Charles Homer Giblin

Charles Homer Giblin Professor of NT Studies at Fordham

The Destruction of Jerusalem according to Lukes Gospel: A Historical-Typological Moral

(On the “Historical-Typological” Method)
“The topic entails another mode of interpreting Luke’s Gospel, complementing other accepted modes (apologetic, pastoral-horatory, doctrinal) and aptly describing described as “historical-typological.” This further mode is grounded in the preface to Luke’s presentation of his gospel as kind of history. It respects the narrative progression of Luke’s Gospel including some attention to the way in which he conditions his types audience to reflect upon and personally to apply the intended lesson. The fate of Jerusalem is brought about by two major facts. First, the people are insensitive to the terms for peace. Although they are ostensibly favorable to Jesus’ teaching (as “Impressed unbelievers have been hitherto, and are warned rather than condemned, they will, as a matter of historical reality, perish for the more serious sins of others. Second, the rulers of the people (the Romans not excepted, but not considered as primarily responsible) have committed injustice and thus bring about the ruin of the people. The fate of Jerusalem, however, is not ultimately weighed as an event in itself – it is a sign for others, and is expressly related to time for (judgment of) nations.

All this proves to be relevant, parabolically, to Luke’s readership, a man of affluence and influence, educated, who is expected to perceive in “a history” what should be done and what should be avoided, to discern models of good and of evil, with their consequences for society as he knows it. In effect, Luke’s lesson apropos of his account of Jerusalem’s destruction is to be construed as a question prompted in the typed reader’s mind: If this is what happened to Jerusalem because of the way Jesus and those who represent him, his disciples, were treated, what will happen to my city/nation/society if he (and his followers, who stand for him) are treated similarly? What am I, as a respected man with some influence, expected to do?” (viii)

The Threat to Faith: An Exegetical and Theological Reexamination of 2 Thessalonians 2 Charles Homer Giblin 318 pages | 1967 The task of presenting theologically oriented exegesis must precede the professional popularization of new interpretations, the writing of standard commentaries, and a number of other aspects of Biblical studies. The author aims to fill a notable gap in this respect by offering to scholars what should be the first exegetical monograph concerning 2 Thessalonians 2 as a whole. The chapter itself is by no means an unattractive one. It invites the scholar to scrutinize its many specific exegetical problems in terms of the Gestalt of difficulties which it presents, including its precise theological and pastoral orientation. By way of providing a special incentive for laborious investigation, the chapter obviously contains a rich lode of eschatological teaching, one of the basic currencies of present-day theological discussion. Part One investigates the state of the question; Part Two contains the exegesis of 2 Thessalonians 2 and concludes with a commentary on the whole of that passage; Part Three presents fuller theological reflections consequent on the exegesis. For the reader with initially less time at his disposal, the schematically arranged text and translation at the end of Part One together with the resumes and the over-all commentary in the last chapter of Part Two should provide a good grasp of the new interpretation the author submits. Charles H. Giblin, S.J. was born in Chicago and attended Loyola Academy with the aim of becoming a Jesuit priest. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at Milford, Ohio in 1945, and ultimately obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Latin and a Master’s in Greek from Loyola University, as well as teaching degrees in philosophy and theology from the old West Baden College in Indiana. Following his ordination, he earned a doctorate from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He taught theology at Jesuit schools in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio before joining the faculty at Fordham in New York City. He has authored a number of scholarly articles and books, particularly on the subjects of St. Paul and St. John.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

Michael J. Iafrate
“Whether or not these two suggestions are true (perhaps Jesus did, in fact, carry Roman currency, and perhaps he did not intentionally call for a coin to divide the two parties), the fact that Jesus knows they have the coin in their possession there in the temple would have been terribly embarrassing for both parties. Says Richard Cassidy, “They pretended to be seriously concerned about the observance of the law – they had asked whether it is lawful to give tribute to Caesar – and yet they obviously did not take the law seriously enough to observe its prohibitions against images.”18Charles Homer Giblin echoes this same suggestion, saying that Jesus’ opponents’ production of the coin solves the question of where their own loyalties lie. They have already made their decision, for by their possession of the Roman coin in the temple, they reveal that they have already aligned themselves with Caesar.” (Render Unto Caesar, Render Unto God: Making Sense of the Misused Tribute Teaching)

The Fordham Tradition
“The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople invited Charles Homer Giblin, S.J., professor of theology, to contribute to the International Interdisciplinary Seminar on the Apocalypse of St. John. The seminar, commemorating the 19th centenary of the composition of the Book of Revelation, was held in Athens and on the Isle of Patmos. Fr. Giblin spoke on the Divine Spirit in St. John’s Apocalypse. Thirty-two scholars from twelve countries participated in the seminar” (February 1996)

Rev. Charles H. Giblin, professor
Chicago Sun-Times, Jan 24, 2002 by Brenda Warner Rotzoll
The Rev. Charles H. Giblin was born to teach. He started as a schoolboy in Elmhurst, calling the neighborhood kids in to look at maps and hear about history. As an adult, he taught theology at Fordham University for 34 years.

In the last years of his life, the Jesuit priest taught by example how not to give up as he battled pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes. Though tethered to oxygen machines, he continued to teach classes, went fishing and even went swimming a couple of times.

Father Giblin traveled home on Amtrak over semester break in December, came down with pneumonia and flu, and died Saturday at the Elmhurst Care Center. He was 73.

Charles Homer Giblin was born in Chicago and lived on the North Side until he was 10, when his family moved to Elmhurst, which was surrounded by prairie then. He knew by the end of eighth grade that he wanted to be a Jesuit priest, and that meant four years of Latin in high school. Every day, he traveled to Chicago and up to the North Side to attend Loyola Academy, which had the courses he needed if he wanted to enter training as a Jesuit.

In 1945, he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Milford, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s in Latin and a master’s in Greek from Loyola University Chicago, and teaching degrees in philosophy and theology from the old West Baden College in Indiana. After being ordained as a priest, he earned a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.

Latin was just one of the languages in which Father Giblin became proficient. He also spoke French, Italian, German and English, and could read Hebrew, Greek and Spanish.

He taught theology at Jesuit schools in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio before joining the faculty at Fordham in New York City. He published many scholarly articles and was particularly interested in St. Paul and St. John.

“His passion was the New Testament,” said the Rev. John W. O’Malley, a friend for 50 years. “He tried to impress upon his students that study of the New Testament was imperfect unless it included taking to heart its message.”

“Most people would have just retired and waited for death” in Father Giblin’s physical condition, said the Rev. Gerald McCool, a retired Fordham professor. “He knew he had two years to live, and he didn’t let that disturb him. He was determined to maintain both his research and teaching, despite the physical difficulties.”

Every year, Father Giblin traveled home to Elmhurst and went to a northern Wisconsin lake to go fishing with his sister, Mary Gertrude Giblin. She recalled that on the last trip the car was jammed with his oxygen tanks and her three cats, loudly screaming as trucks roared past them on the tollway.

His sister, who is his only survivor, said he told her, “I’m going to continue to do what I always do as well as I can.”

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Madonna della Strada Chapel on the Loyola University campus, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd., followed at 7:30 p.m. by a memorial mass there. Burial will be Friday at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines.

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