‘Between the Brutely Given, and the Brutally, Banally Free’: Von Balthasar’s Theology of Drama in Dialogue with Hegel

Abstract

Von Balthasar’s theological dramatic theory is deeply indebted to Hegel, especially to Hegel’s distinction between epic, lyric and dramatic genres. He criticizes the Hegelian identification of divine with human freedom and argues that analogy alone can express the fact that God’s freedom is ‘ever greater’. But his Hegelian tendencies corrupt his use of analogy and incline him to generalize and impose resolution on patterns of divine‐human relation (especially in his Marian theology of the Church). His readings of Shakespeare and Scripture reflect the same tendencies. Thus von Balthasar fails adequately to respect what is existential and open‐ended. This is confirmed in his treatment of the Eucharist. It indicates a deficiency in his theodramatics, and the need to develop his project using a different and less Hegelian dramatic theory.