Christian theology, especially within the Catholic tradition, stands at a pivotal juncture in today’s post-secular world, where waning secularism intersects with a renewed desire for individual and collective sense of meaning and a corresponding openness to spirituality.

To engage this intricate landscape effectively, Catholic theology must be redirected—not as a rigid collection of propositional truths posing as scientific or historical facts, but as a dynamic, meaning-making art that resonates with contemporary human experience and addresses today’s existential and ethical dilemmas.

A theology of meaning organizes religious beliefs into frameworks that illuminate existential purpose and normative wisdom. It identifies core themes and concepts within a tradition, articulating their interconnections to reveal the significance of theological claims in human life.

This methodology fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, drawing on psychology, sociology, literature, science, and the arts. Such engagement enriches theological inquiry, offering fresh perspectives on questions of purpose and value.

Above all, it focuses on the normative dimensions of reality, elaborating insights through metaphor, mythopoesis, and illative reasoning, which weave diverse experiences into a unified understanding.

Additionally, it incorporates historical-critical analysis of texts and traditions, examining scripture and spiritual sources to uncover their original meaning (if possible) and relevance to lived experience now.

In essence, we must return to theology as a form of wisdom. Wisdom is not primarily about factual knowledge of the world. Instead, wisdom focuses on praxis, how to live a good and meaningful life. 

In other sections of this site, we have discussed the somewhat sad state of Catholic theology in many parts of the Church as well as the growing cultural indifference or hostility to Christianity overall. 

Given these challenges, how can we revitalize Catholic theology, transforming it into a credible and meaningful enterprise? In other words, how do we develop a theology of meaning if much of Catholic theology is limited by propositionalism, category errors, rigid neo-Thomism, and other stale theological methods and forms?

Thankfully, much of this work has already been done in the 20th Century to our day. What is required is a better understanding and engagement with the theology right under our noses.

The Ressourcement movement, emerging in the mid-20th century within Catholic theology, was a transformative effort to return to the sources (ressourcement meaning "return to the sources" in French) of Christian tradition—Scripture, the Church Fathers, and early liturgical practices—to renew theological thought. 

Initiated by figures such as Henri de Lubac, Jean Daniélou, Yves Congar, and Marie-Dominique Chenu, it emerged as a response to the perceived rigidity of neo-scholasticism, which had dominated Catholic intellectual life since the 19th century due to its heavy reliance on a manualized interpretation of Thomas Aquinas. 

The ressourcement theologians, often associated with centers such as Le Saulchoir and Fourvière, sought to revive the vitality of early Christian thought, emphasizing the unity of nature and grace, the Church as a living community, and the dynamic interplay between theology and culture.

Ressourcement critiqued the abstract, deductive methods of neo-scholasticism, advocating a more historical and existential approach that engaged with the patristic heritage and biblical narratives. 

Works like de Lubac’s Surnaturel challenged the separation of nature and grace, while Congar’s ecclesiological studies highlighted the Church’s ability to reform itself and its theology from within. 

The Ressourcement movement laid the intellectual and spiritual groundwork for the emergence of Nouvelle Théologie. This mid-20th-century Catholic theological renewal built upon its predecessor’s return to the sources while pushing toward a broader engagement with modernity. In the process, it set forward a theology whose self-understood task was the illumination of meaning within the Catholic tradition and the world.

The Nouvelle Théologie evolved as a natural extension of the Ressourcement movement, building upon the historical and theological insights and applying them to contemporary challenges. 

The New Theologians attempted to bridge the past and present, advocating a theology that integrated modern philosophy—such as phenomenology and existentialism—with traditional sources. This shift was evident in their critique of manualism, the embrace of contemporary biblical studies, and their openness to liturgical renewal.

Nouvelle Théologie was not a rejection of Aquinas or Scholastic thought. Instead, it was proposed as a better, more accurate reading of the Scholastic scholars. 

A shared rejection of neo-scholastic abstraction marked the transition, but Nouvelle Théologie went further, embracing a living theology that addressed human experience and modern questions.

While Ressourcement focused on retrieval, Nouvelle Théologie emphasized reapplication, fostering a dialogue between a broad understanding of the Catholic tradition and the secular world.

