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Jean Danielou
Jean Danielou is a Jesuit theologian, patristic scholar, spiritual writer, bishop, and cardinal, hi 1905, he was bom in France and spent the majority of his career studying and teaching in Paris. He graduated from the Sorbonne in 1927 and earned an intellectual reputation in Parisian literary circles. Two years later, Danielou joined the Society of Jesus and took his theological studies at the theologate of Lyon-Fourviere. During this time, Danielou met fellow scholastics, Henri de Lubac and Hans Urs von Balthasar, who initiated him into his life long study of the early Church Fathers. As a patristic scholar, Danielou is primarily a historical theologian. Through research on early Christian culture, he has been able to extend his studies to the question of Christianity and culture in the modem world.Daniel T. Spotswood >From the Fourviere, Danielou earned his doctoral dissertation on the spiritual doctrine of St. Gregory of Nyssa. “As an intellectual sensitive to the problems raised by secular culture for the Christian, he applied himself to the study of how Gregory reworked and Christianized the philosophical ideas of his day” (515). Drawing spiritual inspiration from early Church Fathers, especially St. Gregory of Nyssa, Danielou worked with his contemporaries on issues concerning the Church in the modem world. Danielou and Henri de Lubac promoted a rediscovery of patristic exegesis. The two patristic scholars produced Sources Chretiennes, which is several volumes of historical theology that traces the development of Christian culture through the centuries. The first volume in this collection is a translation by Danielou of Gregory of Nyssa's Life of Moses. “He was the chief instrument of a Gregory of Nyssa renaissance” (515). “Danielou's interest in Christian origins led him to reflect theologically on the mission of the church in relation to other religions and on issues of dialogue with other traditions” (168). Along with Henri de Lubac, Danielou proposed the “fulfillment theory” to aid the Church's understanding of its relationship with non-Christian religions. This theological position advocated incultration and inclusivism. “He proposed that Christianity in non-Christian cultures should be formed not of individuals torn from their own culture and uprooted from their natural environment, but of Christians who were part and parcel of their actual culture” (516). The “fulfillment theory” represented a radically new mentality for much of the pre-Vatican II Catholic world. Pope John XXIII invited Danielou to the Second Vatican Council to participate as aperitus (expert consultant). His fulfillment theory significantly contributed to the Church's new position on its relationship to non-Christian religions; it overcame exclusivism and encouraged dialogue. Danielou also heavily influenced Guadium et Spes. “The preparation of the first part of the constitution Guadium et Spes owes much to him” (516). Although Danielou was actively involved in such progressive documents, he came to criticize their later developments because he believed many of them misrepresented both the gospel and the council. “Such criticism earned him the label of 'reactionary' in some quarters—an ironic development since not too many years earlier he himself had been regarded as 'suspect' by some of the Roman authorities” (226). Danielou seems to have grown more conservative in his old age and ascent in the Church hierarchy. Works Cited Jean Danielou, The Salvation of the Nations New York: Sheed & Ward, 1950 Abstract by Daniel T. Spotswood Danielou encourages missionary activity with a sense of urgency. He believes that it is a “monstrosity” for the Church to consider itself catholic when the majority of the human race does not belong to it. Thus, he promotes the conversion of non-believers both within and outside one's own national borders. He attempts to redefine the understanding of missionary activity by emphasizing the need to evangelize locally as well as in foreign countries. Danielou seems to suggest that many Christians have lost one of the most important aspects of Christianity: spreading the gospel to all peoples. He recognizes two major problems facing the Church's missionary activity: syncretism and Communism. Syncretism sees a universal religion that transcends all particular religions. Presently, the diversity of religions each possess a part of the truth, and according syncretism, a superior religion must rise by embracing all the others. Danielou points out that this viewpoint contains the problem of relativism. He says that syncretism places all religions on the same level and this is dangerous to Christianity's self-understanding of its unique identity. The other problem is Communism. Danielou says that the Communist ideal of unity is very Christian, but it is threatening to destroy the Church because the Church remains divided among Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics, etc. Danielou's assessment of missionary activity and relations with non-Christian religions reflects a rather pre-Counciliar and Counciliar mentality. Although some of his ideas were quite radical for the time, such as incultration and inclusivism, post-Vatican II developments in this area have been significant. It is not difficult to see how Danielou tended to criticize further developments just like his predecessors criticized him. A Jean Danielou Bibliography
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