An educational initiative has recently begun that I am very excited about. I think it will be a wonderful resource for my own work and for inquiring minds in general. It is a web-based, open-access Encyclopedia of Catholic Theology.
The leadership is impressive. Gideon Barr serves as the executive director. Other principal figures are Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, OP (General Editor), Dr. Matthew Minerd (Managing Editor), and Fr. David Paternostro, SJ (Reviews Editor). The executive editorial board consists of Fr. Aaron Pidel, SJ, Dr. Gerald Boersma, Dr. Ryan Connors, and Dr. Anthony Giambrone. The board of advisors is long and distinguished, involving scholars and bishops alike.
The stated mission is: “To make the best resources for theological education accessible to all the members of the global Catholic Church.” The enterprise is also committed to theological orthodoxy. Its editorial policy reads: “The ECT adheres to (1) the presentation of faith and morals summarized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . and (2) the program of initial priestly formation delineated in the ‘new ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis’ (‘The Gift of the Priestly Vocation’) published in 2016 by the Dicastery for Clergy.” The intended audience is, primarily, those in seminary formation, but it is also intended for priests, catechists, and the laity.
This new initiative is in its infancy. It only has two articles published so far: “Catholic Theology: An Introduction” and “Dogmatic Development.” What it (currently) lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The articles are excellent, faithful, and follow proper theological methodology. If these first two inaugural entries are any indication, the project promises to be a positive force and valuable resource for any and all interested in learning more about Catholic theology.
The first article listed above, written by Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, OP, gives an overview of the nature, purpose, subdivisions, and methods of theological science. The second article, by Dr. Matthew Minerd, offers a detailed yet accessible explanation of how dogma develops over time in an authentic way that maintains the purity of the truth of the faith. Dogmatic development is a very important topic and one that can be hard for people to understand properly.
In addition to these first two articles, there is a list of over ninety forthcoming articles. Reading through the list, I am impressed with the talent they have acquired to write the entries as well as with the topics to be included. Word on Fire’s Dr. Christopher Kazcor and I are among the future authors listed. It was with great personal joy that I recognized many of the names, including people I have conversed with in person, corresponded with via email, and/or whose prior work I have had the pleasure of reading in my own study.
One noteworthy characteristic of the list of authors is the complementarity in their areas of expertise and backgrounds. It includes Thomist and Bonaventurian scholars alongside Communio-minded theologians. There are authors from Eastern Catholic Churches such as the Byzantine (Ruthenian)1 and Melkite Churches. Professed religious from the Dominican, Franciscan, Benedictine, Jesuit, and Carmelite Orders are among the authors. While the Encyclopedia is an English-language publication, there are authors who come from, live in, and/or work in places around the globe, including England, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Norway, Romania, and Spain.
As to be expected, the planned articles cover a wide range of theological topics. There are articles concerned with standard subjects within fundamental and dogmatic theology, like theological sources, Trinitarian theology, Christology, and ecclesiology. Additional works treat moral, political, spiritual, biblical, and liturgical theology. There are also articles dealing with culturally relevant (and controversial) topics, such as technology, evolution, and gender. Given the close connection between faith and reason in Catholic theology, it is fitting that there are several articles covering important philosophical topics, like the philosophy of nature, epistemology, metaphysics, and many more. The website also has a page dedicated to book reviews.
This new enterprise has also embraced new media. It has a YouTube channel, where it discusses many interesting topics, including interviews with article authors about their work. Some of the videos are short, offering succinct nuggets of knowledge and wisdom. Other videos are long form, allowing for extensive conversation on a given topic. I have already watched many of them myself, and I vouch for their quality.
I look forward to the future articles, videos, and book reviews. I encourage people to check out this new resource. I know that I will be frequenting the website for my own research and continuing education.
1 Terminology regarding the Eastern Catholic Churches can be confusing. The Byzantine Rite is used by fourteen different sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, one of which is the Ruthenian Catholic Church. In America, the Ruthenian Church is often simply called the Byzantine Catholic Church. The Melkite Church also uses the Byzantine Rite.