Tue MANY works of the French Oratorian Father Louis Bouyer have firmly established his reputation as one of the leading Catholic theologians of today In THE Seat or Wisdom a stimulating study covering the range of Marian theology he examines the central mystery of the Incarnation and the vital role played by Mary in the divine plan as Mother of God The author declares that the role of Mary belongs to the very essence of the Christian message and thus accounts for all subsequent Catholic devotion to her The elimination of Mary from her role as the Mother of God would empty that message of its complete and awesome meaning as the fulfillment of God s promise Much that both Testaments disclose would be rendered unintelligible as Father Bouyer points out with regard to womanhood sexuality motherhood marriage virginity holiness God s union with His Spouse the Church divine and human love agape and eros sacrifice redemption indeed the whole range of revealed truths Father Bouyer s approach can only be described as truly ecumenical he shows how the defined dogmas of the Church relative to Mary are all grounded in Revelation and intimately connected with every part of it how Revelation acquires depths of meaning hitherto unsuspected when the Woman is seen in her proper relation to God and man The Seat or Wispom is the first in a trilogy planned to encompass a complete theology of creation This volume dealing with the role of Mary and man s destiny in the eyes of God is intended as a sketch of a supernatural anthropology The second volume will be on supernatural sociology or the Church the third will be a supernatural cosmology