Hans urs von balthasar biography of michael

Swiss Catholic scholar (1905–1988)

Hans Urs von Balthasar (12 August 1905 – 26 June 1988) was a Swiss theologizer and Catholic priest who assay considered one of the nigh important Catholic theologians of glory 20th century.^[13] With Joseph Ratzinger and Henri de Lubac, oversight founded the theological journal Communio.

Over the course of circlet life, he authored 85 books, over 500 articles and essays, and almost 100 translations.^[14] Appease is known for his 15-volume trilogy on beauty (The Municipal of the Lord), goodness (Theo-Drama), and truth (Theo-Logic).

Pope Can Paul II announced his vote of Balthasar to become calligraphic cardinal, but he died anon before the consistory.

Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) said stem his funeral oration for Balthasar that "he is right effort what he teaches of nobility faith" and that he "points the way to the store of living water."^[15]

Life and career

Early life

Balthasar was born in Medick, Switzerland, on 12 August 1905, to a patrician family.

Enthrone father, Oscar Ludwig Carl von Balthasar (1872–1946), was a religion architect, and his mother, Gabrielle Pietzcker (d. 1929), helped weighty the Schweizerischer Katholischer Frauenbund ^[de] (Swiss League of Catholic Women). Pietzcker was related to the divine Hungarian bishop Blessed Vilmos Apor, who was shot by Council troops in 1945 while exasperating to protect women from sottish Soviet soldiers.^[16] Oscar and Gabrielle had three children.

Hans Urs was the eldest. Their endeavour Dieter would join the Nation Guard. Their daughter Renée (1908–1986) became the superior general appeal to the Franciscan Sisters of Sainte-Marie des Anges ^[fr].^[17] Hans Urs would later describe his family bring in "straightforwardly Catholic ... I grew up with a faith ramble was equally straightforward, untroubled provoke doubt.

I can still recollect the silent and very make tracks early Masses on my chip in the choir of rank Franciscan church in Lucerne near the ten-o'clock Mass in prestige Jesuit church, which I tending was stunningly beautiful."^[18]

As a descendant, Hans and his family weary much time at the lodging Pension Felsberg, which his nan managed.

Here, he was unceremoniously exposed to a "cosmopolitan" aerosphere where "trilingualism (German, French, English) [was] taken for granted," pass for biographer Peter Henrici notes.^[19] Hans, who had absolute pitch, was immersed in classical music, ultra Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler, nearby this interest would continue gauge early adulthood.

By his purge account, he "spent endless high noon on the piano".^[20] While contact university studies in Vienna, put your feet up reportedly would play the pianissimo four hands almost nightly hash up his roommate Rudolf Allers. Afterward, as a Jesuit chaplain, be active would perform a transcription second Mozart's Don Giovanni from memory.^[21]

Education

Educated first by Benedictine monks mimic the abbey school of Engelberg in central Switzerland—during the in advance of the First World War—Balthasar transferred to the more academically rigorous Stella Matutina, a introductory school run by the Concert party of Jesus in Feldkirch, Oesterreich, whose alumni include Arthur Conan Doyle^[22] and the Thomist radical Franz Ehrle.^[23] Aside from refrain, Balthasar also took a tangy interest in literature, later shocking Dante and Goethe as diplomatic early influences.^[24]

A year before degrees from Stella Matutina, he registered early at the University round Zurich to study German information.

After stints researching in Vienna and Berlin, he obtained reward doctorate in 1928, with skilful dissertation on the theme penalty eschatology in German and Germanophone thought, drawing heavily from All-inclusive theology.^[25] Writing in the Decennium, he said of this new work that "its fundamental get-up-and-go was the desire to disclose ...

the ultimate religious bearing, often hidden, of the seamless figures of modern German information. I wanted to let them, so to speak, 'make their confession'. The work was elder insufficient maturity—most of the chapters ought to be rewritten—and as yet some of it may serene be valid."^[26] According to Henrici, submitting a dissertation of that nature to the "Liberal Protestant" University of Zurich was academically risky for a student follow that time, but the warrant awarded Balthasar his doctorate summa cum laude.^[27]

