Fundamental Theology
Karl Rahner
Detailed Table of Contents
(please excuse the rough, error-plagued form)
Preface Xi
INTRODUCTION I
I . General Preliminary Reflections 1
2. Preliminary Remarks on Methodology 3
The Call of Vatican 11 for an Introductory Course 3 The "Theolog
ical Encyclopedia" in the Nineteenth Century 4 The Addressee of
Contemporary Theology 5 Pluralism in Contemporary Theology
and Philosophy 7 The Justification of Faith on a "First Level of
Reflection" 8 The Content of the Introduction io
3. Some Basic Epistemological Problems 14
The Relation between Reality and Concept, between Original Self
Possession and Reflection 14 The Self‑Presence of the Subject in
Knowledge 17 Apriority and Essential Openness ig Transcenden
tal Experience 20 Untbernatic Knowledge of God 2.1
CHAPTER I: THE HEARER OF THE MESSACE 24
1. The Interlocking of Philosophy and Theology 24
2. Man as Person and Subject 26
Personhood as Presupposition of the Christian Message 26 The
Hiddenness and Risk of Personal Experience 26 The Specific Char
acter of Personal Experience 28
3. Man as Transcendent Being 31
The Transcendent Structure of Knowledge 31 The Possibility of
Evading the Experience of Transcendence 32 The Pre‑Apprehen
sionofBeing33 The Pre‑Apprebension as Constitutive of Person 34
4. Man as Responsible and Free 35
Freedom as Non‑Particular Datum 35 The Concrete Mediation of
Freedom 36 Responsibility and Freedom as Realities of Transcen
dental Experience 37
5. The Question of Personal Existence
as a Question of Salvation 39
The Theological and Anthropological Starting Point for an Under
standing of "Salvation" 39 Salvation in History 4o
6. Man as Dependent 42
The Presence of Mystery 42 Man as Conditioned by World and by
History 42
CHAPTER 11:
MAN IN THE PRESENCE OF ABSOLUTE MYSTERY 44
I. Meditation on the Word "God" 44
The Existence of the Word 44 What Does the Word "God"
Mean? 46 Does This Word Have a Future? 47 Reality Without
This Word 47 The Survival of theWOTd "God" 49 The Original
Word Spoken to Us 50
2. The Knowledge of Cod 51
Transcendental and A Posteriori Knowledge of Cod 5 1 The Differ
ent Ways of Knowing God and Their Intrinsic Unity 55 Transcen
dental Knowledge of God as Experience of Mystery 57 The Term
of Transcendence as the Infinite, the Indefinable and the Ineffable 61
The Term of Transcendence as the "Holy Mystery" 65 Transcep
dental Experience and Reality 66 Remarks on the Proofs for Cod's
Existence 68
3. God as Person 71
Analogous Language about God 71 On the Personal Being of
God 73
4. Man's Relation to His Transcendent Ground:
Creatureliness 75
Creatureliness: Not a Particular Instance of a Causal Relationship 76
Creatureliness as Radical Difference from and Radical Dependence on
God 77 Radical Dependence on Cod and Genuine Autonomy 78
Transcendental Experience as the Origin of the Experience of
Creatureliness 79 Experience of Creatureliness as Denuminizing the
World 8o
5. Finding God in the World 81
The Tension Between a Transcendental Starting Point and Historical
Religion 81 Immediacy to Cod as Mediated Immediacy 83 The
Alternative: "Devotion to the World" or True Self ‑Communication
of God 84 God's Activity in and through Secondary Causes 86
CHAPTER III *
MAN AS A BEING THREATENED RADICALLY BY GUILT 90
1. The Topic and Its Difficulties 90
The Obscurity of the Question for People Today 91 The Circle between the Experience of Cuilt and Forgiveness 93
2. Man's Freedom and Responsibility 93
Freedom Is Related to the Single Whole of Human Existence 94
Freedom as the Faculty of Final and Definitive Validity 95 Tran
scendental Freedom and Its Categorical Objectifications 96
3. The Possibility of a Decision against God 97
Unthematic Affirmation or Denial of God in Every Free Act 98 The Horizon of Freedom as Its "Object" 99 The Possibility of Absolute
