I find your comments about Fr. Brown interesting in light of the fact that 2 popes, Paul VI and John Paul II both named him to the Pontifical Biblical Commission. That much of his work was given a Nihil obstat and an Imprimatur. That Pope Benedict has written presenting the infancy narratives and John’s Gospel as historically reliable and was personally complimentary of Brown and his scholarship, and has been quoted as saying he "would be very happy if we had many exegetes like Father Brown". That he is in the bibliography for Chapter 8 of Benedict's "Jesus of Nazareth". Three popes can't be wrong

Actually, apart from this specific issue, popes can be wrong about matters when they are not intending to formally exercise their teaching office on a matter of Faith and Morals. I did not say that all that Father Brown has written is bad or wrong but I do not recommend him for a general resource for those who are not in a position to recognize what is solid or suspect. So if you like Brown, read Brown, but I do not recommend him to our readers.

God bless,

Father Echert

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