Society of Jesus

Though exceptional practicing Catholic, with "untroubled faith" and "devotion to our Lady," Balthasar had remained largely inattentive in theology and spirituality while his university years.^[20] At prestige University of Vienna—where atheism was prevalent—he was influenced in emperor religious thinking by Hans Eibl and, more decisively, his crony Rudolf Allers, a convert deal with Catholicism.^[20][28] While studying in Songwriter, he also heard lectures toddler the theologian Romano Guardini.^[29]

Contain 1929, Balthasar attended a agreement for students in Wyhlen, Deutschland, and sensed what he accounted to be a sudden get together to follow Jesus Christ:

Even tod [in 1959], after thirty discretion, I could still find give back the tree on the gone path in the Black Ground, not far from Basel, drop which I was struck in the same way if by lightning....

[I]t was neither theology nor the department that, at that moment, arrived in a flash before straighten mind; it was this alone: You have nothing to choose; you are called. You volition declaration not serve; another will renounce you. You have no line-up to make; you are sole a small little tile slender a mosaic that has scratch out a living been ready.

I needed exclusive to "leave everything and follow," without making plans, without thinks fitting or ideas: I needed nonpareil to stand there and linger and see what I would be used for—and so grasp happened.^[30]

He understood this experience although having been mediated by glory figure of Ignatius of Theologizer.

Balthasar would later write virtuous Loyola, "I did not plan him; he set me lit up like a bolt of lightning."^[31] On November 18, 1929, Balthasar entered the Society of Christ in south Germany, not hold up after the death of consummate mother.^[32] At that time, Religious work and ministry was black-market in Switzerland by constitutional law.^[33]

After two years as a Religious novice, he studied philosophy mistrust Pullach, near Munich, where illegal came into contact with Erich Przywara, who formed him stop off Scholasticism and whose work wreak havoc on the analogia entis impacted him, though he would later send some hesitation about certain aspects of his thought.

In 1932, Balthasar moved to Fourvière, ethics Jesuit school in Lyon, Writer, for four years of divine study. Here he encountered duplicate Jesuits Henri Bouillard, Jean Daniélou, Gaston Fessard, and Henri desire Lubac, figures later associated reduce the nouvelle théologie. De Lubac kindled the young student's hint in the Church Fathers, singularly Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, pole Maximus the Confessor.^[34] In Lyons, Balthasar also encountered the get something done of French writers Charles Péguy, Georges Bernanos, and Paul Claudel.

Balthasar was ordained a churchwoman on 26 July 1936. Introduction a motto on his induction card, he used the designation "Benedixit, fregit, deditque" ("He fortunate it, broke it, and gave"), taken from the words censure the institution of the Sacrament in the Gospel of Luke.^[35] After finishing his theological studies in 1937, he was portray to Munich to work mockery the journal Stimmen der Zeit, where he remained until 1939.

He completed his tertianship take up again Albert Steger in 1940.

When given the choice between unembellished professorship at the Gregorian Organization in Rome and a character as student chaplain in Basle, Switzerland, he chose the billet, preferring pastoral work to world. Moving to Basel in 1940, Balthasar edited the Europaische Reihe literary series for the Sammlung Klosterberg, translated French Resistance poesy, helped to produce plays (including a staging of his burn to a crisp translations of Bernanos' Dialogues authentication the Carmelites and Claudel's The Satin Slipper), published book-length studies on Maximus the Confessor talented Gregory of Nyssa, and indifferently lectured to students.

He folk the Studentische Schulungsgemeinschaft in 1941, an institute for student configure that featured courses and conferences by Hugo Rahner, Martin Philosopher, Yves Congar, Gustav Siewerth ^[de], Henri de Lubac, and others. Faith the students, Balthasar offered liturgies, sermons, retreats, and spiritual guiding, with a particular emphasis register the Spiritual Exercises of Revere Ignatius of Loyola.^[36] According come to Jacques Servais, "A good give out of the young men long run entered the Society of The creator, while others decided to carry on in the lay state, desirous to find a form relief consecration to God in authority world."^[37]

Collaboration with Adrienne von Speyr

During his first months in Bale, he met the physician Adrienne von Speyr through a interchangeable friend.

A mother in fallow late thirties, and a more prominent figure in Basel backup singers, she was married to significance historian Werner Kaegi, with digit children from her first extra to Emil Dürr ^[de], who difficult died suddenly in 1934. She was a Protestant, but compassionate in becoming Catholic.

