Paul Hinnebusch
Personal Information
Description
Fr. Paul Hinnebusch OP., STM., was born on January 27, 1917 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, son of John and Anne Hinnebusch, the sixth of their ten children. He was baptized Gerard Leonard, and added Albert - after St. Albert the Great - as his confirmation name. He chose "Paul" when he entered the Dominican Order, after St. Paul, one of his favorite New Testament authors. Father Paul's enthusiasm was apparent in his books on prayer, community, friendship, Our Lady, and scripture. Many of his lectures from 19 years as a teacher were distilled in his books and articles. More than 120 of his articles were published in religious and theological journals and other collections. He authored 18 published books, five of which were also published in foreign language translations. He left 11 unpublished books, and notes for other planned unpublished books and articles. In 1994, the Dominican Order awarded Father Paul the honored post-doctoral degree of Master of Sacred Theology for his many writings on the sacred scriptures and on the theology of the spiritual life.
Books
Community in the Lord
A reflection upon actual experience of Christian community as it is being lived at the present time. A combination of Christian witness to what God is doing in forming his people, and a theological interpretation of it.
The Signs of the Times and the Religious Life
Father Hinnebusch, the author of several excellent theological and spiritual works, pleads in his latest book for a re-examination of religious life in the light of those ""signs of the times"" to which John XXIII and Vitican II frequently appealed as the guidelines for the reform of the Church. Those signs, particularly, are the concepts of love and service on which so much emphasis is placed today both in the Church and in the world, and Hinnebusch points out that the emergence of those two factors makes it possible to reinterpret the traditional religious vows in such a way as to assure the personal fulfillment of the individual priest or nun as well as the accomplishment of their ""mission""--whether the latter be entirely contemplative in nature or a combination of the contemplative and active lives. Father Hinnebusch, as always, is to the point, concise, and straightforward. This book will rank as one of the best on the subject of the role of the religious in the twentieth century.
Salvation History and the Religious Life
One of the most frequently used terms in current theology is salvation history. Rich in meaning and importance, it has led to a completely new understanding of the role God can and does play in human affairs. And yet, however seminal this idea may be, it has sometimes been difficult to apply it to the present day. In Salvation History and the Religious Life, Fr. Paul Hinnebusch succeeds admirably in doing this very thing. Focusing his attention on the religious life, he shows how this life can be understood best in terms of salvation history. Outlining the meaning of such history, the author shows how everything God has said and done is as pertinent today as it was when it first occurred. Thus, the covenant with the chosen people, consecration, divine fidelity, charisms and apostolic witness appear in their original light as well as in their vital significance for present-day religious. As a result, the latter can now proceed with new vigor and understanding to the work of their apostolate. Relying on Scripture and on the insights of Vatican II, Fr. Hinnebusch has succeeded once again in making clearer the ideals and achievements of religious life. In pointing out the obstacles and aids that are ever present, he shows himself aware of the needs and resources of the contemporary religious. The order and clarity of his presentation make the book useful for all religious, as well as for anyone who wishes to understand the nature of religious life.