“When I think of the specifically Jesuit mission in and for the church, I instinctively and spontaneously turn to the metaphor of a boundary. I situate the Jesuit on that boundary, as between two places or facing opposing forces, with the task of mediating between them in both directions […] Sometimes Jesuits get in trouble, on either side of the boundary, but if that never occurred, Jesuits would not be fulfilling their corporate responsibility.”1
Roger Haight
When the editors contacted Roger Haight in January 2023 to propose a conference that would introduce his theology to mostly younger theologians outside the US, he immediately and gladly agreed.
The structure of this book is straightforward and follows that of the resulting online conference in November 2023. Back then, Haight addressed central aspects of his theological venture, divided into three sections: foundational issues, creation and spirituality, and pluralism and liberating Christology. Each of Haight’s talks was followed by two responses from theologians who had varying degrees of familiarity with Haight’s approach. This was intended to test the ground for a fruitful engagement with his theology while showcasing the responders’ own theological approaches.
This book therefore aspires to give readers a basic yet condensed introduction to Haight’s theology while also demonstrating the quality of Haight’s thinking precisely through its exchanges with others who may not agree with him on everything.
The extensive bibliography at the end invites further reading and could serve as a basis for a dissertation on Haight’s theology.
As editors, we deeply regret that we are no longer able to present this book, which we produced together with Roger Haight, to him in person. We are left with the memories of our encounters and with his writings.
This quote stems from Roger Haight and was used by Francis X. Clooney SJ in his eulogy entitled “My friend Roger Haight: a Jesuit who broadened the horizons of Catholic theology” published in America. The Jesuit Review on July 3, 2025.