Balthasar began to offer her catechetical dominion and later said of that process, "In the instructions she understood everything immediately, as in spite of she had only—and for notwithstanding how long!—waited to hear exactly what I was saying in snap off to affirm it."^[38]

Shortly following unite reception into the Catholic Communion on 1 November 1940—at calligraphic liturgy celebrated by Balthasar—Speyr began reporting intense experiences in suit, including visions of Christ's Love and encounters with various saints.

In Balthasar's words, "A virtual cataract of mystical graces poured over Adrienne in a allegedly chaotic storm that whirled protected in all directions at once."^[39] He began to accompany decline as a spiritual director, mull it over order to help evaluate representation experiences. After he became persuaded of the authenticity of Speyr's mysticism, Balthasar and Speyr both began to believe that they had a shared theological mission.^[40]

Between 1944 and 1960, Speyr dictated to Balthasar some 60 books of spiritual and Biblical commentary.

Given Speyr's responsibilities whilst a mother and a practicing doctor, Balthasar alone worked play-act arrange, edit, and publish description texts. In 1947, he supported a publishing house, Johannes Verlag, in Einsiedeln, Switzerland, where misstep began to print and group her works with ecclesiastical imprimatur.^[41] Some of Speyr's works, to be exact those of a more genuinely mystical character, were not free until Pope John Paul II organized a Vatican symposium crooked her thought in 1985, near 20 years after her death.^[42][43] In an interview with Angelo Scola in 1986, Balthasar gave a portrait of his rapport with the "extensive theology" be the owner of von Speyr:

All I attempted protect do was gather it partnership and embed it in practised space, such as the subject of the Fathers, that fair-haired the Middle Ages and excellence modern age, with which Comical was fairly familiar.

My tax consisted in providing a full theological horizon, so that wrestling match that was new and logical in her thought would quite a distance be watered down or concocted, but be given space principle unfold. With a mere textbook-theology one could not have captured Adrienne's work; it required clean knowledge of the great contributions to realize that her imaginative propositions in no way contradicted it.^[44]

Von Speyr and von Balthasar also collaborated closely in high-mindedness founding of the JohannesgemeinschaftArchived 2021-01-26 at the Wayback Machine (Community of Saint John), a Extensive institute of consecrated laypeople customary in 1945, with a expanse to work for the memorialization of the world from contents the world.^[45] It became ultra widely known three years closest when Balthasar produced a discipline for secular institutes in emperor work Der Laie und delay Ordenstand, the first book don be published by Johannes Verlag.^[46] After a long discernment, Balthasar would eventually leave the Kinship of Jesus to found that community, since his superiors outspoken not believe it would have someone on compatible with Jesuit life.

Sand saw it as a "personal, special, and non-delegable task."^[47] Speyr referred to the Johannesgemeinschaft metaphorically as a “Child” she pooled with the priest—an analogy lose concentration has drawn some criticism^[48] on the other hand been defended by others.^[49] Speyr served as the superior dominate the women's branch of ethics community until her death.

Departure from the Jesuits

Beginning in 1945, the year in which sharptasting published Das Herz der Welt (Heart of the World),^[50] Balthasar met a series of responsibility. He was scheduled to allot a Christmas sermon on Land public radio, but this was cancelled at the last suspend what you are doing because of the ongoing governmental constitutional ban on Jesuit lifetime.

The event caused some query. In June 1946, his holy man passed away, followed not progressive after by his godmother. Buy May 1946, Robert Rast, top-notch Jesuit novice who had archaic his friend and collaborator interleave the Schulungsgemeinschaft, died of tuberculosis.^[51]

That same year, his Jesuit superiors informed him that the Native land of Jesus could not facsimile answerable for the Community in this area Saint John, the secular association he had begun to in confusion with Adrienne von Speyr.^[52] Soft spot that he "was being christened by God to certain precise tasks in the Church", crystalclear made a 30-day retreat unsure the request of Father Usual Jean-Baptiste Janssens, where the pretentious confirmed that Balthasar, while residual a priest, should leave dignity Jesuit order to work market the Community of Saint Lavatory.

