This issue of New Blackfriars is the first to be published by Cambridge University Press. New Blackfriars was originally called Blackfriars and has a long history dating from 1920. With over a century of scholarship in its archive it is, therefore, one of the oldest religion journals currently published by Cambridge. It has had more than ten editors and has appeared in various formats with different publishers.Footnote 1 Now it has a new home, for which the English Dominican Province is extremely grateful.
New Blackfriars was founded by Fr Bede Jarrett OP (1881–1934). His aim was to provide English Dominicans and others with a place to publish quality articles and reviews on a wide range of questions relevant to theology, philosophy, social issues, and matters pertaining to culture and literature. More than a hundred years after it was launched, New Blackfriars is now accessible worldwide and retains the intention with which it began.
The first issue of the journal contained eight articles, only one of which was by a Dominican (Vincent McNabb OP). The most recent issue contained eleven articles, two of which were by Dominicans (Marc Millais OP and Michael Sherwin OP). This range of personnel among contributors to New Blackfriars reflects the lively interest in discussion and debate characteristic of Dominican scholarship for centuries. New Blackfriars welcomes articles dealing with a wide range of topics of concern to contemporary theologians and philosophers of religion. Additionally, the journal is open to publishing articles of interest to its broader readership, for it maintains a concern with current affairs and culture in general. Given its Dominican heritage, New Blackfriars also recognizes the historical and contemporary significance of St Thomas Aquinas. So, it welcomes articles dealing with the understanding and evaluation of his legacy.
Marking the centenary of New Blackfriars in April 2020, Fergus Kerr OP noted the circumstances under which the journal was first published, and he summarized the contents of its first issue.Footnote 2 He then rightly observed ‘How much the journal has changed over the century!’ Yet New Blackfriars has also displayed a notable continuity in its concern to publish excellent, peer-reviewed essays of theological and philosophical significance. With the assistance of its distinguished new publisher, it hopes to continue with its business as usual.
