Name Robert Imbelli | ||
Books Rekindling the Christic Imagination: Theological Meditations for the New Evangelization Education Yale University, Fordham University | ||
Pope Benedict and the Reception of Vatican II
Rev. Robert P. Imbelli (born January 8, 1939) is a Christian Theologian and priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He has taught theology at the New York Archdiocesan Seminary and at the Maryknoll School of Theology. Currently, Father Imbelli is an associate professor of theology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Contents
- Pope Benedict and the Reception of Vatican II
- Education and influences
- Career
- Awards
- Views on Christology
- Problems facing the Church
- Current courses
- Recent publications
- References
Education and influences
Imbelli graduated from Fordham University in 1960. In 1966, he went on to receive his S.T.L. at the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. While in Rome, Imbelli was ordained. Imbelli's years of theological study in Rome coincided with the Second Vatican Council. The Second Vatican Council was a movement to "throw open the windows of the Church, updating and rejuvenating it by returning to the gospel basics, offering a greater openness to the world, and promoting greater unity among the divided Christian family and with all of humanity." This time of revolutionary change shaped Imbelli's approach to theology and drove him to question and improve the Church. Imbelli graduated from Yale University in 1972 with a Ph.D. in systematic theology.
Career
Following his graduation from Yale, Imbelli continued his teaching at St. Joseph's Seminary as a professor of systematic theology. Leaving St. Joseph's, Imbelli continued his teaching at the Maryknoll School of Theology. Finally in 1986, he was given a leadership position as Director of the Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College. In 1993, he stepped down from this position and has remained an associate professor of theology.
In addition to teaching, Imbelli has been a prolific contributor to journals and magazines like Commonweal, America and L'Osservatore Romano. He also edited and contributed to a book, Handing on the Faith: the Church's Mission and Challenge, in 2006. In addition to his frequent articles, he maintains an almost daily updated blog on Commonweal.
Awards
In 2007 Imbelli's book Handing on the Faith: the Church's Mission and Challenge was chosen in third place for books in theology by the Catholic Press Association. He also received the Theron Rockwell Field Prize for his doctoral dissertation in 1973.
Views on Christology
Imbelli has a special research interest in Christology and Trinitarian theology. Imbelli understands the many challenges facing Christology. He affirms the Council of Chalcedon's belief that Jesus was "perfect [Greek teleion] in divinity, perfect in humanity, truly God and truly human, of a rational soul and body." While affirming this belief, he also recognizes its many issues. In a world where archeological discoveries are undermining the divinity of Christ, Jesus is left as simply human. Imbelli claims that the "challenge before us all, not only theologians, but preachers and parents, artists and educators, is to rekindle in our day and place the Christic imagination: to appropriate and extend Vatican II's confident confession that Jesus is "the light of the nations" (Lumen Gentium, No. 1), that he is "the mediator and fullness of all revelation" (Dei Verbum, No. 2) and that the Holy Spirit offers to everyone "the possibility of being associated with Christ's paschal mystery" (Gaudium et Spes, No. 22)." It is ultimately up to all to reaffirm the divinity as well as the humanity of Jesus Christ.
Problems facing the Church
Imbelli's book, Handing on the Faith: the Church's Mission and Challenge, is a collection of essays discussing the problems facing the Church. The different contributor's chapters address issues like religious education, community-based faith formation, identity and individualism, communication and future problems. Imbelli writes a thought provoking introduction to get the ball rolling on tackling these tough issues. Avery Dulles commented, "The Church is faced by no more serious problem than that of handing on the faith to the young. Recognizing current failures, Boston College recently assembled a distinguished group of Catholic scholars and educators, whose considered reflections are presented by the essays in this volume. The series closes with a summons to hope and courage evoking the spirit of Pope John Paul II. The authors seem to agree that teachers of Catholic doctrine can succeed if they are joyful witnesses to the Lord as he continues to dwell in the community of faith." He acknowledges the difficulties of passing on the faith to the next generation. His editing and collaboration with others starts an important discussion not only to bring to light these serious problems, but also to solve them.