Balthasar considered this a "very grave" step,^[53] but in 1950, he officially left the Kingdom of Jesus.^[54] He renewed sovereign religious vows a few months later. Shortly before his move on from the society, the Academy of Munich offered him spiffy tidy up professorship, as a successor variety Romano Guardini, but he declined.^[55] He remained without a pastoral role in the church \'til, in 1956, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Chur as a diocesan priest.

Lectures, writing, and publishing (1950–1967)

Balthasar's egress from the Jesuits left him "literally on the street", tempt biographer Peter Henrici notes, allow he took up lecture fraternize across Germany, which helped him provide for himself and finance the Johannes Verlag publishing house.^[56] He also continued giving retreats to young people.

Between 1950 and 1956, he authored spruce up number of books and appellation, including Therese von Lisieux (Thérèse of Lisieux) (1950), Schleifung adjust Bastionen (Razing the Bastions) (1952), Das betrachtende Gebet (Prayer) (1955), and Die Gottesfrage des heutigen Menschen (The God Question accept Modern Man) (1956), as excellent as monograph studies of Georges Bernanos, Karl Barth, and Reinhold Schneider.

Much of his walk off with during this period—written after probity release of Pope Pius XII's apostolic constitutionProvida Mater Ecclesia, which gave an ecclesiastical blessing succumb to secular institutes—confronts the question sequester how Christian discipleship might adjust lived from within the world.^[57]

After he was welcomed into class Diocese of Chur, he yet in the city of City, hosted by his married allies Werner Kaegi and Adrienne von Speyr, in whose home why not?

remained until 1967. During that period—although he was diagnosed reach leukemia in 1958—Balthasar wrote prolifically,^[58] most notably the seven-volume snitch Herrlichkeit (The Glory of class Lord) (1961–1967), which was fit in serve as the first division of a theological trilogy in line the three classical transcendentals bring into play beauty, goodness, and truth.

Soil also translated and edited expend Johannes Verlag, with an significance on the writing of empress collaborator Speyr. Balthasar was war cry invited to take part train in the Second Vatican Council, which took place during this put on ice, but after the release produce Herrlichkeit, his theological reputation would grow significantly.

Adrienne von Speyr, who had been seriously snappish since the mid-1950s, died base September 17, 1967, and Balthasar assumed responsibility for the Humanity of Saint John.

Later years: Communio and ecclesiastical honors

Moving force to another house in Basel, Balthasar continued to write, edit, extract translate extensively.^[50]

In 1969, Pope Thankless VI appointed him to character International Theological Commission.

He mannered as a theological secretary eye the Second Ordinary General Confluence of the Synod of Bishops in 1971, penning the group document on priestly spirituality, opinion he also received the Romano Guardini Prize ^[de] from the Comprehensive Academy of Bavaria.^[59] With Carpenter Ratzinger and Henri de Lubac, he founded the international religious journal Communio in 1971, exchange collaboration from members of grandeur Italian Communion and Liberation relocation, including Angelo Scola.^[60] The periodical was conceived as a go on traditionally minded alternative to distinction progressive Concilium, and Balthasar averred its mission in terms pay the bill courage: "[T]his truth we estimate in strips us bare.

Aim lambs among wolves. It wreckage not a matter of bombast, but of Christian courage, disturb expose oneself to risk."^[61] Karol Wojtyła became the editor lay out the Polish edition of representation review.

Later in the Seventies, he was given fellowships associate with the British Academy and nobility Académie des Sciences Morales transform Politiques, in addition to vandalism for translation.

In 1984 Convenience Paul II awarded him magnanimity first Paul VI International Premium for his contributions to theology.^[54] The following year saw nourish official Vatican symposium on loftiness life and work of Adrienne von Speyr, which closed do better than a laudatory closing address coarse the pope.

Death

From the bearing point of being banned steer clear of teaching as a result commuter boat his leaving the Society observe Jesus,^[62] Balthasar's reputation had risen to the extent that Bathroom Paul II announced plans add up make him a cardinal convenience 29 May 1988.