This progression from Ressourcement’s foundational work to Nouvelle Théologie’s innovative synthesis revitalized Catholic thought, setting the stage for Vatican II’s aggiornamento and a theology that is both responsive to tradition and the contemporary context.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) was the culmination of these movements, as evidenced by documents such as Dei Verbum, Lumen Gentium, and Gaudium et Spes, which emphasized a renewed focus on Scripture, the Church's meaning, and its role in the world. 

A second generation of Nouvelle theologians emerged at and after the Council, including John Paul II, Josef Ratzinger, Avery Dulles, SJ, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and others. 

Its legacy includes a revitalized liturgical theology, an openness to ecumenism, and a dialogue with modern philosophy.

Much of Catholic theology today owes its origins and development to Nouvelle Théologie and the teachings of Vatican II. While we rarely refer to today’s theology as “new,” it remains a vital force in post-conciliar theology, engaging tradition with contemporary relevance.

The movements are not without criticism. Some thinkers argue that Nouvelle Théologie dilutes doctrinal precision and opens theology to embrace the errors of modernism. Many of these critics are also opposed, or at least hesitant, to the effects of Vatican II and advocate for the Traditional Latin Rite. 

We assess that such critics would drag Catholic theology backwards into stale and stifling forms of theological reasoning and scholarship. 

More recently, the mantle of Nouvelle Théologie has been notably taken up by Radical Orthodoxy, an Anglican and Catholic postmodern theological and philosophical movement that emerged in the 1990s. 

Radical Orthodoxy, spearheaded by John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock, and Graham Ward, extends the legacy of Nouvelle Théologie by integrating postmodern philosophy to critique modernity and to forge a theological vision focused on meaning and normativity.

Radical Orthodoxy’s core ideas challenge the secular-modern paradigm. It rejects a strict division between faith and reason, asserting that human knowledge thrives only through divine illumination, aligning with a participatory ontology where all creation reflects God’s being. 

The movement also engages Catholic social teaching, applying its insights in a bolder and more detailed manner, arguing that much of the secular paradigm is rooted in violent reductionisms and therefore results in pernicious forms of nihilism.

With this initial background of understanding, let us now turn our attention to the two primary themes of meaning and participation that characterize the theology we propose. 

An earlier significant development in the trajectory of Catholic theology was the introduction of Duns Scotus’ concept of univocity (1300-1307), which fundamentally altered the understanding of God’s nature. 

By positing that "being" (ens) could be predicated univocally of God and creatures, Scotus rendered God as a thing-a being among others, albeit the highest in a hierarchical chain of being. 

This intellectual shift, intended to facilitate rational discourse about the divine, inadvertently contributed to a profound divide between the supernatural realm of God and the natural realm of humanity. 

Unlike the analogical approach of Thomas Aquinas, which preserved a proportional relationship between divine and created being, Scotus’ univocity leveled this distinction, placing God within the same ontological category as creatures, albeit at its apex.

This reclassification had far-reaching consequences, fostering a dualistic framework that separated the transcendent from the immanent, and the earthly from the heavenly. 

The supernatural became an elevated domain, distinct from the natural world, which was increasingly seen as autonomous and secular. 

This divide, emerging in the late medieval period, laid the groundwork for later theological tensions as it shifted focus from a participatory unity to a hierarchical separation.

A key aspect of Nouvelle Théologie was Henri de Lubac’s critique of Duns Scotus’ metaphysical framework, particularly his concept of univocity.

He saw Scotus’ univocity as reducing God’s transcendence to a quantitative extension of finite being, risking a collapse of the divine into a merely superlative category. 

This, de Lubac argued, paradoxically fostered a dualistic divide between the natural and supernatural realms, establishing the false category of pure nature and paving the way for secularization.

In Surnaturel (1946), de Lubac presents a transformative argument that reshapes the Catholic understanding of nature and grace, laying a foundation for a theology of participation and meaning. 

He challenges the neo-scholastic dualism that posited a “pure nature”—a state of human existence independent of divine grace—suggesting instead that human nature is intrinsically oriented toward a supernatural end, communion with God. 

This orientation, de Lubac argues, is not an optional addition but an inherent aspect of creation, inscribed by God from the outset, rendering grace immanent rather than extrinsic.

The supernatural or divine is not a superlative dimension of being in its highest and purest forms, but rather the context, creative source, and permeating ordering principle of being. 

