Karl Rahner

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Does anyone know about this guy? Is he orthodox? A person that I just started seeing for spiritual direction recommends this guy’s writings.

Thanks for your help.

houston1
 
He is *very *well known. He was a Jesuit and his work was very influential on the Second Vatican Council. I have the Encyclopedia of Theology that he edited and contributed to.

So go ahead and read anything he wrote without fear. He is a giant among Catholic thinkers.
 
I do know he had disagreements with the current Pope Benedict over some things. I don’t remember what. I think Rahner was more focused on abstract ahistorical philosophy and theology while Ratzinger focused on what was called resourcement or something, meaning to go back to the sources, like the Church fathers, and build from them. Rahner is more ahistorical, while Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) emphasizes the historical aspect of God’s revelation to man. While reading Rahner, I would always supplement everything you read with study of the current Popes work. I had a horrible spritual director who was condescending to Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II while he suggested Rahner. I later discovered he is not in tune with the magisterium much at all, and had to dump him. Always find out what a potential or current spiritual director thinks of the current Pope. I personally would never be able to listen to a spiritual director who downplays a current Pope, especially Benedict XVI, so make sure that your spiritual director is in line with the magisterium and the intentions of the Pope. I had a horrendous experience with my last spiritual director, and ended up having a lot of problems. I will never take spiritual direction from someone who thinks they know more or better than the current Pope. That’s my prerogative, but I think it is good advice. Just make sure he doesn’t have hostility towards the Pope, because I know that Rahner had some fundamental disagreements with Pope Benedict while he was a Cardinal over certain things.
 
Rahner was also quite a mystic. He wrote one of the best books on experiencing the absence of God that I have ever read, Encounters with Silence. I read it many years ago while on a Ignatian retreat. Later on, when I was helping to plan an ecumenical service for 9/11 victims families at the Jesuit retreat house I suggested a passage from the book. The Jesuit director said he never knew Rahner could write with such beauty. If you ever read any of Rahner’s theological works you would know what he meant by that remark.
 
3 of the most influential theologians of the past 100 years. Of these men became Pope, the other became a Cardinal, the other is Karl Rahner.

What are your qualifications which enable you to make this judgement?
 
Karl Rahner was a Jesuit theologian…brilliant and I guess mystical…but he was never a pastor, a bishop of a Local Church (Diocese), a Cardinal and never the Pope…so he (and all theologians) is …a parallel stream of thought…to the authoritative and authentic Deposit of Faith…to the “only real and important game in town” for Catholic faithful…the Pope and our Local Church bishop in communion with the Pope, and all other bishops…in communion…The Magisterium. Theologians are not the authoritative voice of Catholicism…of the Church…great for insights…for speculation on how God is working…but not a necessity" for the faithful.

Its very intriguing and interesting to me to see… to speculate how the Holy Spirit guided and protected then Father Ratzinger from continuing in a direction that would have made his old “theology buddy” Hans Kung…still a “theology buddy” today…but…

Ratzinger restrained his theology insights/leanings and deferred to the Faith of the Fathers (St. Augustine in particular…who was not only a great theologian, but a bishop/pastor of a Local Church)…to the authoritative role of Pope and the Church’s Magisterium…and…so Ratzinger “bailed out on the progressive theology club” which like Kung…broke away from the organic roots of Church doctrine and dogma…from full communion with their bishop, the Magisterium and the Pope.

In summary…theologians like Rahner and Kung are always a “test” for the faithful…whether they are brilliant and orthodox or ego driven heterodox progressive…its my assent to the Pope, Magisterium and my bishop…as the authoritative voice of the Deposit of Faith…handed down from Christ to Peter and the Twelve…and to the successors of Peter, the Popes, and the successors of the twelve…the bishops of the Local Churches. So it is simply… obedience versus my pride and my “almighty” self.

Pax Christi
 
yinekka said:
3 of the most influential theologians of the past 100 years. Of these men became Pope, the other became a Cardinal, the other is Karl Rahner.