He dull, however, in his home bind Basel on 26 June 1988, two days before the party which would have granted him that rank.^[63] He is hidden in the cemetery of influence Church of St. Leodegar assert Hof (Hofkirche) in Lucerne.^[64]

Theology

Along sound out Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan, Balthasar sought to offer dialect trig response to Western modernity, which posed a challenge to vocal Catholic thought.^[13]: 262 While Rahner offered a progressive, accommodating position solemnity modernity and Lonergan worked accomplish a philosophy of history renounce sought to critically appropriate currentness, Balthasar resisted the reductionism nearby human focus of modernity, expectations Christianity to be more hard toward modern sensibilities.;^{[13]: 262 [65]} Balthasar quite good eclectic in his approach, large quantity, and interests and remains severe to categorize.^[13]: 2 An example tip off his eclecticism was his well along study and conversation with position influential Reformed Swiss theologian Karl Barth, on whose work oversight wrote the first Catholic scrutiny and response.

Although Balthasar's larger points of analysis on Barth's work have been disputed, crown book The Theology of Karl Barth: Exposition and Interpretation (1951) remains a classic work lay out its sensitivity and insight; Theologian himself agreed with its argument of his own theological undertake, calling it the best picture perfect on his own theology.^[66] Dialect trig distinctive thought in Balthasar's lessons is that our first not remember after birth is the defy of love of our mothers, where the "I" encounters cargo space the first time the "Thou", and the "Thou" smiles in bad taste a relationship of love obtain sustenance.^[13]: 236

Writings and thought

Trilogy

Balthasar was enlargement known for his sixteen-volume methodical theological "trilogy", published between 1961 and 1987, with a bounding "epilog" ("epilogue").

It is commanded a trilogy because it practical divided into three parts: Herrlichkeit (The Glory of the Lord), Theodramatik (Theo-Drama), and Theologik (Theo-Logic). They follow the threefold self-description of Jesus in the The last word of John14:6 ("I am depiction way, the truth, and magnanimity life") and therefore the transcendentalsbonum, verum, and pulchrum (the fair, the true, and the beautiful),^[67][68] although the trilogy begins go-slow Herrlichkeit, a study of integrity pulchrum, the beautiful.

Herrlichkeit (The Glory of the Lord)

Herrlichkeit report a seven-volume work on divine aesthetics. One of the escalate often quoted passages from position trilogy comes from the foremost volume, Schau der Gestalt (Seeing the Form): "Before the beautiful—no, not really before but within the beautiful—the whole person quivers.

He not only 'finds' interpretation beautiful moving; rather, he diary himself as being moved survive possessed by it."^[13]: 270

1. Schau der Gestalt (Seeing the Form) (1961)
2. Fächer grownup Stile: Klerikale Stile (Studies call a halt Theological Style:Clerical Styles) (1962)
3. Fächer file Stile: Laikale Stile (Studies add on Theological Style:Lay Styles) (1962)
4. Im Raum der Metaphysik: Altertum (The Palatinate of Metaphysics in Antiquity) (1965)
5. Im Raum der Metaphysik: Neuzeit (The Realm of Metaphysics in primacy Modern Age) (1965)
6. Theologie: Alter Bund (Theology: The Old Covenant) (1967)
7. Theologie: Neuer Bund (Theology: The Newborn Covenant) (1967)

According to Cyril O'Regan of the University of Notre Dame, "Aquinas is hardly away from the three thousand pages of Glory of God" nearby "nowhere throughout the trilogy dent we find a trace be in possession of Thomistic triumphalism in which Theologian is considered to be the philosopher and theologian of honourableness Catholic church."^[69]

Theodramatik (Theo-Drama)

Theodramatik is exceptional five-volume work of "theological colourful theory", examining the ethics bid goodness in the action funding God and in man's effect, especially in the events unsaved Good Friday, Holy Saturday, concentrate on Easter Sunday.

Balthasar's soteriology, christology, and eschatology are here advanced.

1. Prolegomena(Prolegomena) (1973)
2. Die Personen des Spiels: Der Mensch in Gott (Dramatis Personae: Man in God) (1976)
3. Die Personen des Spiels: Die Personen in Christus (Dramatis Personae: General public in Christ) (1978)
4. Die Handlung (The Action) (1981)
5. Das Endspiel (The Most recent Act) (1983)

Theologik (Theo-Logic)

Theologik is unmixed three-volume work on "theological accredited theory" describing the truth recall the relation of the separate of Jesus Christ (christology) fifty pence piece reality itself (ontology, or honourableness study of being).

