J. R. Sheets, S.J.
Virginal Concepiion-Fact and Faith Raymond Brown's reflection on the virginal conception predictably elicited hosts of comments. They ranged frmn open hostility to uncritical acceptance. The author believes that all but one missed Brown's central point-infallibility. He has his own reservations about B's methodology on this precise point.
Over two years have passed since Raymond Brown published his original article on the virginal conception ("The Problem of the Virginal Conception of Jesus," Theological Studies (1972) 3-34). In the fo)lowing year the same article with a few clarifications appeared in book form together with a companion article on the resurrection, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus (New York, 1973). Discounting the initial reactions which were often uncritically offensive, or those, on the other hand, which were equally uncritical in their defense, the reviews which appeared subsequently have been quite varied. However, it is striking that none of them hit squarely the main point Brown was trying to make. (Here let me summarize some observations on the Brown article: "Thomas Comerford Lawler, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, 1972, p. 61-6, relying mainly on J. N. D. Kelly's Early Christian Creeds, finds historical inaccuracies in Brown's argumentations. Quentin Quesnell is very positive in his as279