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The Eschatology of the Cross

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2024

Extract

Eschatology has found new respect at the heart of theology in the course of the twentieth century. The cross of Christ as a source, subject and description of soteriological concentration has secured a central place in the work of theology in recent decades. More remarkable is the communion of soteriology and eschatology, yielding an emphasized eschatology of the cross, still fresh in contemporary theology. The development of this vision in theology is particularly instructive in the work of five renowned theologians: Moltmann, Kasper, Ratzinger, Küng and von Balthasar.

In 1960 Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote that eschatology is the “sign of the times” of contemporary theology. That significance has strengthened in the passing of over thirty years. The work of many theologians demonstrates the truth of this and one of those most active in the breaking of the eschatological silence is the German theologian, Jürgen Moltmann.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers

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References

1 Cf. von Balthasar, H.U., I novissimi nella teologia contemporanea (Brescia 1967) 31Google Scholar.

2 Cf. Moltmann, J., Theology of Hope (London 1967) 16Google Scholar.

3 Ibid., 192.

4 Ibid., 83.

5 Ibid., 164.

6 Ibid., 21.

7 Ibid., 197.

8 Ibid., 229.

9 Ibid., 338.

10 Macquarrie, J., Jesus Christ in Modern Thought (London and Philadelphia 1990) 321Google Scholar.

11 Cf. Moltmann, I., The Crucified God (London 1977) 1Google Scholar.

12 Ibid., 204.

13 Ibid., 4.

14 Ibid., 101.

15 Ibid., 107.

16 Ibid., 218.

17 Ibid., 3.

18 Ibid., 61.

19 Ibid., 5.

20 Ibid., 185.

21 Ibid… 186.

22 Ibid., 183.

23 Ibid., 182.

24 Ibid., 163.

25 Ibid., 246.

26 Ibid… 255.

27 Ibid., 219.

28 Cf. Moltmann, J. The Future of Creation (London 1979) 81Google Scholar.

29 Ibid., 39; cf. also, 22.

30 Ibid., 53 (Italics added).

31 Ibid., 170.

32 Ibid., 167.

33 Ibid., 158.

34 Ibid., 163.

35 Ibid., 166.

36 Cf. Kasper, W., Jesus the Christ (London 1976) 114Google Scholar.

37 Ibid., 119.

38 Ibid., 207.

39 Ibid., 167.

40 Ibid., 120.

41 Ibid., 116.

42 Ibid., 118.

43 Ibid., 119.

44 Had., 197.

45 Ibid., 117.

46 Ibid., 168.

47 Ibid., 147.

48 Ibid.

49 Kasper, W., The God of Jesus Christ (New York 1984) 189Google Scholar.

50 Ibid., 194

51 J. Ratzinger, Escatologia (1979) 26.

52 Ibid., 31.

53 Ibid., 55.

54 Ibid., 82.

55 Ibid., 108–109.

56 Ibid., 168–169.

57 Ibid., 214.

58 Ibid., 226.

59 Cf. Ratzinger, J., Behold the Pierced One (San Francisco 1986) 25Google Scholar.

60 Ibid., 118.

61 Ibid., 120.

62 Ibid., 121.

63 Küng, H., Eternal Life? (London 1984) 273Google Scholar.

64 Cf., Küng, H., The Church (London 1968) 167168Google Scholar.

65 H. Küng, Eternal Life?, 274.

66 Ibid., 147.

67 Ibid., 143.

68 Ibid., 275.

69 Küng, H., On Being a Christian (London 1977) 397Google Scholar.

70 Ibid., 400.

71 von Balthasar, H. U., “Mysterium Paschale”, in Mysterium Salutis 6 (Brescia 1971) 208Google Scholar.

72 Ibid., 234–235.

73 Ibid., 235.

74 Ibid., 270–271.

75 Ibid., 275.

76 Ibid., 279.

77 Ibid., 283.

78 Ibid., 288.

79 Cf. von Balthasar, H.U., “Death is swallowed up by Life”, Communio 14 (1987) 49.Google Scholar

80 Ibid., 54.

81 Ibid.

82 Cf. A. Nichols' Introduction to his English translation of Mysterium Paschale (Edinburgh 1990) 7.

83 Cf. Waldstein, M., “An Introduction to von Balthasar's The Glory of the Lord”, Communio 14 (1987) 31.Google Scholar

84 Cf. ibid 30–33.

85 H.U. von Balthasar in his Preface to the 1990 English Mysterium Paschale, ix.

86 Cf. Schüttz, C., “Fondazione generate dell' escatologia”, Mysterium Salutis 11 (Brescia 1978) 136 and 128.Google Scholar

87 Ibid., 161.

88 Rahner, K., Foundations of Christian Faith (London 1978) 431Google Scholar.

89 Ibid., 435.