Date of Award
5-1971
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Theology
Abstract
The method is the following. Three initial chapters set up the problem and the six subsequent ones present the elements of Teilhard's spirituality. The first chapter outlines the major emphases of Vatican II's teaching on religious life, as described above. The second summarizes the major points of the Teilhardian evolutionary scheme as a backdrop for the study. The third presents what is called the "problem of modernity"--the apparent conflict between pursuit of so-called "profane" and "religious" realities. Teilhard's analysis of this problem attempts to remove this apparent opposition and suggests a Christian synthesis in its place. After this preliminary work, this study takes up what appear to be the main elements of Teilhard's Christian evolutionary spirituality: Christian sharing in the process of cosmic transformation, with particular stress on Christ's capital role in this process; the Christian's personal or individual share in this transformation through the attachment-detachment polarity and the theological virtues; then, each of the three traditional vows of obedience, poverty and chastity are examined in the light of Teilhard's synthesis and life. Community is then considered within the same framework. Finally, a concluding chapter attempts to evaluate the major strengths and weaknesses of Teilhard's outlook and suggests his specific contribution to a contemporary outlook on religious life.