John Lane
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Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 2:30 pm Posts: 4337
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 Re: Manual Theology books in English
Dogmatic theology St. Thomas Aquinas, "Summa Theologica" - transl. by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province (3 vols. The Common Doctor.) Wilhelm & Scannell, "Manual of Catholic Theology" (2 vols. Superlative.) Hunter, S.J. "Outlines of Dogmatic Theology" (3 vols. Excellent.) Van Noort, "Dogmatic Theology" (3 vols. Very good. Suffers from a lack of precision in parts, possibly due to English translators.) Pohl-Preuss, "Dogmatic Theology" (12 vols. Very good, but very compressed, despite its great number of volumes.) Tanquerey, "A Manual of Dogmatic Theology" (2 vols. Excellent, but very compressed.) Murphy, Cunningham, et al. "Theology" (3 vols. Excellent, very clear, even though it was written for college-level use.) A.M. Henry, O.P. et al. "Theology Library" (6 vols. However, I really don't like this set - it is translated from a French set published in 1952 and seems to me to savour of French quasi-Modernism a la Journet.) Ott, "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma" (1 vol. Good, but very brief and probably only useful as a quick reference. Problematical on extra ecclesiam nulla salus.) Smith et al. "The Teaching of the Catholic Church" (1 vol. Also available in 2 vol. version. Very good. Properly an explanation of the catechism rather than a dogmatic theology manual.) Neuner-Roos (+Rahner!), "The Teaching of the Catholic Church" (1 vol. Similar to Denzinger but briefer.) Deferrari , "The Sources of Catholic Dogma" (1. vol. Transl. of Denzinger's Enchiridion. Mostly excellent, but the translation of the text of the Vatican Council on what must be believed with divine and Catholic faith is erroneous.) Spirago-Clarke, "The Catechism Explained" (1 vol. Generally superlative. Poor on salvation and membership in the Church.) Gaume, "Catechism of Perseverence" (4 vols. Superb, but difficult language for most moderns - very nineteenth century!) De Zulueta, "Letters on Christian Doctrine" (3 vols. Brilliant, written for laymen.) Parente, "Dictionary of Dogmatic Theology" (1 vol. Brief and brilliant, by a well-known manualist.)
Ecclesiology Berry, "The Church" (1 vol. Brilliant.) Mura, "The Nature of the Mystical Body" (1 vol. Brilliant.) Anger, "The Nature of the Mystical Body" (1 vol. Sublime.) MacLaughlin, "The Divine Plan of the Church" (1 vol. Wonderful, an apologetical treatise on the Church, but very precise and detailed and written by a master of theology.)
Moral Theology McHugh & Callan, "Moral Theology" (2 vols. Superb. Very clear, very comprehensive.) Davis, "Moral Theology" (4 vols. Ordinary. Rather lax, and a dull writer to boot.) Prummer, "Handbook of Moral Theology" (1 vol. Concise, good.) Jone-Adelman, "Moral Theology" (1 vol. Concise, good.)
Canon Law Bouscaren & Ellis, "Canon Law, a Text and Commentary" (1 vol. Seminary text. Excellent but brief.) Woywod, "A Practical Commentary on the Code of Canon Law" (2 vols. Seminary text also. Excellent.) Augustine, "Commentary on Canon Law" (8 volumes. Excellent.)
The papal encyclicals ought to be read also.
_________________ In Christ our King.
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