The Theology of Robert Barron

by Matthew Levering

In T he Theology of Robert Barron , Matthew Levering explores the key themes and sources of Bishop Robert Barron’s theological vision, tracing the development of his thought from his years as a student in the 1970s and 80s to the present. Levering surveys Barron’s theology by studying his critical engagements with a cast of thinkers from his formative period, including Andrew Greeley, Michel Corbin, Raymond Brown, Edward Schillebeeckx, John P. Meier, George Lindbeck, Alasdair MacIntyre, Stanley Hauerwas, and Richard Rohr. Levering shows how Barron appropriated, elaborated, and critiqued the thought of these interlocutors to develop a powerful and nuanced theology of his own.
At the center of Barron’s theological vision is the non-competitive Creator God, who radically transcends the order of finite beings while sustaining all things by his power and presence. Because God does not “compete” ontologically with his creatures, he is able to come so near as to become one of us without ceasing to be himself. We encounter Christ as the central character of the drama that unfolds in Sacred Scripture. Barron emphasizes that Christianity is an embodied, communal way of being. To become a Christian is to enter into a distinctive cultural milieu, venerate its saints, adopt its sensibility, and embrace its practices.
Levering shows how Barron integrates these speculative, moral, and spiritual dimensions into a theological picture that, although deeply and distinctly Catholic, is also oriented to the world outside the Church and to evangelism.

Genres: Theology, History, Religion, Biography, Philosophy, Catholic, Christianity

344 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2013

About the author

Matthew Levering (PhD, Boston College) is professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Ezra & Nehemiah in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. He is also coauthor of Holy People, Holy Land and Knowing the Love of Christ.

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful introduction to Augustine's key works and his thoughts. Gave me a better handle on his overall work as a theologian. Very helpful. A few niggles with A's personal theology but overall I am very thankful for his work. City of God, Confessions, and his work on Predestination are important for all Christians to know. Key quotes from the book:

Levering:
"Even our delight in the beloved cannot be our goal. If we focus on *our* delight, we will lose the beloved." -pg. 7

"Chaste fear desires never to lose the presence of God. Perfect charity and chaste fear go together, since perfect charity desires always to possess the Lord...The person with chaste fear awaits with longing the arrival of God's kingdom." -pg. 65

"Lacking real compassion and charity for others, [Augustine] would take pleasure in weeping and rejoicing with the fictional characters on the stage. His love was not real." -pg. 94

Augustine:
God is "good without quality, great without quantity, creative without need or necessity, presiding without position, holding all things together without possession, wholly everywhere without place, everlasting without time, without any change in himself making changeable things, and undergoing nothing." -pg. 162, from On the Trinity

[raysilverwoman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concise overviews of some incredibly long material, especially for those who don’t understand Augustine’s method of biblical interpretation. Was particularly impressed with how he managed to condense “The City of God” into just a few dozen pages.

[H.E. Regis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a goodreads giveaway and I am so glad that I did. The book was well written and very insightful. It is definitely a book I would suggest to anyone looking to introduce themselves to the works of Augustine. The author did a wonderful job in presenting the works in a way that was easy to read and understand.

[Shaun Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book consists mostly of summaries of some of Augustine's most important works, but it also includes some gems from Levering in his comments on these texts, and the footnotes include great recommendations of secondary sources. A very enjoyable book.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this as a GoodReads giveaway. Well put together explanation of the writings of Augustine. Plenty of biographical information to help the reader put together what was going on in Augustine's life the that he was writing. Very well footnoted. Worth reading if you're into Christian theology.

[Dan Griswold · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't have time to dive into Augustine, this is a semi-satisfying substitute.

[John Teske · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing compendium of Augustine and several of his notable works.

I have read Confessions I think 4 times at this point, and this summary was a whole new take on that.

Certainly this book moves from the easier material to the very dense "on The Trinity" which, at least in the summary given, is most profound and moving.

I plan to reread this.

I think this goes to show that I am not cut out for reading all of Augustine, and certainly not for understanding all of it, but nevertheless remain quite a fan of his Theology and ideologies.

Amen. A great book. I would recommend it to a friend. In fact, I think I will do just that right now.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn’t recommend this work if you are already familiar with the particular works of Augustine discussed therein. The chapters I enjoyed most were the few concerning works of Augustine I had not read. If you are unfamiliar with the Bishop of Hippo and are looking for a summary so as to help make your way through Augustine’s writings, this may be beneficial. If you have read Augustine and are looking for further analysis and interaction with his thoughts I'd look elsewhere.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice overview of the seven major works of Augustine. The whole thing was very helpful except perhaps the last chapter on the Trinity. Maybe the author was unclear, or maybe Augustine was just all over the map with his speculations on the Trinity.

[Matt Moser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a helpful and original introduction to Augustine through 7 key works that get at the saint's biblical hermeneutic, doctrine of Scripture, grace, predestination, and salvation. Though occasionally over-determined by Levering's systematic interests (participation, analogy, ressourcement), the book will serve well undergrads and new readers of Augustine. The greatest asset of the book is its extensive bibliography, especially of scholarship in English. Levering is a masterful compiler of the research and digests this material into succinct, clear, and illuminating prose.

[Jörgen Vijgen]

Excellent!

[David Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

my review of this book will be posted on my blog. All in all, it was a really good introduction to the primary works of Augustine.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has inspired me. I want to read more about St. Augustine.

[Andrew McNeely · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no better place to start if you are planning on studying Augustine - the footnotes alone are worth the price.