Posted September 27, 2006 Book: From Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles International Theological Commission Hillenbrand Books. Chicago, Mundelein. 2006. Pp. 124 An Excerpt from the Jacket: This historico-theological research document traces the history of the diaconate from the time of Christ through the post-Vatican II period. It highlights sever major areas of consideration. - From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles - The diaconate in the New Testament and in the writings of the Fathers - The disappearance of the permanent diaconate - The sacramentality of the diaconate from the twelfth to the twentieth centuries - The restoration of the permanent diaconate today - Theological approach to the diaconate in the wake of Vatican II An Excerpt from the Book: From the point of view of its theological meaning and its ecclesial role the ministry of the diaconate presents a challenge to the Church’s awareness and practice, particularly through the questions that it still raises today. With reference to deacons, plenty of witnesses from Tradition recall that the Lord chose acts of humble service to express and render present the reality of the morphe doulou (Phil. 2:7) which he assumed for the sake of his saving mission. Specificially, the diaconate was born as a help to the apostles and their successors, who were themselves perceived as servants of Christ. If the diaconate has been restored as a permanent ministry by Vatican II it is especially to respond to the specific needs or to grant sacramental grace to those who were already carrying out the functions of the deacon’s office. But the task of identifying these needs and these functions more clearly in Christian communities is still to be done, although the rich experience of the particular Churches which, after the Council, gave the permanent diaconate a place in their pastoral practice, is already available. Table of Contents: 1. From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostle. 2. The diaconate in the New Testament and in the writings of the Fathers 3. The disappearance of the permanent diaconate 4. The sacramentality of the diaconate from the twelfth to the twentieth centuries 5. The restoration of the permanent diaconate at Vatican II 6. The reality of the permanent diaconate today 7. Theological approach to the diaconate in the wake of Vatican II