Theology of the Diaconate: The State of the Question

In 1967 Pope Paul VI implemented the decision of the Second Vatican Council to renew the diaconate as a permanent order of ministry. Deacons now number more than 30,000 around the world. This rapid growth, combined with a similar explosion of lay ecclesial ministry and dwindling numbers of priests, demands that theologies of the diaconate be constructed that respect its historical roots, contemporary ecclesial realities, and creative possibilities for the future. In these three essays—which were presented as keynote lectures at the 2004 conference of the National Association of Diaconate Directors—professors William T. Ditewig, Owen F. Cummings, and Richard R. Gaillardetz construct theologies of the diaconate in conversation with one another and the church. The result is essential reading for deacons, aspirants to the diaconate, deacon directors, as well as the other orders of the clergy, and the laity.