Jose Antonio Pagola

José Antonio Pagola Elorza (Añorga, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, June 16, 1937) is a Spanish priest with a degree in Theology from the Gregorian University of Rome (1962), a degree in Sacred Scripture from the Biblical Institute of Rome (1965), graduated in Biblical Sciences from the Biblical School of Jerusalem (1966). He is known, in addition to his books, for having been the vicar general of the Bishop of San Sebastián, José María Setién. His best-known book, Jesus, a historical approximation (PPC, 1st ed. 2007, translated into 8 languages, including English and with more than 100,000 copies sold) was strongly criticized and temporarily withdrawn. by the PPC publishing house, which republished it in 2013.

Professor at the San Sebastián Seminary, and at the Faculty of Theology of Northern Spain (Vitoria campus). He has carried out the responsibility of being rector of the diocesan Seminary of San Sebastián and, above all, that of being Vicar General of the diocese of San Sebastián.

The debate around Jesus, a historical approach

The publication of his latest book, Jesus. Historical Approach (PPC, Madrid 2007), an editorial success, with 80,000 copies sold, raised conflicting opinions. Among them we can cite the criticisms of Demetrio Fernández González, then Bishop of Tarazona (later of Córdoba), the defense of Xabier Pikaza or the criticisms of José Antonio Sayés. As a result of this controversy, the author issued a statement, appeared on January 7, 2008 in Eclesalia. It was again answered by the theologian José Antonio Sayés, which generated the so-called Sayés-Pagola controversy. Following the indications of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the author published the new revised edition, although without the imprimatur< /i>.

In June 2008, the Spanish Episcopal Conference published a «Note of clarification on the book by José Antonio Pagola, Jesús. Historical Approach» in which, after commenting on the methodological and doctrinal deficiencies that the Episcopal Conference finds in the book, it concludes by stating that «the author seems to indirectly suggest that some fundamental proposals of Catholic doctrine lack historical foundation in Jesus".

According to its defenders, the work is a compendium of critical research on Jesus, a synthesis of the theological theories of various authors, among which a vision of Jesus from his kerygma stands out, according to the current of the so-called historical Jesus, from his Baptism by John, to the Easter message. They consider that the book manages to unite the social and religious, spiritual and historical, personal and social, liberating and pious aspects in the life of Jesus: «it speaks of God speaking of the poor, it speaks of justice dealing with mercy, it speaks of economic transformation engaging in prayer", focuses on the healing experience of Jesus who heals and on parables "that open our eyes to understand".

According to its opponents, however, the book presents, in the first place, three main deficiencies from the methodological point of view: a) the break that, in fact, is established between faith and history; b) mistrust regarding the historicity of the gospels; and, c) reading the story of Jesus from assumptions that end up distorting it. The doctrinal deficiencies can be summarized in six: a) reductionist presentation of Jesus as a mere prophet; b) denial of his divine filial consciousness; c) denial of the redemptive meaning given by Jesus to his death; d) obscuring the reality of sin and the sense of forgiveness; e) denial of Jesus' intention to found the Church as a hierarchical community; and, f) confusion about the historical, real and transcendent character of the resurrection of Jesus.

In 2008, Pagola published a second version of his book that had the imprimatur of the Bishop of San Sebastián, Monsignor Uriarte. However, such imprimatur was revoked two years later by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which had taken over the revision of the work.

In defense of Pagola's book, an article by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi is often quoted in which he affirms that «the most transparent way of guiding the reader is not "technical" in the midst of this forest [of works and bibliography on the historical Jesus] perhaps continues to be the narrative adopted in Spain by two scholars, Armand Puig i Tarrech (Jesús. Respuesta a los enigmas. San Pablo) and José Antonio Pagola (Jesús. A historical approximation. PPC). orthodoxy" of the book.

In March 2013, the Spanish Episcopal Conference published a note in which it reported the letter, dated February 19, that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent to the Bishop of San Sebastián, Monsignor Munilla, about of Pagola's work and gives an account of the precedents and current state of the matter. According to the CDF, the book, "even if it does not contain propositions directly contrary to the faith, is dangerous because of its omissions and its ambiguity. His methodological approach must be considered erroneous, since, separating the so-called "historical Jesus", from the "Christ of faith", his historical reconstruction preconceivedly eliminates everything that exceeds a presentation of Jesus as "prophet of the Kingdom".

In the aforementioned letter, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also states that «the Author has responded satisfactorily to the observations made by the Congregation and that he should be encouraged to include them in future editions of the work, which, however, cannot be given the imprimatur”.

José Antonio Pagola has declared that, after introducing the requested modifications, he will bring to light a new edition of his popular book. Finally, it is worth mentioning the controversy that he had with the editors of ELPAÍS (February 1992) regarding his consideration of the terrorist group ETA.

His work

• Reading and reflection on the Gospel texts of the Lenten Liturgy, Institute of Theology and Pastoral, 1968.
• Reading and reflection on the Gospel texts of the Advent liturgy, Institute of Theology and Pastoral, 1968.
• The Resurrection of Jesus in the Faith of the First Christian Community, Institute of Theology and Pastoral, 1970.
• Christological catechesisIdatz, 1975.
• Jesus of Nazareth. The man and his message. San Sebastian, 1984. Ed. Idatz
• What do we know about the historical Jesus?, FS, 1981
• Learn to liveIdatz, 1983.
• The Resurrection of the DeadSM, 1983.
• Good NewsIdatz, 1985.
• The Eucharist, experience of love and justiceSal Terrae, 1990.
• Pastoral Action for a New EvangelizationSal Terrae, 1991.
• Belief in the Risen OneSal Terrae, 1992.
• An ethics for peaceIdatz, 1992.
• Fidelity to the Spirit in ConflictSal Terrae, 1995.
• It's good to believe.DDB, 1997
• Jesus before the woman2006
• Jesus. Historical approach, PPC, 2013, 12.a ed.
• Our Father. Pray with the Spirit of Jesus, PPC, 2012, 5.a ed.
• Psalms to pray from life, PPC, 2012, 9.a ed.
• Go and cure. Evangelize the world of health and disease, PPC, 2012, 4.a ed.
• The road opened by Jesus 2. Marcos, PPC, 2012
• The road opened by Jesus 1. Matthew, PPC, 2013, 5th ed.
• The road opened by Jesus 3. Lucas, PPC, 2013, 4a ed.
• The road opened by Jesus 4. Juan, PPC, 2013, 2a ed.
• Eyes on Jesus, PPC, 2013, 4a ed.
• Jesus and the money. A prophetic reading of the crisis, PPC, 2013.
• Groups of Jesus. PPC, 2014, 2a ed.
• Return to Jesus. PPC, 2014.
• Let Jesus go home. PPC, 2018.