The Form and Drama of the Church: Hans Urs von Balthasar on Mary, Peter, and the Eucharist

Abstract

Introduction The French Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac once suggested twentieth-century Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar be cultivated man of his time. If there is Christian culture, then here it is! (1) Father de Lubac's comment alludes breadth and depth of von Balthasar's work, which covers expanse of much of Western intellectual history from classical antiquity contemporary European literature. And perhaps Father de Lubac's comment also unwittingly serves as caveat lector. For von Balthasar's erudition presents his readers with formidable task of searching for unity of his thought in body of literature that is vast, diverse, and sometimes quite unsystematic (sometimes intentionally so). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More specifically, when one begins task of understanding von Balthasar's ecclesiology, one immediately encounters obstacle: von Balthasar neither developed systematic treatise on Church, nor as far as one can tell did he intend do so. His reflections on Church are, by his own admission, a few building stones for future [systematic ecclesiology]. (2) While several years later he would remark, should someone like make something out of these fragments, putting stones in order and assembling them into mosaic, he would mistrust such an endeavor as an attempt to yank mystery from its seclusion and cast it into glare of our light. (3) Mystery is perhaps appropriate word characterize von Balthasar's thought on Church. The Church is mystery of love, whose most secret chamber or remains hidden, be approached only with reverence. Yet, this mystery can be approached because God enters into history, becomes flesh and blood and dwells among humanity in person of Christ. Through God's self-gift, many have been opened for us see into center (ET II, 7). The immediate windows that open upon mystery are theological persons closely associated with and intimately involved in mystery, Mary and Peter. They are, for von Balthasar, through which we begin see visible form of Church as Christ's concrete partner and role Church performs in drama of salvation. The Eucharist too is window that opens upon mystery. But Eucharist not only offers us view of mystery, it draws us into it, making us participants in one body of Christ. Through gift of Holy Spirit Church celebrates Eucharist and in so doing enters into Father's plan redeem world by Christ's missio (mission). This article surveys few themes in von Balthasar's ecclesiology, with hope that an exploration of these themes might contribute Christian imagination and practice of Church. (4) As prolegomena, first section of this article discusses briefly philosophical influences, languages, and grammars that animate von Balthasar's thought. The second section examines von Balthasar's Christology as an entree third, fourth, and fifth sections of this article, his understanding of personhood of Church in form of theological persons Mary and Peter. Christ's missio opens up an acting area for Mary and Peter become coactors in drama of salvation. The sixth section of this article investigates Church's participation in the mystery of center by discussing von Balthasar's treatment of Eucharist as gift given Church by Christ from Father so Church may have something give back Father for gift of Son. Prolegomena: Analogy, Expression, and Form Perhaps best way bring into focus philosophical concepts at work in von Balthasar's thought is draw out contrast he made in an interview in which he suggests that difference between himself and his contemporary Karl Rahner is difference between eighteenth-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant and Kant's contemporary, German poet and novelist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. …