Back
Marie-Dominique Chenu OP’s (1895–1990) writing demonstrates that a theology of humanity was the basis of his historical, ecclesiological and socio-political theological writing. In the thousand and more articles and small number of monographs Chenu published, he foreshadowed outlines for a theology of history, a theology of matter and a theology of the world.
Chenu’s contribution to twentieth century Roman Catholic theology has been overlooked in most recent recoveries of the ‘nouvelle théologie’. He is largely unknown in the English speaking world except for his works on Aquinas. The recent translation of his Aquinas and His Role in Theology (Liturgical Press) deserves to have added to it a wider study of his other theological output.
While located in the struggles of the twentieth century, Chenu’s theology mostly avoided being relativised by modernity’s agenda and thereby resisted stagnation in only mid-twentieth century concerns. Across a range of contemporary theological topics, Chenu explored a Christian anthropology that articulated the experiential and concrete ‘history’ of human life in relation to faith.
Sr Dr Janette Gray RSM, joined the Adelaide Sisters of Mercy South Australia, but spent many years outside of Adelaide teaching theology. Over the years Janette lectured at several academic centres in Western Australia: Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, teaching systematic and pastoral theology, and the University of Notre Dame (Fremantle, Western Australia), was Senior Lecturer in Theology from1999– 2003. In Melbourne she was Faculty Member of Jesuit Theological College, Parkville Melbourne, 2004–2014; Principal of Jesuit Theological College, 2012–2014; and Lecturer and postgraduate research Supervisor at the United Faculty of Theology, Pilgrim College, and Yarra Theological Union, all member colleges of what is now the University of Divinity, Melbourne. She died in December 2016.