Contradiction 99 The Freedom to Say "Yes" or "No" to Cod ioo The Hiddenness of Decision ioi "Yes" and "No" to God Are Not Parallel 102 On the Interpretation of Eschatological Statements 102 The Possibility of Sin as a Permanent Existential 104 The Abiding Sovereignty of God 105
4. "Original Sin" 106
The World of Persons as the Realm of Freedom's Actualization io6
Objectifications of Another's Guilt io8 Original and Permanent
Co‑determination by Others' Cuilt iog The Christian Teaching
about "Original Sin" iio "Original Sin" and Personal Cuilt iii
"Original Sin" in the Light of Cod's Self ‑Communication 112 On
the Hermeneutics of Scriptural Statements 114 The "Consequences
of Original Sin" 115
CHAPTER IV ‑
MAN AS THE EVENT OF COD'S FREE AND FORGIVING
SELF‑COMMUNICATION 116
1. Preliminary Remarks 116
On the Notion of "Self ‑Communication" 1 16 Starting Point in the
Christian Message 117
2. What Does the "Self‑Communication of God" Mean7 117
The Crace of Justification and the "Beautific Vision" 117 TheTwo
fold Modality of Cod's Self‑Communication 118 Cod's Self‑Com
munication and Abiding Presence as Mystery 1 ig The Civer Him
self Is the Cift 120 The Model of Formal Causality 120 God's
Self ‑Communication for the Sake of Immediate Knowledge and Love
122 The Absolute Cratuity of Cod's Self ‑Communication 123 Gra
tuitous Does Not Mean Extrinsic 123 Remarks on the Church's
Teaching 124 Christianity as the Religion of Immediacy to Cod in
His Self ‑Communication 125
3. The Offer of Self‑Commurucation as
"Supernatural Existential" 126
The Statement about God's Self ‑Communication as an Ontological
Statement iz6 The Self ‑Communication as the Condition of
Possibility for Its Acceptance 128 NIan's Supernaturally Elevated
5. The Question of Personal Existence
as a Question of Salvation 39
The Theological and Anthropological Starting Point for an Under
standing of "Salvation" 39 Salvation in History 4o
6. Man as Dependent 42
The Presence of Mystery 42 Man as Conditioned by World and by
History 42
CHAPTER If:
MAN IN THE PRESENCE OF ABSOLUTE MYSTERY 44
1. Meditation on the Word "God" 44
The Existence of the Word 44 What Does the Word "God"
Mean? 46 Does This Word Have a Future? 47 Reality Without
This Word 47 The Survival of the Word "God" 49 The Original
Word Spoken to Us 50
2. The Knowledge of God 51
Transcendental and A Posteriori Knowledge of God 51 The Differ
ent Ways of Knowing God and Their Intrinsic Unity 55 Transcen
dental Knowledge of God as Experience of Mystery 57 The Term
of Transcendence as the Infinite, the Indefinable and the Ineffable 61
The Term of Transcendence as the "Holy Mystery" 65 Transcenj
dental Experience and Reality 66 Remarks on the Proofs for God's
Existence 68
3. God as Person 71
Analogous Language about Cod 71 On the Personal Being of
God 73
4. Man's Relation to His Transcendent Ground:
Creatureliness 75
Creatureliness: Not a Particular Instance of a Causal Relationship 76
Creatureliness as Radical Difference from and Radical Dependence on
God 77 RadicaI Dependence on Cod and Genuine Autonomy 78
Transcendental Experience as the Origin of the Experience of
Creatureliness 79 Experience of Creatureliness as Denuminizing the
World 8o
5. Finding God in the World 81
The Tension Between a Transcendental Starting Point and Historical
Religion 81 Immediacy to God as Mediated Immediacy 83 Ile
Alternative: "Devotion to the World" or True Self‑Communication
of God 84 God's Activity in and through Secondary Causes 86
CHAPTER III:
MAN AS A BEING THREATENED RADICALLY BY GUILT 90
1. The Topic and Its Difficulties 90
The Obscurity of the Question for People Today 91 The Circle between the Experience of Guilt and Forgiveness 93
2. Man's Freedom and Responsibility 93
Freedom Is Related to the Single Whole of Human Existence 94
Freedom as the Faculty of Final and Definitive Validity 95 Tran
scendental Freedom and Its Categorical Objectifications 96
3. The Possibility of a Decision against Cod 97
