The world’s leading collection of Roman Catholic magisterial texts, known as the Denzinger compendium, is set to undergo significant changes under the leadership of Michael Seewald, Professor of Dogmatics at the University of Münster. Seewald takes over from Peter Hünermann, who has edited the compendium for more than three decades and produced its current 45th edition, published by Herder.
A key feature of the forthcoming edition is the inclusion of more historical documents, particularly those from the late Middle Ages. Seewald highlighted the relevance of reform-era councils such as the Council of Constance (1414–1418), which addressed questions of Church authority and governance.
“The Church is currently searching for a synodal structure,” he says. “The late medieval reform councils, such as the Council of Constance, made groundbreaking statements on this. It has long received little attention in dogmatics, but today it could be of interest again. It therefore deserves more space in Denzinger.”
Seewald’s initiative reflects a broader interest in the historical development of Church doctrine and governance. The new edition will be part of the seven-year CREDENZ (Critical Edition of the Denzinger) project, which combines editorial work with research on the formation and evolution of dogmatic norms. Funded by Seewald’s 2025 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize—Germany’s most prestigious academic award—the project aims to deepen scholarly understanding of how Church teaching has changed over time.
Founded in 1854 by Heinrich Denzinger, the compendium has long been an indispensable tool for theologians. It collects magisterial texts—decisions issued by synods or, later, by the papacy—presenting them in their original languages, usually Latin, alongside translations. The work has played a central role in both academic study and official Church documents: for example, the Second Vatican Council’s Lumen Gentium alone cited Denzinger 45 times.
Seewald confirmed that any changes to the structure of the compendium will be made cautiously to preserve the established numbering system, which enables scholars to find familiar texts quickly. Future citations will bear the abbreviation “DS” (Denzinger-Seewald), continuing a tradition of referencing the editor’s name alongside the compendium’s numbering.
Hünermann expressed his confidence in his successor. “I am passing this work on to Michael Seewald in friendship,” he says. “The Denzinger will be in good hands with him.”
Seewald likewise praised Hünermann’s editorial legacy, promising to uphold the principles of “independence, accuracy and textual fidelity.”
The ‘Denzinger’ – Current edition
The renewed attention to the medieval councils in Denzinger highlights their ongoing relevance to contemporary debates about synodal governance within the Catholic Church. For medievalists, these additions promise to shed new light on the theological and political thought that shaped the Church during one of its most transformative centuries.
Top Image: Handover of the editorship of the ‘Denzinger’ compendium from Professor of Dogmatics Peter Hünermann to Michael Seewald, Professor of Dogmatics and History of Dogma at the University of Münster. Photo by Exzellenzcluster „Religion und Politik“, Universität Münster, Silas Stein
The world’s leading collection of Roman Catholic magisterial texts, known as the Denzinger compendium, is set to undergo significant changes under the leadership of Michael Seewald, Professor of Dogmatics at the University of Münster. Seewald takes over from Peter Hünermann, who has edited the compendium for more than three decades and produced its current 45th edition, published by Herder.
A key feature of the forthcoming edition is the inclusion of more historical documents, particularly those from the late Middle Ages. Seewald highlighted the relevance of reform-era councils such as the Council of Constance (1414–1418), which addressed questions of Church authority and governance.
“The Church is currently searching for a synodal structure,” he says. “The late medieval reform councils, such as the Council of Constance, made groundbreaking statements on this. It has long received little attention in dogmatics, but today it could be of interest again. It therefore deserves more space in Denzinger.”
Seewald’s initiative reflects a broader interest in the historical development of Church doctrine and governance. The new edition will be part of the seven-year CREDENZ (Critical Edition of the Denzinger) project, which combines editorial work with research on the formation and evolution of dogmatic norms. Funded by Seewald’s 2025 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize—Germany’s most prestigious academic award—the project aims to deepen scholarly understanding of how Church teaching has changed over time.
Founded in 1854 by Heinrich Denzinger, the compendium has long been an indispensable tool for theologians. It collects magisterial texts—decisions issued by synods or, later, by the papacy—presenting them in their original languages, usually Latin, alongside translations. The work has played a central role in both academic study and official Church documents: for example, the Second Vatican Council’s Lumen Gentium alone cited Denzinger 45 times.
Seewald confirmed that any changes to the structure of the compendium will be made cautiously to preserve the established numbering system, which enables scholars to find familiar texts quickly. Future citations will bear the abbreviation “DS” (Denzinger-Seewald), continuing a tradition of referencing the editor’s name alongside the compendium’s numbering.
Hünermann expressed his confidence in his successor. “I am passing this work on to Michael Seewald in friendship,” he says. “The Denzinger will be in good hands with him.”
Seewald likewise praised Hünermann’s editorial legacy, promising to uphold the principles of “independence, accuracy and textual fidelity.”
The renewed attention to the medieval councils in Denzinger highlights their ongoing relevance to contemporary debates about synodal governance within the Catholic Church. For medievalists, these additions promise to shed new light on the theological and political thought that shaped the Church during one of its most transformative centuries.
Top Image: Handover of the editorship of the ‘Denzinger’ compendium from Professor of Dogmatics Peter Hünermann to Michael Seewald, Professor of Dogmatics and History of Dogma at the University of Münster. Photo by Exzellenzcluster „Religion und Politik“, Universität Münster, Silas Stein
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