Date of Award
Spring 2003
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Theology
First Advisor
Fahey, Michael A.
Second Advisor
Coffey, David
Third Advisor
Dabney, D. Lyle
Abstract
Heribert Muhlen is without doubt one of the most significant Roman Catholic theologians of the twentieth century. At the same time, his career is also one of the most puzzling. Most scholars will readily associate Muhlen with his pioneering work in pneumatology and ecclesiology during the middle of the twentieth century. However, many scholars who are familiar with Muhlen's seminal works of the 1960s, Der Heilige Geist als Person and Una Mystica Persona, are unaware of Muhlen's numerous theological writings since then. Those writings, on the other hand, are well known by many German-speaking pastors and those who have not made academic, theological scholarship their profession. Others, again, associate Muhlen's work primarily with the Charismatic Renewal Movement in the Roman Catholic Church or the ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and Pentecostal churches. As I endeavored to produce a comprehensive study of Muhlen's academic career, it soon became clear that I had to address each of these issues. My study of Muhlen's work began with a year of extensive bibliographic research. Despite a revival of Muhlen's thought in recent years, no comprehensive bibliographic collection existed of his publications. The secondary sources known to me generally focused on Muhlen's writings of the 1960s and 1970s, and the journal Erneuenmg in Kirche und Gesellschaft, started by Muhlen in 1977, had never been fully assessed. My reading through the first 25 years of the journal yielded more than 60 undocumented articles. In addition, Heribert Muhlen provided me with more than 40 articles from local newspapers, sermons, and church publications, previously unavailable to many scholars. Finally, library holdings throughout Europe offered audio tapes, video cassettes, and other non-printed material to supplement my collection. My final bibliography contained almost 300 articles, essays, and books in addition to more than 120 audio tapes and video cassettes...