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One of the great achievements in 20th Century Scholarship, and Biblical Interpretation, and Hermeneutics, and Historical Theology, it is an understatement to say the presentation of Henri de Lubac's final volume, The Four Senses of Scripture in his mammoth Medieval Exegesis, series is a landmark event. Originally published in French as Exegese medievale, this work explores how and why individuals, and schools interpreted Scripture with four distinct methodologies known collectively as the 'Four Senses of Scripture', and individually as literal/historical, allegorical, analogical (spiritual), and tropological (moral). This work is the result of a revival in 'Spiritual Exegesis' in Roman Catholic circles led by de Lubac himself,Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), and Vatican II. Finally, this work promises to add to the foundation being built by a growing number of scholars disgruntled with historical-critical forms of exegesis that have dominated Biblical Studies since the Enlightenment. While not discounting the value of the Historical-Critical method (indeed it is very much legitimate and valuable), de Lubac demonstrates the importance, and continuing relevance, of these historical approaches to exegesis.
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