The publication of his Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864) brought Newman back into contact with many of his Anglican friends—two of whom gifted him with a violin. In his letter of appreciation, Newman mused: “Perhaps thought is music.” Such would seem to be the case with his poem, The Dream of Gerontius (1865), which was set to music by Sir Edward Elgar (1900). This essay explores the relationship between Newman’s Apologia and The Dream of Gerontius and then analyzes the latter’s (...) structure and content and compares it with other Christian classics. (shrink)

Should Newman be designated a “Doctor of the Church”? This essay responds first by considering the history and meaning of the title “Doctor of the Church,” and then by examining the recent Norms and Criteria proposed by the Vatican Congregation for designating Doctrine of the Church.

For Newman the Roman Catholic, the Oratorian way of life resonated with his experience as a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford: the Oratory was a place of stability that provided an opportunity for scholarship. This article examines three aspects of the Oratorian idea of scholarship: the spiritual formation of the intellect; the role of the laity in a Catholic university; and the importance of personal influence inevangelization—educational ideals that are as fundamentally important today as they were in Newman’s time.

For Newman the Roman Catholic, the Oratorian way of life resonated with his experience as a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford: the Oratory was a place of stability that provided an opportunity for scholarship. This article examines three aspects of the Oratorian idea of scholarship: the spiritual formation of the intellect; the role of the laity in a Catholic university; and the importance of personal influence inevangelization—educational ideals that are as fundamentally important today as they were in Newman’s time.

This essay examines Newman’s attention to the theological schools and the great weight he gave to theology as the regulating principle of the entire Church system. The first section examines Newman’s adherence to the Caroline Divines and their influenceupon his Lectures on the Prophetical Office of the Church.The second section considers Newman’s “Preface to the Third Edition of the Via Media”, which presented his expanded vision of the Schola Theologorum, which led to his Christological ecclesiology.A brief conclusion reflects on the (...) contemporary relevance of Newman’s final vision of the Church. (shrink)