This blog explores both historical and current events guided by the thought of the leading thinkers, past and present, of this school or movement of theology. Refer to the Classic Posts, Great and Contemporary Thinkers, various links of all kinds, in addition to the Archives themselves. David is the founder and manager of this website, but many friends contribute to it on a regular basis.
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Thursday, May 26, 2005
Trinitarian Doctrine and Moral Theology: Reflections after Balthasar
This article published in Communio is critical of Balthasar & communio ecclesiology.
David, I see the article more as a criticism of the absence of an elucidation of moral theology by Balthasar than of communio ecclesiology... did I miss something?
You're right - the main point of the article is Balthasar's refusal to construct an ethical system. There are several passages that explain this decision better than Bauerschmidt SJ does in his article. Perhaps he and I have focused on different aspects of Balthasar's works.
In section 1, Bauerschmidt manages to criticize Miroslav Volf without mentioning Ratzinger, whose communio ecclesiology is Volf's starting point. Footnote 42, which comes at the end of the article, pretty much equates Balthasar's trinitarian theology with what Bauerschmidt calls "social trinitarianism."
I find his critical remarks on "social trinitarianism" to be most interesting and valuable, but his criticism of Balthasar does not sufficiently take into account Balthasar's own concerns.
I wonder, for example, if he has read Balthasar's book on Reinhold Schneider, Tragedy Under Grace, which examines the manifestation of the Christian charism in history.
Mind you, I'm just an amateur on these topics, so if anyone would like to correct me, I look forward to it.
Damn! I knew you would ask that question. It is a theme I have been following for many years now. Tragedy Under Grace is a good place to begin, but it is somewhat difficult since almost none of Schneider's works are in English. If I find something good in the next few weeks, I'll ask David to post it.
I would add, for the moment . . . The saints are the epitome of human freedom in Christ; so, to organize them into a system seems like a nullification of their unexpected response to God's grace.
"A weak soul does not find its bliss by sharing that of a holy soul, and a holy soul does not find its bliss by sharing that of an angel. Rather, if the weak soul wishes to become blissful, let it strive toward what makes the holy soul blissful." (Augustine, qtd in Balthasar, Grain of Wheat).
5 comments:
David, I see the article more as a criticism of the absence of an elucidation of moral theology by Balthasar than of communio ecclesiology... did I miss something?
You're right - the main point of the article is Balthasar's refusal to construct an ethical system. There are several passages that explain this decision better than Bauerschmidt SJ does in his article. Perhaps he and I have focused on different aspects of Balthasar's works.
In section 1, Bauerschmidt manages to criticize Miroslav Volf without mentioning Ratzinger, whose communio ecclesiology is Volf's starting point. Footnote 42, which comes at the end of the article, pretty much equates Balthasar's trinitarian theology with what Bauerschmidt calls "social trinitarianism."
I find his critical remarks on "social trinitarianism" to be most interesting and valuable, but his criticism of Balthasar does not sufficiently take into account Balthasar's own concerns.
I wonder, for example, if he has read Balthasar's book on Reinhold Schneider, Tragedy Under Grace, which examines the manifestation of the Christian charism in history.
Mind you, I'm just an amateur on these topics, so if anyone would like to correct me, I look forward to it.
Fred, what are the passages you have in mind (that explain von B's decision)?
Damn! I knew you would ask that question. It is a theme I have been following for many years now. Tragedy Under Grace is a good place to begin, but it is somewhat difficult since almost none of Schneider's works are in English. If I find something good in the next few weeks, I'll ask David to post it.
I would add, for the moment . . .
The saints are the epitome of human freedom in Christ; so, to organize them into a system seems like a nullification of their unexpected response to God's grace.
"A weak soul does not find its bliss by sharing that of a holy soul, and a holy soul does not find its bliss by sharing that of an angel. Rather, if the weak soul wishes to become blissful, let it strive toward what makes the holy soul blissful." (Augustine, qtd in Balthasar, Grain of Wheat).
We imitate the saints by loving what they love.
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