Eric Lionel MascallOGS (1905–1993) was a leading theologian and priest in the
Anglo-Catholic tradition of the
Church of England. He was a philosophical exponent of the
Thomist tradition and was Professor of Historical Theology at
King's College London (in the
University of London). His name was styled as E. L. Mascall in most of his writings.[1]
Mascall was for many years one of the major figures in British theology and well respected on the Continent and in North America. He authored more than 20 books, in which he expounded Anglican theology in its most Catholic of forms. Mascall was arguably the most influential in a group of like-minded theologians, most of whom had predeceased him –
Austin Farrer,
Gregory Dix, Lionel Thornton and
Gabriel Hebert.[2]
Mascall died on 14 February 1993 in
Seaford, East Sussex.
Intellectual interests
Mascall was a devout
Anglo-Catholic but his early studies were in mathematics. He took a first in the subject at
Pembroke College, and the
Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge. He remained engaged in relations between the
Anglican Communion,
Roman Catholic Church and
Eastern Orthodox Churches. Mascall wrote on many theological themes as well as natural theology; these included the above-mentioned ecumenism in The Recovery of Unity (1958), science and religion in his
Bampton Lectures, Christian Theology and Natural Science (1956), regarded by many at the time of its publication as the best book on the subject in English.[5] His previous training in mathematics served him and readers well throughout his ministry. He also produced several publications opposing the ordination of women.[6]
Works
He Who Is: A Study in Traditional Theism. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1943.
A Guide to Mount Carmel, Being a Summary and an Analysis of The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross, with Some Introductory Notes. Westminster: Dacre Press, 1944.
Christ, the Christian and the Church: A Study of the Incarnation and Its Consequences. London: Longmans, 1946.
Existence and Analogy. A Sequel to "He Who Is". London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1949.
The Mother of God: A Symposium by Members of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius. London: Dacre Press, 1949.
The Angels of Light and the Powers of Darkness: A Symposium by Members of the Fellowship of S. Alban and S. Sergius. Westminster: Faith Press, 1954.
Ten, który jest: studium z teizmu tradycyjnego. Warsaw: Instytut Wydawniczy Pax, 1958.
Pi in the High. London: Faith Press, 1959.
What Do We Mean by the Creation of the World? London: SPCK, 1960.
Grace and Glory. London: Faith Press, 1961.
Theology and History: An Inaugural Lecture Delivered at King's College, London, 23 October 1962. Westminster: Faith Press, 1962.
The Blessed Virgin Mary: Essays by Anglican Writers, ed. by E.L. Mascall and H.S. Box: Darton, Longman, and Todd, 1963.
Corpus Christi: Essays on the Church and the Eucharist. London: Longmans, 1965.
The Secularization of Christianity: An Analysis and a Critique. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1965.
The Christian Universe. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1966.
"The Mother of God: An Address Given to the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary", 9 January 1968. London: Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1968.
Words and Images: A Study in Theological Discourse. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1968.
Cristianismo secularizado: análisis y crítica. Barcelona: Editorial Kairos, 1969.
Sekularyzacja chrześcijaństwa. Warsaw: Pax, 1970.
Théologie De L'Avenir. Desclée. Paris: 1970
The Openness of Being: Natural Theology Today: The Gifford Lectures. London: Westminster Press, 1971.
Women Priests? London: Church Literature Association, 1973.
The Importance of Being Human: Some Aspects of the Christian Doctrine of Man. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1974.
Nature and Supernature. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1976.
Whatever Happened to the Human Mind?: Essays in Christian Orthodoxy. London: SPCK, 1980.
Theology and the Gospel of Christ: An Essay in Reorientation. London: SPCK, 1980.
Jesus: Who He is, and How We Know Him. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1985.
The Triune God: An Ecumenical Study. Worthing: Churchman Publishing, 1986.
Chrześcijańska koncepcja człowieka i wszechświata Warsaw: Instytut Wydawniczy Pax, 1986.
Otwartość bytu: teologia naturalna dzisiaj. Warsaw: Instytut Wydawniczy "Pax", 1988.
Saraband: The memoirs of E. L. Mascall. Herefordshire: Gracewing, 1992.