Monday, February 07, 2005

Getting to Know von Balthasar -- Carl Olson at Insight Scoop has some good suggestions, including a recommendation of the recently published Cambridge Companion to Hans Urs von Balthasar, edited by Edward T. Oakes, S. J., David Moss.

I was just discussing with my brother Jamie how reading of Balthasar is quite intimidating and almost presupposes a knowledge of Western (particularly German) philosophy and literature. I do recommend Edward T. Oakes' Pattern of Redemption as an overall introduction to his work, although I'm excited to hear about a collaboration of authors on the Companion including David Schindler and Fr. Aidan Nichols, both of whom have also written studies of Balthasar's work.

My brother also mentioned his personal preference for reading the Patristics over the contemporary theologians -- something I think even Balthasar himself would have approved of.

Labels: hans urs von balthasar

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Against The Grain is the personal blog of Christopher Blosser - web designer and all around maintenance guy for the original Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club (Now Pope Benedict XVI).