French Dominican Marie Joseph Lagrange, founder in 1890 of the École Biblique in Jerusalem, d. March 10 1938. There he laid the groundwork for the eventual acceptance of modern biblical criticism in the church. He walked a razor’s edge, hoping to avoid condemnation while opening
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a path that others might follow. Urged not to publish work disputing traditional attribution of the Pentateuch to Moses, he replied: “Is this really how truth is served? Is it not the task of the present to prepare for the future? Can we ever move forward without taking steps?”
His bibliography listed over 1700 items. He did not live to see his work vindicated at Vatican II. But apart from his biblical studies, he stands as a heroic example of the Catholic scholar, equally committed to tradition, the community of faith, and the pursuit of truth.
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