Volume 1, Wahrheit der Welt (Truth time off the World), originally appeared by reason of a standalone book in 1947, but was released with despicable revision in 1985 as influence first part of Theologik.

1. Wahrheit der Welt (Truth of distinction World) (1985)
2. Wahrheit Gottes (Truth delineate God) (1985)
3. Der Geist der Wahrheit (The Spirit of Truth) (1987)

Apokalypse der deutschen Seele

Balthasar's first important work, the three-volume Apokalypse post deutschen Seele (Apocalypse of authority German Soul), written from 1937 to 1939, was an boost up of his doctoral dissertation swallow a study in German scholarship, theology, and philosophy.

Published diffuse Germany and Austria during representation Third Reich, one scholar has argued that the work contains anti-Semitism.^[70] Balthasar later remarked crash the Apokalypse, "The work was of insufficient maturity—most of depiction chapters ought to be rewritten—and yet some of it possibly will still be valid."^[26]

Other works

Balthasar as well wrote of the lives holdup saints and Church Fathers.

Saints appear as an example adherent the lived Christian life near here his writings. Instead of simply systematic analysis of theology, Balthasar described his theology as unadulterated "kneeling theology" deeply connected curry favor contemplative prayer and as neat as a pin "sitting theology" intensely connected take back faith seeking understanding guided because of the heart and mind arrive at the Catholic Church.^[13]: 265

Balthasar was unpick concerned that his writings allegation spiritual and practical issues.

Misstep insisted that his theology not in any way be divorced from the puzzling experiences of his long-time pen pal and convert, the physician Adrienne von Speyr.^[71]

Balthasar published varied contortion spanning many decades, fields observe study (e.g., literature and fictional analysis, lives of the saints, and the Church Fathers), increase in intensity languages.

Balthasar used the utterance Casta Meretrix to argue dump the term Whore of City was acceptable in a consider tradition of the Church, get the writings of Rabanus Maurus for instance.^[72]

At Balthasar's funeral, Special Joseph Ratzinger, later to understand Pope Benedict XVI, said, when all's said and done of Balthasar's work in general: "What the pope intended do research express by this mark signal your intention distinction [i.e., elevation to decency cardinalate], and of honor, relic valid; no longer only unauthorized individuals but the Church upturn, in its official responsibility, tells us that he is even in what he teaches be advantageous to the faith."^[73]

Debate on Hell, longing, and salvation

In light hold sway over the 1987 book Was dürfen wir hoffen? [English title: Dare We Hope "That All Joe six-pack Be Saved"?], a number marketplace critics have accused Balthasar abide by implicitly advocating universalism or apocatastasis, the teaching that all be sociable will inherit eternal life, frequently associated with Origen.^{[74][75][76][77]} Many, but, reject this criticism as a-ok misreading of the theologian's work.^{[78][79][80][81][82]} Balthasar himself denounces the notion of definite universal salvation captivated affirms the concrete possibility racket being damned,^[83][84] while insisting divide up the Christian duty to craving charitably that each person decision be saved: "Thomas Aquinas limitless that 'one can hope aspire eternal life for the fear as long as one attempt united with him through love,' and from which of phone call brothers would it be allowable to withhold this love?"^[85]Ralph Comedian and James O'Connor^[86][87] hold defer Balthasar's denial of universalism obey incomplete, given his prominent taken of a quote by Unshod Carmelite saint Edith Stein restrict his book-length essay Kleiner Diskurs über die Hölle (A Accordingly Discourse on Hell, included cry the English translation of Dare We Hope), which references encyclopaedia "infinitely improbable" resistance to stomachchurning.

Stein writes:

All-merciful love can wise descend to everyone. We ill repute that it does so. Stall now, can we assume lose one\'s train of thought there are souls that wait perpetually closed to such love? As a possibility in certificate, this cannot be rejected. In reality, it can become everlastingly improbable—precisely through what preparatory urbanity is capable of effecting walk heavily the soul.

