Hans Urs Von Balthasar

KÄRLEKEN UTGÖR SJÄLVA GUDS VÄSEN. Gud är kärlek. All äkta kärlek är ett svar på denna kärlek som visat sig som tydligast i Gudssonens människoblivande och offer. Den kärlek som Gud visat inbjuder människan till att svara genom att hänge sig för att tjäna andra. Kärlek är en anspråksfull och förvandlande kraft utan vilken tron är tom, torr och betydelselös. Den är inte bara ett moraliskt bud utan trons källa och höjdpunkt. Det är enbart kärleken som får tron att lysa och gör den trovärdig. De älskande har låtit sig tilltalas av Guds skönhet i Kristus, omfamnat den och med den också det sanna och det goda. Den uppenbarade kärleken i Kristus håller samman dessa tre med sitt enande band. Därför vet de älskande mest om Gud. HANS URS VON BALTHASAR (1905–1988) är en av 1900-talets teologiska giganter vars tänkande fortfarande inspirerar. Hans verk är omfattande, rent kvantitativt och innehållsmässigt, och därför svårt att överblicka. En nyckelbok för von Balthasars tänkande är »Endast kärleken är trovärdig«. Boken är översatt av fil. dr Jonas Lundblad och försedd med en introduktion av p. Dominik Terstriep SJ.

"I would like one day," Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote in 1952, "to write a book on Ignatius of Loyola, the saint of whom I will always consider myself the least of sons." The Jesuit-formed theologian from Switzerland--widely considered one of the greatest thinkers and spiritual writers of modern times--never got the chance to fulfill this dream. Instead, Balthasar's whole theology, from Theo-Drama to Dare We Hope "That All Men Be Saved", is imbued with the influence of Saint Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, a multi-week retreat guide that has rejuvenated Catholic spirituality since the sixteenth century. Throughout Balthasar's priestly life, he led countless retreatants in the Ignatian Exercises, accompanying them in their discernment of God's call. This anthology is an aid for those either giving or making an Ignatian retreat. Full of citations and equipped with four indexes, as well as many texts never before translated into English, it sifts Balthasar's writings for insights into almost every element of Ignatius' "libretto", sometimes diving into themes scarcely explored by others. Moreover, it maps out those hidden strains of Jesuit spirituality that run unnoticed through the theologian's oeuvre. Yet the book may help anyone at all who wants to engage more deeply with Jesus or come to grips with Church doctrine, for as Balthasar himself says, the Spiritual Exercises are both a "great school of Christocentric contemplation" and a "genuine interpretation of the deposit of the faith".

Originally published in German in 1938, this highly acclaimed volume presents more than one thousand selections from the various extant writings of Origen, the great Alexandrian theologian. Robert J. Daly, S. J., has re-translated the majority of these texts from the original Greek and Latin, added the scriptural references in the translated texts and an index, and included updated bibliographical information. This volume comprises thoughts of one of the greatest of ancient theologians as seen through the eyes of an almost equally prolific successor in the same central Christian enterprise. The book remains a great resource for anyone interested in patristic theology, early Christian mysticism, and early interpretation of Scripture. This Cornerstones edition has a new introduction written by Robert J. Daly, S. J.

Adrienne von Speyr, a renowned mystic and spiritual writer from Switzerland, was received into the Catholic Church at the age of 38 on the Feast of All Saints, 1940, by one of the theological giants of the 20th century, Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar. He became her spiritual director and confessor until her death in 1967 during which time Adrienne was favored with many gifts of authentic mystical prayer. Balthasar considered one of the central characteristics of Adrienne's prayer to be her transparency to the inspirations she received from God, along with a deep personal communion with the saints. Over a period of many years, Adrienne would see the saints (and other devout people) at prayer, and she would dictate what she saw to Fr.von Balthasar - while she was in a state of mystical prayer. Through a unique charism, she was able to put herself in the place of various individuals to see and describe their prayer, their whole attitude before God. Not all of her subjects are saints in the strict sense of the word, but all struggled, with varying degrees of success, to place their lives at the disposal of their Creator. This book presents these unique mystical insights into the prayer lives of many saints taken from Adrienne's direct visions of them in prayer. Among the long list of saints in this book are St. John the Apostle, St. Augustine, St. Francis, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. John Bosco, St. Bernadette, St. Dominic, St. Edith Stein and many, many more. In this powerful spiritual work, the reader is able to participate in the devotional and spiritual life of the Church throughout the centuries by learning how numerous saints and devout people prayed, thus reflecting on the timelessness and beauty of the prayer of the Church.

