Robert Grosseteste and the Beginnings of a British Theological Tradition. Papers delivered at the Grosseteste Colloquium held at Greyfriars, Oxford on 3-rd July 2002. Edited by Maura O'Carroll (Bibliotheca seraphico-Capuccina, 69). Roma, Istituto Storico dei Cappuccini, 2003. 24 cm., 373 p. (€ 23,00) ISBN 88-88001-15-8
2003 sees the 750th anniversary of the death of Robert Grosseteste, a strong Scripture scholar; a great theologian; an exploratory scientist - as moderns would see - of the physics of light; a formative influence in the 1220's in the new university of Oxford; a powerful teacher of theology in the Franciscan school in Oxford; a bishop who was determined to implement the reforming decrees of Lateran IV, and who was a strong if sometimes forbidding pastor of his priests and people; a courageous upholder of the mission of the Church despite the problems of conflict with power structures in both Church and State. The essays in this book have three purposes: to celebrate Grosseteste's anniversary; to publish some of his texts, as until his writings are more accessible the focus on Grosseteste the theologian cannot be deepened. The remaining papers explore facets of Grosseteste the theologian, especially a ground-breaking paper on the historiography of Grosseteste which strips away much of the propaganda of the past enabling an exploration of his theology to begin. Two valuable papers on his theology of light and his theological method begin this exploration while the remaining papers illustrate aspects of his theology in theory and pastoral practice.