De Lubac critiques the medieval distinction, particularly as understood. He contends this misrepresents Aquinas, asserting that human desire for the infinite—evident in intellectual and moral aspirations—points to a natural longing for the divine. 

The fall, rather than creating this desire, distorted it, and grace restores this original orientation, a process he terms “engracement.” This view dissolves the artificial divide, framing humanity’s supernatural destiny as part of its created essence. This does not necessitate universal salvation as asserted by some, because it does not eradicate human freedom. 

Central to his argument is the Incarnation, where God’s entry into human history reveals this unity. De Lubac sees the Church and sacraments as extensions of this graced reality, mediating the divine presence within the natural world. 

He further warns that a “pure nature” theology risks deism or Pelagianism, undermining the Church’s mission by suggesting salvation is an external reward rather than a fulfillment of human nature. Instead, he proposes that all creation participates in God’s life, with grace as the dynamic force actualizing this participation.

This critique led de Lubac to propose a theology of participation, where creation exists within and participates in God’s being, rather than alongside it. 

For de Lubac, the Church becomes the visible community where this graced participation is realized, aligning human life with divine purpose. 

Thus, his critique of Scotus’ univocity redirects theology toward a dynamic, immanent transcendence, emphasizing that salvation as wholeness emerges from nature’s inherent graced participation in God.

Continuing de Lubac’s arguments, Radical Orthodoxy critiques the notion of a secular realm, arguing that modernity’s separation of the sacred and the profane stems from a distorted theology descending from Scotus, which has flattened the distinction between divine and created being. 

Instead, it embraces a Neoplatonic metaphysics of participation, where reality, culture, community, and language engage with the divine, since all things originate from and share in the divine being now.

Asserting a theology of participation promotes theology as a meaning-making enterprise, guiding all disciplines, rejecting nihilism by uncovering the inherent (engraced) meaning in the world, primarily through liturgy and theurgy—a cooperative human-divine work. 

By positing that creation participates in God’s being, it aligns with de Lubac’s unity of nature and grace, suggesting that meaning emerges through active engagement with the world’s sacred goods—love, justice, beauty. 

A key aspect of Nouvelle Théologie was Henri de Lubac’s critique of Duns Scotus’ metaphysical framework, particularly his concept of univocity.

He saw Scotus’ univocity as reducing God’s transcendence to a quantitative extension of finite being, risking a collapse of the divine into a merely superlative category. 

This, de Lubac argued, paradoxically fostered a dualistic divide between the natural and supernatural realms, establishing the false category of pure nature and paving the way for secularization.

In Surnaturel (1946), de Lubac presents a transformative argument that reshapes the Catholic understanding of nature and grace, laying a foundation for a theology of participation and meaning. 

He challenges the neo-scholastic dualism that posited a “pure nature”—a state of human existence independent of divine grace—suggesting instead that human nature is intrinsically oriented toward a supernatural end, communion with God. 

This orientation, de Lubac argues, is not an optional addition but an inherent aspect of creation, inscribed by God from the outset, rendering grace immanent rather than extrinsic.

The supernatural or divine is not a superlative dimension of being in its highest and purest forms, but rather the context, creative source, and permeating ordering principle of being. 

De Lubac critiques the medieval distinction, particularly as understood. He contends this misrepresents Aquinas, asserting that human desire for the infinite—evident in intellectual and moral aspirations—points to a natural longing for the divine. 

The fall, rather than creating this desire, distorted it, and grace restores this original orientation, a process he terms “engracement.” This view dissolves the artificial divide, framing humanity’s supernatural destiny as part of its created essence. This does not necessitate universal salvation as asserted by some, because it does not eradicate human freedom. 

Central to his argument is the Incarnation, where God’s entry into human history reveals this unity. De Lubac sees the Church and sacraments as extensions of this graced reality, mediating the divine presence within the natural world. 

He further warns that a “pure nature” theology risks deism or Pelagianism, undermining the Church’s mission by suggesting salvation is an external reward rather than a fulfillment of human nature. Instead, he proposes that all creation participates in God’s life, with grace as the dynamic force actualizing this participation.

This critique led de Lubac to propose a theology of participation, where creation exists within and participates in God’s being, rather than alongside it. 

