The Church, The Gospel and Culture

John Thornhill (1929-2019), born in Brisbane, Australia, was educated at Marist Brothers Ashgrove and St John's College Woodlawn NSW. After entering the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers), he was chosen for doctoral studies and ordained in Rome in 1955. John's life was mainly in theological ministry-in teaching and guiding seminary students, as an author, theological consultant and in Adult Faith Education. He was, in turn, Superior of the Marist Seminary, Director of Sydney's Aquinas Academy, a member of the Provincial Council. He published books and many articles. He had a special interest in the Church, Christology, the faith / culture relationship, all within an overall pastoral framework. This collection of articles captures the scope (and development) of his theological concerns over many years. Especially valuable and illuminating is the opening chapter in which we are invited to share with John has he reflects on his theological journey. John Thornhill SM was one of Australia's most distinguished and respected theologians, known and loved for his dedication to the Catholic community, his gentleness and kindness, and his zeal for the Gospel. Apart from his several books, including Sign and Promise: A Theology of the Church for a Changing World (1988), and Making Australia: Exploring Our National Conversation (1992), John contributed many articles to theological debate, and Thomas Ryan sm and ATF Press have done us and John's legacy a fine service in gathering together some of these articles in this volume. The essays collected here bear witness to key concerns of John's theological and pastoral work: the centrality of Jesus and his Gospel, the proclamation of the good news, to Christian faith; ecumenism, including a grateful recognition of Protestantism's emphasis on the Gospel of salvation; awareness of cultural and historical circumstances, and the imperative for the Church to understand and creatively respond to the concrete contexts that its members inhabit; the centrality of Scripture to Christian faith, and the importance of a theology of Scripture in the life of the Church; a theology that engages at the highest intellectual level with key currents of thought, and, as an 'open orthodoxy', is receptive to whatever is true and life-giving in them. This collection reveals the heart of John's theological vocation: to bring thought and scholarship to the service of believers, to enable the Gospel to come alive in their midst. John's Marist charism emphasises a quiet, receptive presence to God: in these articles we are given some of the fruits of his own attentive presence, for the sake of serving and accompanying the pilgrim Church.