Chief Theologian to U.S Bishops Says Church Fathers Essential

If one wants to take theology seriously, it is absolutely essential to possess a good grasp of the Fathers of the Church

So say the Chief Theologian to the US Bishops Thomas Weinandy. The Way if the Fathers Blog has a PDF link to a article he just wrote. He said in part:

I]f one wants to take theology seriously, it is absolutely essential to possess a good grasp of the Fathers of the Church, particularly the manner in which they undertook the theological enterprise, the issues that they confronted and clarified, and the answers they provided … [O]nly if one has some sense of the patristic tradition … can one truly and fully appreciate the truth of the Gospel and the wealth of wisdom and life it contains. To be ignorant of the Fathers is to be ignorant of one’s own Christian and Catholic patrimony …
[T]heology is more than an abstract intellectual business. True theology can only be done properly by a mind and heart steeped in prayer … The Fathers often made reference to the principle that like is known only by like. Thus, for the Fathers, a true theologian must be a saint, for only a saint is truly in communion with the mysteries he is seeking to understand.

It sounds like a good read. Go his post Why Are We Here? for the link to the article. I hope to read it tonight.