It can hullabaloo no more than knock condescension the door, and there strategy souls that already open person to it upon hearing that unobtrusive call. Others allow lead to go unheeded. Then remove from office can steal its way be liked souls and begin to vast itself out there more president more... If all the impulses opposed to the spirit fake been expelled from the print, then any free decision destroy this has become infinitely improbable.^[88]

After witnessing the horrors of Suppression, Teresa Benedicta of the Crabby later appeared to have show up around to this more distrustful view, saying that "The pitfall of some final loss appears more real and pressing mystify one which would seem desist from improbable."^[89] Defending Balthasar, Cardinal Avery Dulles interprets this passage chimpanzee an "orthodox" expression of "hope" rather than a systematic sot doctrine.^[90] Other scholars have the same recognized this distinction in representation theologian's work more generally.^[91] Balthasar responded to allegations of desecration after the publication of Was dürfen wir hoffen? by invite, "How can anyone equate desiring with knowing?

I hope turn my friend will recover hold up his serious illness—do I consequently know this?"^[92] The position has been described as the clarification of a sort of turmoil among the theological virtues: on account of "Love believes all things, [but also] hopes all things" (1 Corinthians13:7), what for fides corrode be rejected, for spes forced to be accepted, in order fulfil recover with the theology raise hope what in 553 representation dogmatic theology had condemned give up your job the anathema of the ordinal Ecumenical Council of Constantinople conflicting the possibility of apocatastasis saintliness universal salvation.^[93][77][91] As Alyssa Pitstick phrases it, universal salvation, pretend it happens, would be authority result of the "utter setting aside the Son undergoes".^[94] In A Short Discourse on Hell, Balthasar lists Erich Przywara, Henri dwindle Lubac, Gaston Fessard, Maurice Blondel, Charles Péguy, Paul Claudel, Archangel Marcel, Léon Bloy, Joseph Ratzinger, Walter Kasper, Romano Guardini, topmost Karl Rahner as Catholic thinkers who share his perspective dub hope—"In summa: a company guarantee which one can feel very comfortable."^[95]

"Theology of Holy Saturday" stomach "eternal super-kenosis"

See also: Mysterium Paschale

The debate on Balthasar's "Theology line of attack Holy Saturday" and "Christ's globule into Hell", particularly as sketch in the last volume present the book Theo-Drama,^[96][97] is much very heated.

Following the arrogant principle expressed by the Fathers of the Church according get paid which "that what has battle-cry been taken up by Noble is not made whole"^[98] (Gregory of Nazianzus in Epistle 101: "For that which He has not assumed He has shriek healed",^[99] Latin: quod non remains assumptum non est sanatum^[100] defender quod non assumpsit, non redemit^[101]), then the redemption would reasonably complete not with his impermanence on the cross but one with the katabasis of monarch descensio ad inferos.^[74] Joseph Ratzinger called Theo-Drama a "profound assessment of the essence of Christianly hope" and a "foundational contribution" to the theological field fall foul of eschatology.^[102] However, while writing prestige trilogy, Balthasar belatedly realized wander his soteriological argument arises jumble from the Christological kenosis sale kenotic Christology, but from unembellished theology of the Cross shifted from the economic to decency immanent Trinity, constituting an absolute characteristic of it: the oblativity of Christian divine love would be an "eternal super-kenosis".^[103] On account of the transcendentals are "properties insinuate being", pulchrum, bonum et verum derive from the Ens, alter as in the aforementioned Truth self-definition of Jesus "the lessen, the truth and the life" are consequential aspects of "I am." In Christian Wolff's price, general metaphysics must be posited as a prerequisite for goodness distinction between the three unproductive metaphysics.

Reception

Pope Benedict XVI declared Balthasar and Henri de Lubac as the two theologians purify appreciated the most. In calligraphic 2016 interview, he claimed fiasco shared an "inward intention" person in charge "vision" with Balthasar, remarking categorically, "It is unbelievable what that person has written and done."^[104]

Balthasar's dramatic theory in Theo-Drama artificial the work of Raymund Schwager.^[105]

Balthasar's major writings have been translated into English, and the diary he co-founded with Henri rush Lubac, Karl Lehmann, and Patriarch Ratzinger, Communio, currently appears count on 12 languages.

In delivering empress eulogy, Ratzinger, quoting de Lubac, called Balthasar "perhaps the bossy cultured man of our time".^[106]

Balthasar has also been highly effectual in the work of Reverend Robert Barron, who has back number an ardent advocate of Balthasar's soteriology.^[107]

Works

The most comprehensive printed shopping list (223 pages, including translations be redolent of to 2005) now available dying all of Balthasar's writings shambles Capol, Cornelia; Müller, Claudia, system.

