God Still Matters

by Herbert McCabe, Brian Davies (Editor)

Herbert McCabe, who died in 2001, was one of the most intelligent Roman Catholic thinkers of the twentieth century. An influence on philosophers such as Anthony Kenny and Alasdair MacIntyre he was also befriended by poets and literary critics such as Seamus Heaney and Terry Eagleton. Equally at home in philosophy and theology, he despised jargon and intellectual posturing as a substitute for reason and argument. At the time of his death, he left a wealth of unpublished material- so outstanding in its quality and originality that it is surprising that it was never published in book form. This is now put to rights. In God Still Matters we have the chance to read McCabe on the topics that interested him most - philosophy of God, Christology, Fundamental theology, Sacramental theology and ethics. No-one who reads this volume will doubt that McCabe was one of the outstanding Christian thinkers of his generation and the epitome of Dominican intellectual openness and rigour.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Catholic

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

Herbert McCabe was a much loved member of the English Province of the Dominican Order of Preachers. He was born on the 2nd August 1928 and studied chemistry and philosophy before joining the Dominicans in 1949.

“Faith seeking understanding” guided him through his life’s vocation - the study and teaching of the writings of St Thomas Aquinas. His work as a student chaplain led to the publication of The New Creation (1964) and Law, Love and Language (1968). Social radicalism and profound orthodoxy met and matched in Herbert’s thinking and preaching.

He was editor of New Blackfriars from 1964. Controversy attended these years in his life and ministry, and after some time in Ireland he taught in Oxford in the mid 1970s. “He had an unrivalled clarity of utterance, and in his hands Thomas became a vivid living voice...” (Eamon Duffy, The Tablet, 7 July 2001).
He regarded as his finest work the booklet The Teaching of the Catholic Church which was a catechism rooted in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council commissioned by the then Archbishop of Birmingham.

A loyal friend, fierce critic of woolly thinking and passionate advocate of social justice, he was made a Master of Sacred Theology by the Dominican order in 1989. He died on the 28th of June 2001.

Reviews

[Craig Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, I've only read a few of the essays in this book, and a couple of sermons. Of what I have read, "Original Sin" is probably the most brilliant. McCabe writes in a very informal and witty style and yet accomplishes quite a bit theologically. He writes in such a way that only after you have finished it do you realize that he made some fascinating claims, while reading his skill as a write just keeps things clipping along.

I wrote 3 papers this semester based on this book.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not surprisingly a lot of the same themes from God Mattters show up here as well, though some are taken in new and interesting ways. Well worth reading in its own right.

[Alexander Pyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer to McCabe's style. He is the perfect balance of cutting prose and mystical insight.

This will not be my last book by him.

[Ash F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Repetitive and reads like the collection of unpublished notes that it is. Still can’t give it less than four because McCabe rules. Agree with another reviewer: Original Sin is the peak here.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

McCabe tossed out a few too many political asides that needed supporting arguments. I often agree with them, but I'd be more interested in his reasons.

More important, the paperback is in painfully small (8 point) type without extra leading to compensate.

I recommend reading this book *after* everything else McCabe and Brian Davies have published. By then, maybe Kindle will offer the newfangled version of a large (i.e., normal) print edition.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some deeply philosophical chapters, but it also has some fabulous theological ideas about the Trinity, God, original sin, and predestination. For the deep thinking that McCabe's writing helps to create, the book is well worth the time.