For de Lubac, the Church becomes the visible community where this graced participation is realized, aligning human life with divine purpose. 

Thus, his critique of Scotus’ univocity redirects theology toward a dynamic, immanent transcendence, emphasizing that salvation as wholeness emerges from nature’s inherent graced participation in God.

Continuing de Lubac’s arguments, Radical Orthodoxy critiques the notion of a secular realm, arguing that modernity’s separation of the sacred and the profane stems from a distorted theology descending from Scotus, which has flattened the distinction between divine and created being. 

Instead, it embraces a Neoplatonic metaphysics of participation, where reality, culture, community, and language engage with the divine, since all things originate from and share in the divine being now.

Asserting a theology of participation promotes theology as a meaning-making enterprise, guiding all disciplines, rejecting nihilism by uncovering the inherent (engraced) meaning in the world, primarily through liturgy and theurgy—a cooperative human-divine work. 

By positing that creation participates in God’s being, it aligns with de Lubac’s unity of nature and grace, suggesting that meaning emerges through active engagement with the world’s sacred goods—love, justice, beauty. 

This participatory framework redefines salvation as both cosmic and communal, fostering a narrative that counters secular fragmentation, while its critique of modernity’s nihilism reinvigorates existential purpose. 

Within a participatory theology of engracement, revelation emerges as an ongoing, continuous process where each generation actively engages in a living dialectic with the divine.

This dynamic interplay arises from God’s unchanging presence—the divine, transcendent yet immanent within the world—as the perennial source of revelation.

The divine presence, woven into creation, provides a stable foundation for theological insight, remaining constant across time. However, human understanding and interpretation of this revelation evolve, shaped by historical, cultural, intellectual, and scientific developments, reflecting the fluidity of human experience.

John Henry Newman’s An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845) offers a compelling framework for this idea. 

Newman posits that Christian doctrine grows organically, not by altering its essence, but by enriching its expression as the Church confronts new challenges. He compares this to a seed maturing into a tree, where the original identity persists, yet its form expands and deepens.

The world’s foundational structure, graced by God, remains steadfast, with sacred goods and values enduring as constants. Yet, each generation’s active participation refines our comprehension, as exemplified by the Church’s engagement with modern thought, as seen in the Vatican II era. 

This continual dialectic keeps revelation vibrant, anchored in its divine origin, while our interpretive perspective grows more nuanced, aligning theology with an ever-evolving grasp of reality. Note, this is not to assert a false progressivism concerning revelation. 

Within the participatory theology of engracement, revelation is fundamentally about meaning. That meaning is unveiled through historical events, personal biographies, or scientific insights, and the cumulative aggregation of human experience.

A theology of participation naturally yields a theology of meaning by reorienting theology as one perspective of participation, specifically, the perspective of meaning. 

Unlike science, which explores empirical data, or history, which chronicles events, theology’s focus is existential, addressing questions of human destiny, moral goodness, and practical wisdom.

By understanding theology as the perspective of meaning, it becomes a participatory act of aligning with the graced world, uncovering the significance of our lives and actions. 

Asserting the unity of nature and grace suggests that this meaning is inherent and calls for a narrative approach, as provided by the Gospels.

Returning theology to this focus achieves a rapprochement with naturalism and Enlightenment thinking, which emphasize human experience and reason, by affirming the world’s inherent value without competing with their domains. 

As an art of meaning analysis, theology crafts narratives and symbols to address life’s ultimate questions—purpose, suffering, and love. 

Unlike science, which deals with empirical facts, theology employs mythopoesis, metaphor, inductive reasoning, and narrative to convey transcendent truths. 

This meaning-making is inherently artistic, requiring creativity to reimagine ancient symbols as metaphors for renewal and meaning in today’s modern and pluralist contexts. 

As a form of normative analysis, theology evaluates how humans ought to live in light of divine revelation and subsequent ethical insights.

It provides a framework for discerning right action, not through rigid rules, but through reflective engagement with perceived realities, such as human dignity, and perceived values, including justice, love, and community. 

This dual role—encompassing both meaning and normative analysis—positions theology as a vital discipline today. It avoids the pitfalls of literalism and legalism by focusing on existential depth and ethical guidance, which resonates with human experience while avoiding entanglement in empirical frameworks.