieval sources and introduces readers to the robust scriptural and theological bases for the Church’s celebration of Mary. He argues for the crucial relevance of Mary in the theological articulation of the gospel, the celebration and practice show more of the liturgy, and the sacramental life of the Church. show less

This nonfiction work by a Catholic priest examines some of the most pressing problems facing the Church in the modern world. From the degradation of the liturgy to the devaluing of human life, Fr. Nichols discusses major cultural developments that are antithetical to a Christian worldview and speculates about how to resolve these problems.

I was privileged to have Fr. Nichols as a professor when he guest-taught a theology course at my college. I have a great respect for his intellect and the show more quality of his scholarship. However, I have to say that this book is extremely dull! The writing style is very dry and obviously geared toward academics rather than ordinary readers. Most of the chapters were not particularly interesting to me; also, because so many topics are addressed, few points are argued in enough detail to be convincing. Overall, I was disappointed in this book, and I find that I don’t have much else to say about it. show less

For anyone interested in Modern Orthodox Theology, this is the best introduction to a large number of important thinkers. For each thinker, Aidan Nichols, a Catholic theologian, gives a brief history, a bibliography, and the main content of their contribution to Orthodox thought. He then critiques it from a Catholic point of view. This last part makes this book a valuable aid to Modern Catholic thought as well. This book should serve as a useful introduction to these Orthodox thinkers. I show more would use it as a companion to Robert Clendenin's Eastern Orthodox Theology (a collection of writings by many of the thinkers chronicled in Aidan's book). Ironically, both of these works (Light from the East and Eastern Orthodox Theology) are written by Westerners. It is a shame that the East has been so slow in illuminating the thought of these contemporary Orthodox thinkers. show less