Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical
Theology and Liturgical Proclamation

Dr. Scott Hahn

Acting upon guiding principles in Dei Verbum and Gaudium et Spes, the Pope Benedict XVI Chair seeks to assist seminarians in discerning and proclaiming the mystery hidden in the Scriptures and celebrated in the liturgy. We do this by exploring the liturgical content of the Bible and the liturgical context in which the Scriptures were originally produced, canonized, and proclaimed. Seminarians apply the principles of a mystogogic hermeneutic—notably the canonical account of the unity of the divine economy—to grasp how the covenant is renewed in every age, and to discern the typological patterns that unfold in the lectionary. The techniques of mystagogy demonstrate how Scripture is actualized in the liturgy, and how sacramental grace and the mysteries of faith serve to inform and transform everyday life. The work of the Chair, then, is directed toward mystogogy, and not merely exegesis or preaching. The term biblical theology expresses a theological approach that draws widely from the Church’s intellectual tradition as well as contemporary currents in academic research and scholarship. The charter documents of the Chair, however, are three: the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Lectionary. The Chair also seeks to develop ways in which seminarians can acquire the skills and practices necessary to preach effectively the lectionary and the liturgical rites of the Church.

The program is threefold: first, 9 credit hours of classroom instruction for seminarians; second, public lectures and workshops for the seminary and wider community; and third, continuing education conferences for priests, deacons and seminarians—from Saint Vincent Seminary alumni and clergy around the country. The Chair seeks to provide the theological grounding necessary for effective preaching that is biblical, doctrinal, and catechetical—mystagogy being the proper milieu of Catholic preaching. The Chair also works with the regular faculty in providing seminarians with opportunities to develop and refine their skills for effective homily preparation and delivery, catechetical instruction, and evangelization. This occurs by means of designated assignments across the curriculum, labs, integration seminars, and periodic symposiums throughout the four-year theologate.