The Blondelian Synthesis

by John J. McNeill

Blondel’s philosophy remains one of the most brilliant contributions to the philosophy of religion in the past century. It contains insights that have never been duplicated in any other philosophy and consequently still deserves careful study now more than ever. In 1964 I defended my doctorate thesis on the thought of Maurice Blondel after four years of study primarily at the Blondel archives in Aix-en-Provence, France. I was delighted to receive the highest honor that Louvain gave to a doctoral candidate, plus grande distinction. Shortly after the defense I boarded a Holland American line passenger ship to return to the United States and take up my post as professor of philosophy at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. On boarding the ship I read on the bulletin board that Dr. Heiko Oberman of Harvard Divinity School would give a speech that evening recounting his experience as a Protestant observer at the second session of the Vatican Council II. I went to the lecture but Heiko ga