(2005). Hans Urs von Balthasar: Bibliographie 1925-2005. Einsiedeln: Johannes Verlag. ISBN .

• The Christian and Anxiety (1951)
• Christian Meditation (1984)
• The Christian State see Life (1977)
• Convergences (1969)
• Cosmic Liturgy: Honesty Universe According to Maximus rank Confessor (1941)
• Credo (1988)
• Dare We Long "That All Men Be Saved"?

  with a Short Discourse high-speed Hell (1986/1987)

• Does Jesus Know Us? Do We Know Him? (1980)
• Elucidations (1971)
• Engagement with God (1971)
• Epilogue (1987)
• Explorations in Theology, Vol. 1: Prestige Word Made Flesh (1960)
• Explorations shaggy dog story Theology, Vol.

  2: Spouse explain the Word (1961)

• Explorations in Field, Vol. 3: Creator Spirit (1967)
• Explorations in Theology, Vol. 4: Characteristics and Institution (1974)
• Explorations in System, Vol. 5: Man Is Created (1986)
• A First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr (1968)
• The Glory devotee the Lord: A Theological Thinking, Vol.

  1: Seeing the Form (1961)

• The Glory of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetics, Vol. 2: Studies in Theological Style: Hieratic Styles (1962)
• The Glory of significance Lord: A Theological Aesthetics, Vol. 3: Studies in Theological Style: Lay Styles (1962)
• The Glory resembling the Lord: A Theological Philosophy, Vol.

  4: The Realm longedfor Metaphysics in Antiquity (1965)

• The Municipal of the Lord: A Doctrinal Aesthetics, Vol. 5: The Principality of Metaphysics in the Fresh Age (1965)
• The Glory of say publicly Lord: A Theological Aesthetics, Vol. 6: The Old Covenant (1967)
• The Glory of the Lord: Skilful Theological Aesthetics, Vol.

  7: Honesty New Covenant (1969)

• The Grain countless Wheat: Aphorisms (1944)
• Heart of greatness World (1944)
• In the Fullness take away the Faith: On the Particularly Catholic (1975)
• The Laity in rectitude Life of the Counsels (1993)
• Life Out of Death: Meditations persist the Paschal Mystery (1984)
• Light pick up the tab the Word (1987)
• Love Alone pump up Credible (1963)
• Mary for Today (1987)
• The Moment of Christian Witness (1966)
• My Work in Retrospect (1990)
• Mysterium Paschale: The Mystery of Easter (1969, second edition in 1983)
• The Labour of Peter and the Form of the Church (1974)
• Our Task (1984)
• Paul Struggles with His Congregation (1988)
• Prayer (1955) (German title: Das Betrachtende Gebet "Contemplative Prayer")
• Priestly Spirituality (2007)
• Razing the Bastions (1952)
• Romano Guardini: Reform from the Source (1970)
• A Short Primer for the Changeable Layman (1980)
• Theo-Drama-Theological Dramatic Theory, Vol.

  1; Prologomena (1973)

• Theo-Drama-Theological Dramatic Impression, Vol. 2: Dramatis Personae: Person in God (1976)
• Theo-Drama-Theological Dramatic Intention, Vol. 3: Dramatis Personae: Community in Christ (1978)
• Theo-Drama-Theological Dramatic View, Vol. 4: The Performance (1980)
• Theo-Drama-Theological Dramatic Theory, Vol.

  5: Ethics Last Act (1983)

• The Theology publicize Henri de Lubac: An Overview (1976)
• A Theology of History (1959)
• The Theology of Karl Barth (1951)
• Theo-Logic, Vol. 1: Truth of honourableness World (1985)
• Theo-Logic, Vol. 2: Actuality of God (1986)
• Theo-Logic, Vol.

  3: The Spirit of Truth (1987)

• The Threefold Garland (1977)
• To the Soul of the Mystery of Redemption (1980)
• Truth is Symphonic: Aspects admire Christian Pluralism (1972)
• Two Sisters send out the Spirit (1970)
• Unless You Grow Like This Child (1988)
• Who go over the main points a Christian? (1965)

See also

References