Christopher Butler

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For the British Conservative politician, see Chris Butler.

Basil Christopher Butler OSB (May 7, 1902–September 20, 1986), was a convert from the Church of England to the Roman Catholic Church, a Roman Catholic priest, the 7th Abbot of Downside Abbey, one-time Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation, a bishop, an internationally respected scripture scholar, a consistent defender of the priority of the Gospel according to Matthew, and perhaps the pre-eminent English-speaking Council Father at the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II, 1962-1965).

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[edit] Religious life

In 1928, after an illustrious career as undergraduate at Oxford University, Butler, baptized in the Church of England, was received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1929 he became a monk of the Benedictine community of Downside Abbey – a House of the English Benedictine Congregation – and was ordained priest there in 1933. In 1946 the community elected him as their Abbot, which he remained for twenty years until his ordination in 1966 as Titular Bishop of Nova Barbara and Auxiliary Bishop to Cardinal John Carmel Heenan in the Archdiocese of Westminster.

[edit] Scholarly career

Butler's wide-reaching interests and competence included theology, spirituality, contemplative prayer, ecumenism, the Church Fathers and the dialogue with contemporaries such as Bernard Lonergan.

Defending – like his predecessor Abbot John Chapman and his fellow-monks Dom Bernard Orchard and Dom Gregory Murray – the traditionally maintained priority of the Gospel according to Matthew, Butler published a critique of the Two-document hypothesis and a study of the indebtedness of the Gospel according to Luke to the Gospel according to Matthew (cf. Synoptic Problem).

[edit] Role at Vatican II

It was in his capacity as Abbot President (1961-1966) of the English Benedictine Congregation and as an outstanding scripture scholar, that Butler was called to Rome to participate in Vatican II (1962-1965). He was one of maybe two dozen "men who made the Council", contributing, often in fluent Latin, to many of the Council's documents, e.g. The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) which he regarded as their very underpinning, and subsequently was a strong proponent of the teachings of Vatican II.

[edit] Publications

Butler was a prolific writer, a bibliography of his books, articles and reviews running to some 337 titles. He was a popular guest on the BBC's radio programmes.

[edit] External links


This article includes information from the Vatican II – Voice of the Church website.


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