The Transcendent Christ

The Transcendent Christ gathers together conferences given by faculty at a summer study session on the Letter to the Hebrews sponsored by the Saint Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies and held in Norcia, Italy. The conferences explored aspects of the text as well as its reception in Catholic theology and liturgy. Contributors include Rev. Thomas Crean, Rev. Cassian Folsom, Rev. Yosyp Veresh, John P. Joy, Peter Kwasniewski, Br. Evagrius Hayden, and Daniel Lendman. The book also contains the transcript of a lively session of Quæstiones Disputatæ in which three questions were debated by participants: “Whether he who performs the rites of the Old Law offends God?; Whether the shedding of blood is necessary for the remission of sins?; Whether to please God it is sufficient to believe that He exists and is a rewarder of those who seek Him?” Added to the conferences are an essay by Nathan Schmiedicke masterfully defending the Pauline authorship of Hebrews and a complete presentation of St. Thomas’s divisio textus of the letter.

“This series of essays offers rich theological reflections prompted by the Book of Hebrews. Each essayist shows how the argument of Hebrews is illumined by St. Thomas’s commentary and the light that living Tradition sheds, especially on the Sacrifice of the Mass and our celestial High Priest. I especially appreciated the introductory essay by Dr. Schmiedicke in defense of Paul’s authorship.” —Scott Hahn, editor of Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Letter to the Hebrews

“According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the Epistle to the Hebrews—traditionally and, I hold, correctly attributed to St. Paul—is a window into the transcendence of the Lord. His transcendence manifests itself in a special way in the Mass, and it is Hebrews that lays out the sacrificial basis of this most exalted sacrament. But Hebrews does more than that, as these essays show. The contributors offer unexpected insights, with ramifications well beyond the Mass. Despite my familiarity with the Epistle, I found myself repeatedly surprised—and delighted. That will be the reaction of any reader, whether he is coming to the sacred text for the first time or the hundredth.” —Karl Keating, founder of Catholic Answers

“The book of Hebrews is often a neglected gem of the New Testament, rich with complex imagery, liturgy, and theology from the Old Covenant. It can be daunting. The Transcendent Christ delves into these treasures, illuminating Christ’s fulfillment of every expectation—typology, sacrifice, His divinity, His eternal priesthood. Especially persuasive is the argumentation for Pauline authorship.” —Stephen K. Ray, author of St. John’s Gospel: A Bible Study and Commentary

“What a joy to immerse oneself in such a collection—accomplished scholars employing their exegetical and theological acumen to drill down into the inspired text of Hebrews, unearth its treasures, and bring them to bear upon a far-ranging field of questions. Reading these essays is akin to eavesdropping on the great universities of the past.” —Shane Kapler, author of The Epistle to the Hebrews and the Seven Core Beliefs of Catholics