What are your qualifications which enable you to make this judgement?
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That’s a strange question:confused:

So you don’t recognize these guys?😛

From left to right: Cardinal Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Pope Benedict XVI and Fr. Karl Rahner SJ.

Google them - you might be impressed.
 
triumphguy said:
Why would you doubt your spiritual director?

This is your director in a relationship of trust with you.

Why do you think you will get a better opinion from an anonymous forum?

3 of the most influential theologians of the past 100 years. Of these men became Pope, the other became a Cardinal, the other is Karl Rahner.
http://www.stpeterslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/403_Rah-Ratz.jpeg
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Thanks for your post. I’ve only had one meeting with the person from whom that I’ve started receiving spiritual direction. He’s already recommended centering prayer which I understand is clearly unorthodox as CA has provided several articles on this. I’ve forwarded these articles to my spiritual director and he does not seem to be convinced that centering prayer is a problem despite what the articles say. That is why I am asking about Karl Rahner. I need to know whether this person is orthodox as well. I understand that we should not go into spiritual direction blindly.

In any case, I do not want to hurt my spiritual director in any way. But, I do feel I need to communicate the truth in love to him.

houston1
 
Thanks for all you who have responded to my post. All of this is helpful.

I will remember all your prayer intentions at Mass tonight.

houston1
 
invisiblewitnes said:
I do know he had disagreements with the current Pope Benedict over some things. I don’t remember what. I think Rahner was more focused on abstract ahistorical philosophy and theology while Ratzinger focused on what was called resourcement or something, meaning to go back to the sources, like the Church fathers, and build from them. Rahner is more ahistorical, while Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) emphasizes the historical aspect of God’s revelation to man. While reading Rahner, I would always supplement everything you read with study of the current Popes work. I had a horrible spritual director who was condescending to Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II while he suggested Rahner. I later discovered he is not in tune with the magisterium much at all, and had to dump him. Always find out what a potential or current spiritual director thinks of the current Pope. I personally would never be able to listen to a spiritual director who downplays a current Pope, especially Benedict XVI, so make sure that your spiritual director is in line with the magisterium and the intentions of the Pope. I had a horrendous experience with my last spiritual director, and ended up having a lot of problems. I will never take spiritual direction from someone who thinks they know more or better than the current Pope. That’s my prerogative, but I think it is good advice. Just make sure he doesn’t have hostility towards the Pope, because I know that Rahner had some fundamental disagreements with Pope Benedict while he was a Cardinal over certain things.
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Very good advice. I will try to get a grasp on what any spiritual director feels about the current pope. Thanks for sharing.
 
houston1 said:
Thanks for your post. I’ve only had one meeting with the person from whom that I’ve started receiving spiritual direction. He’s already recommended centering prayer which I understand is clearly unorthodox as CA has provided several articles on this. I’ve forwarded these articles to my spiritual director and he does not seem to be convinced that centering prayer is a problem despite what the articles say. That is why I am asking about Karl Rehner. I need to know whether this person is orthodox as well. I understand that we should not go into spiritual direction blindly.

In any case, I do not want to hurt my spiritual director in any way. But, I do feel I need to communicate the truth in love to him.

houston1
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Centering prayer isn’t necessarily unorthodox. It depends what you mean by it. If it’s transcendental meditation without a Christian base that focuses on “me” and losing “me” into “God who is everything” then yes it’s unorthodox, but centering prayer can be very orthodox too.

Call it contemplation and you might feel better.

The bottom line though, is that you should get a spiritual director you feel comfortable with. They are taking you on a journey.
 
triumphguy said:
Centering prayer isn’t necessarily unorthodox. It depends what you mean by it. If it’s transcendental meditation without a Christian base that focuses on “me” and losing “me” into “God who is everything” then yes it’s unorthodox, but centering prayer can be very orthodox too.

Call it contemplation and you might feel better.

