The Priority of Christ

By displaying how an imaginative human spirit can be illuminated by the manifold sense of Scripture, as well as activating tradition to dissolve lingering philosophical distractions, this stunning summa for a ‘postliberal Catholicism’ will at once subvert any tendency among the faithful to demand a facile ‘fix’ as well as offer lucid direction for anyone daring to undertake a pilgrimage of understanding—in and with the Christ.

—David B. Burrell, Hesburgh Chair of Theology and Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

It is crucial for Christians to apprehend the implications of Robert Barron’s trenchant thesis: ‘Modernity and decadent Christianity are enemies in one sense, but in another sense, they are deeply connected to one another and mirror one another.’ Moving beyond the ‘decadent Christianity’ that mistakenly sought its very starting points in the epistemological and metaphysical dead ends characteristic of ‘modernity,’ Barron expertly weaves together Thomistic and Balthasarian motifs into a robust short summa that treats Jesus Christ, God the Trinity, the created order, and Christian ethics. Readers seeking spiritual and intellectual renewal will be revitalized by this much-needed book, which overflows with love of God and his path of salvation.

—Matthew Levering, professor of religious studies, University of Dayton

Catholic theology stands at a foundational moment, and in this extended meditation on the figure of Christ Robert Barron boldly argues for a Catholicism that rethinks the controversy between modern and postmodern thought through such classic theological formulations as the controversy between Aquinas and Duns Scotus on the being of God. Broad in reference and informed by the homilist’s touch, The Priority of Christ will be an important contribution to a conversation the Church must have.

—Richard A. Rosengarten, associate professor of religion and literature, University of Chicago

Drawing deftly on Aquinas, Newman, Lonergan, Balthasar, and many others, Barron convincingly explains what a postliberal Catholic theology might be. But the great merit of this book is that he not only talks about what theology should be, he actually does it—above all in his lucid mystagogy on a series of Gospel stories, and in striking meditations on the mind of Christ embodied in four great women saints of our time.

—Bruce Marshall, Lehman Professor of Christian Doctrine, Southern Methodist University

The Priority of Christ is unusually stimulating for an exercise in ‘postliberal’ theology. The book is strikingly readable and saturated with what one might call ‘first-order’ doctrinal claims instead of primarily methodological navel-gazing. . . . Its title, ‘The Priority of Christ,’ indicates the epistemic primary of believing, doctrinally traditioned engagement with the Jesus Christ of biblical narrative. This scriptural primacy is a great strength and delight of the book. Its biblical commentary usually avoids mere recital of either the devotional or exegetically critical sort. Examples of compelling biblical readings abound. . . . The book will challenge readers to formulate their own understanding of what constitutes authentically theological interpretation of Scripture.

—Pro Ecclesia