Unthernatic Affirmation or Denial of Cod in Every Free Act 98 The
Horizon of Freedom as Its "Object" 99 The Possibility of Absolute
Contradiction 99 The Freedom to Say "Yes" or "No" to God loo
The Hiddenness of Decision lol "Yes" and "No" to God Are Not
Parallel lo2 On the Interpretation of Eschatological Statements lo2
The Possibility of Sin as a Permanent Existential 104 The Abiding
Sovereignty of God 105
4. "Original Sin" 106
The World of Persons as the Realm of Freedom's Actualization lo6
Objectifications of Another's Cuilt io8 Original and Permanent
Co‑determination by Others' Guilt log The Christian Teaching
about "Original Sin" iio "Original Sin" and Personal Guilt iii
"Original Sin" in the Light of Cod's Self‑Communication 112 On
the Hermeneuticsof Scriptural Statements 114 The "Consequences
of Original Sin" 115
CHAPTER IV:
MAN AS THE EVENT OF GOD'S FREE AND FORGIVING
SELF‑COMMUNICATION 116
1.Preliminary Remarks 116
On the Notion of "Self‑Communication" i 16 Starting Point in the
Christian Message 117
2. What Does the "Self‑Communication of God" Mean? 117
The Grace of Justification and the "Beautific Vision" 117 TheTwo
fold Modality of God's Self‑Communication 118 God's Self‑Com
munication and Abiding Presence as Mystery 1 ig The Civer Him
self Is the Gift 12o The Model of Formal Causality 12.o Cod's
Self‑Communication for the Sake of Immediate Knowledge and Love
122 The Absolute Gratuity of Cod's Self‑Communication 123 Gra
tuitous Does Not Mean Extrinsic 123 Remarks on the Church's
Teaching 124 Christianity as the Religion of Immediacy to God in
His Self‑Communication 125
3. The Offer of Self‑Communication as
"Supernatural Existential" 126
The Statement about God's Self‑Communication as an Ontological
Statement 126 The Self‑Communication as the Condition of
Possibility for Its Acceptance iz8 Man's Supernaturally Elevated
Tr2nscendentality 129 The Experience of Grace and Its Hidden
ness 129
4. Towards an Understanding of the Doctrine
of the Trinity 133
The Problem of Conceptualization 134 The Problem with a "Psy
chological Theory of the Trinity" 135 The Trinity in the History
and Economy of Salvation Is the Immanent Trinity 136
CHAPTER V:
THE HISTORY OF SALVATION AND REVELATION 138
1. Preliminary Reflections on the Problem 138
2. The Historical Mediation of Transcendentality
and Transcendence 140
History as the Event of Transcendence i4o
3. The History of Salvation and Revelation as
Coextensive with the Whole of World History 142
The History of Salvation and World History 142 The Universal
History of Salvation is Also the History of Revelation 144 The
Foundation of the Tliesis in the Data of Catholic Dogmatics 146
Supplementary Theological and Speculative Foundation 148 On
the Categorical Mediation of Supernaturally Elevated Transcenden
t2litY 151
4. On the Relationship between the History of Universal,
Transcendental Revelation and Special, Categorical
Revelation 153
The Essential and Necessary Historical Self‑ Interpretation of Super
natural, TranscendentaI Experience 153 On the Notion of a Cate
gorical and Special History of ReveIation 154 The Possibility of a
Genuine History of Revelation Outside the Old and New Testa
ments 156 Jesus Christ as the Criterion 157 The Function of the
Bearers of Revelation 158 The Orientation towards Universality in
the Particular and Successful History of Revelation 161
5. On the Structure of the Actual History of Revelation 162
"Primeval Revelation" 162 Is It Possible to Structure the Whole
History of Revelation? 164
6. A Summary of the Notion of Revelation 170
"Natural" Revelation and God's Real Self‑Revelation 170 The
Transcendental Aspect of Revelation 171 The Categorical, Histori
cal Aspect of Revelation 172 The Insurpassable Climax of All Reve
lation 174
CHAPTER VI : JESUS CHRIST 176
I. Cbristology within an Evolutionary View of the World 178