The bottom line though, is that you should get a spiritual director you feel comfortable with. They are taking you on a journey.
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Thanks for your response. I know where are not permitted to discuss centering prayer. So, I will leave it at that. I appreciate your thoughts though. I am praying that I will find the right spiritual director for me. I would appreciate everyone’s prayers in this. I am praying for you and all those who responded to my post.
 
invisiblewitnes said:
I do know he had disagreements with the current Pope Benedict over some things. I don’t remember what. I think Rahner was more focused on abstract ahistorical philosophy and theology while Ratzinger focused on what was called resourcement or something, meaning to go back to the sources, like the Church fathers, and build from them. Rahner is more ahistorical, while Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) emphasizes the historical aspect of God’s revelation to man. While reading Rahner, I would always supplement everything you read with study of the current Popes work. I had a horrible spritual director who was condescending to Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II while he suggested Rahner. I later discovered he is not in tune with the magisterium much at all, and had to dump him. Always find out what a potential or current spiritual director thinks of the current Pope. I personally would never be able to listen to a spiritual director who downplays a current Pope, especially Benedict XVI, so make sure that your spiritual director is in line with the magisterium and the intentions of the Pope. I had a horrendous experience with my last spiritual director, and ended up having a lot of problems. I will never take spiritual direction from someone who thinks they know more or better than the current Pope. That’s my prerogative, but I think it is good advice. Just make sure he doesn’t have hostility towards the Pope, because I know that Rahner had some fundamental disagreements with Pope Benedict while he was a Cardinal over certain things.
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I can’t comment on your spiritual director, but I do want to point out one thing about Fr. Rahner (though I know little about him too).

Being in disagreement with the Holy Father on a theological point does not indicate that he is somehow in bad standing with the Church, or that his theology is irrelevant.

We are fortunate in that we have a very intellectual, brilliant and academic pope who understands that theological debate and discussion is both healthy and necessary, and that in many cases opposing points of view can be held by theologians in good standing with the Church.

If Fr. Rahner were teaching us to go out and commit mortal sin, that would be an issue because he would be at odds with the moral doctrine of the Church. But because the Holy Father doesn’t agree with him on this or that esoteric theological point is quite another, and moreover it doesn’t mean reading him is wrong. Not every theological disagreement is grounds for, or indicates schism or dissent.

If the Holy Father were to suddenly rule ex-cathedra that the debate is settled one way or the other and that the winning view is official doctrine of the Church then it’s settled and at that point we can speak of dissent.

But on points that have not been ruled as doctrine, it isn’t dissent, it’s normal disagreement and debate as humans do their best to understand what is much larger than us.
 
That’'s right we don’t march in lock-step, but we do march together…
 
Joannm said:
Rahner was also quite a mystic. He wrote one of the best books on experiencing the absence of God that I have ever read, Encounters with Silence. I read it many years ago while on a Ignatian retreat. Later on, when I was helping to plan an ecumenical service for 9/11 victims families at the Jesuit retreat house I suggested a passage from the book. The Jesuit director said he never knew Rahner could write with such beauty. If you ever read any of Rahner’s theological works you would know what he meant by that remark.
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That book means a lot to me. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

I tried reading his straight theology but didn’t make it too far (kind of like diving into topology when you only know a bit of high school algebra).
 
I am studying Karl Rahner… writing my theological masters thesis on the topic: Karl Rahner and the Anonymous Christian… very interesting topic…

Other than that, I enjoy reading his enormous ‘Theological Investigations’ (all volumes)… it is a phenomenal piece of work… many of it I find in the documents of the Second Vatican Council, as he was a peritus of the council…

I also have his ‘Encyclopedia’ as mentioned earlier in the thread, also, a fantastic book…

‘Hearer of the Word’ is my particular favorite piece of his work so far…

…

I am also adding a image of my simple understanding of his Theology, mostly that of his ‘Hearer of the Word’
 
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