This second edition of Hans Urs von Balthasar's book on Adrienne von Speyr is his personal introduction to the Swiss medical doctor, convert, and mystic, whose message and mission he believed to be vitally important for the Church. Von Balthasar was the spiritual director of von Speyr for almost thirty years as she progressed in the life of grace. She helped him to found the Community of Saint John, an international secular institute, and she wrote more than sixty books on various topics, including prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and saints, which continue to bear fruit for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Catholic spirituality and theology. This book contains three main sections. The first includes a short account of Adrienne's life, which describes her childhood, conversion, and mission; an analysis of her most important theological concerns; and an overview of her published and unpublished works. The second is a collection of enlightening statements that Adrienne made about herself, which illuminate both her exterior and interior life. The third section contains prayers that she herself wrote, which best reveal her spirit.

The last volume in this theological series, these works present a rare opportunity to experienceBalthasar'ssynthetic and comprehensive treatment of major themes in theology without having to make one's way through more extensive works which cover a much wider scope. Each volume focuses on a specific aspect of theology or spirituality and presents it with all the richness which comes from his immense erudition, but in a style that is directed and intelligible since few of these essays were intended for scholarly audiences. They give an excellent overview of the writings and thought of one of the outstanding theologians of this century. In this final volume, Balthasarfocuses on the purpose of man as created by God. He begins with these words: Man is 'created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of this to save his] soul.' Constant repetition has made this line from theIgnatianSpiritual Exercisesseem like a trite platitude. What could we possibly say about these words that has not already been said before? Of course, scarcely anyone still remembers, or is even willing to acknowledge, thisIgnatianinsight, though Ignatius himself understood it as the 'principle and foundation' of all human and Christian truth, or at least as a summary of the ABC's for people wanting an introduction to Christianity. A bird's eye view of the history of Christian theology reveals an astonishing truth: The seemingly banal gateway to theSpiritual Exercisesturns out to be anything but traditional, at least if it is the great tradition of European thinking that we have in mind. Divided into two parts, PRAISE, REVERENCE, AND SERVICE and BEFORE GOD'S FACE-IN GOD'S HEART, some of the many topicsBalthasarcovers in this volume include: The Serenity of the Surrendered Self, On the Christian's Capacity to See, Health between Science and Wisdom, The Person, Sexuality, and Death, The Dignity of Women, Mary and the Holy Spirit, The Eternal Child, How God Forgives, Introspection and Self-transcendence, God among Us, Peace in Theology, The Beatitudes and Human Rights, Finding God in All Things, and more."

The title of this book is a short question. In its longer form, the question would be: "In the changed circumstances after the 2nd Vatican Council--with its theme of aggiornamento or 'updating', especially in the areas of the Bible, the Liturgy, Ecumenism, and openness to the modern world--what does it really mean to be a Christian today?" Balthasar begins by acknowledging the confusion of many in the post-Conciliar period. He then describes the valuable contributions of the Council in those four areas. But he also describes their "shadows": what could go wrong and often did go wrong. Finally he points out the path to genuine renewal in the personal life of the Christian and in the Christian's service of the world. Among the key topics and issues Balthasar discusses that are important for the authentic renewal of the Christian life include: The Primacy of Contemplation, Who Is a "Mature Christian"?, Love, the Form of the Christian Life, How Should a Christian Serve the World--and How Not?, Despite Everything, a Single Commitment, and Prayer, Hope, and the Profane. "We must therefore resolve to turn around and approach what seemed to be behind us as something before us. To have the question before us, 'Who is a Christian', together with our effort to answer it, is the right approach, for the answer will necessarily come to us from the source from which our Christian life itself is given, namely, God's living Word . . . We rightly find God in the sign of Word and Sacrament, but only in order to seek him ever more passionately where he is not and where we must bring him. Or, rather where he already dwells unseen, and where we must discover him." -Hans urs von Balthasar