DEIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION wonder if Mr. Kennedy is well advised
to maintain that the Immaculate Conception was 'repudiated by the greatest mediaeval theologians' and is just 'moonshine.' If I remember rightly, Aquinas. treating of it inci- dentally, finally came down after some hesitation on the opposing side. Bonaventura, on the other hand, can be quoted as finally sup- porting it. Scotus, who affirmed it, can hardly be described as a second-rate divine. St. Bernard, I suppose, could be quoted in Mr. Kennedy's favour if he had not concluded his famous letter thus: 'But what I have said I have certainly said without prejudice to what may be more soundly thought by one more wise. I reserve all this, and everything else of the kind, for the examination and judgement especially of the Roman Church, and if I think anything differently, I am prepared to be amended by its judgement.' Luther, inciden- tally, if one may judge from his sermon on the subject, strongly supported the doctrine. The truth, would seem to be that the great school- men were pretty eirenic on the matter, and it was only the later and lesser men who got angry. All things considered, Mr. Kennedy might well venture in the moonshine, with St. Bernard and Martin Luther.—Yours faithfully,
T. CHARLES EDWARDS Ampleforth, York
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