Explanation and Clarification of the Topic 178 Ile Unity of
All Created Things 181 The Notion of "Active Self‑Transcen
dence" 183 The Finality of the History of Nature and Spirit 187
Man's Place in the Cosmos 188 The Place of Christ in an Evolution
ary View of the World 192 On the Notion of Absolute Saviour 193
Remarks on the Meaning of the Assertion of a Hypostatic Union 195
On the Relationship between Human Trdnscendence and Hypostatic
Union 198
2. On the Phenomenology of Our Relationship to Jesus Christ 2 0 3
Ile Starting Point in an Actual Faith Relationship 203 The Rela
tionship to Jesus Christ as Absolute Saviour 2o4 The Relationship
to Jesus Christ Is Self‑Validating 2o6
3. Transcendental Christology 206
Some Objections to Transcendental Christology 7.o6 The Impor
tance of Transcendental Christology in Our Age 207 The PresuPPO
sitions of Transcendental Cbristology 2o8 The Development of a
Transcendental Cbristology 2.o8
4. What Does It Mean to Say: "Cod Became Man"? 212
The Question of the "Incarnation of Cod" 212 The "Word" of
Cod 214 Became "Man" 215 Can the Immutable "Become"
Something? 21g The "Word" Became Man 223 Man as the Ci
pher of Grod 224 On the Importance and the Limits of Dogmatic
Formulas 227
5. On the Theological Understanding of the History of the
Life and Death of Jesus of Nazareth 228
a) Preliminary Remarks 228 On the Relationship of the Previous
Transcendental Inquiry to Historical Events 228 The AccountabiI
ity of Our Faith in Jesus as the Christ 229 The Circular Structure
of Faith Knowledge 23o The Historical Dimension of Christian
Faith 232 The Problem of the UniversaI Significance of Particular
Historical Events 233 The Inevitable Incongruence between Rela
tive Historical Certainty and Absolute Commitment 234
b) Observations from Hermeneutics and Fundamental Theology
on the Problem of Historical Knowledge of the Pre‑Resurrection
Jesus235 TwoTheses235 Christian Faith Refers to the Concrete
History of Jesus 236 On the Relationship between the Object and
the Ground of Faith 238 On the Different Meanings of "His
tory" 24o The Faith of the First Witnesses and Our Faith 241
Salvific Knowledge Is Possible Only Within the Commitment of
Faith 242 On the Distinction between Articulations of the Object
of Faith and of the Ground of Faith 243 The Minimal Historical
Presuppositions of an Orthodox Christology to Be Established by FundamentaI Theology 245
c) The Empirical Concrete Structure of the Life of Jesus 246 The Nature of Our Procedure 246 A Summary in Thesis Form 247
d) On the Basic Self‑Understanding of the Pre‑Resurrection Jesus 249 The Truly Human Self‑Consciousness of Jesus 249 The Problem of the "Imminent Expectation" 249 Jesus' Message about God's Kingdom as the Definitive Proclamation of Salvation z5o The Connection between the Message and the Person of Jesus 251
e) The Relationship of the Pre‑ Resurrection Jesus to His Death 254
f) Miracles in the Life of Jesus and Their Weight in Fundamental Theology 255 Questions on the Importance of the Miracles of Jesus for Our Relationship to Him in Faith 255 Official Church Teaching and the Contemporary Horizon of Understanding 256 OntheGeneral Notion of Miracle 257 Miracles and the Laws of Nature 258 Miracles from the Perspective of the Relationship between God and World26o Miracle as Call 261 The Various Miracles of Jesus and the Unique Miracle of His Resurrection 263
6. The Theology of the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus 264
a) Preliminary Remarks 2.64 0
b) Intellectual Presuppositions for Discussing the Resurrection z66
The Unity of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus z66 TheMeaning
of "Resurrection" 266
c) Transcendental Hope in the Resurrection as the Horizon for
Experiencing the Resurrection of Jesus 268 Summary Thesis 268
Knowledge of One's Own Death 269 Anthropological Reflections
on Death and the Finality of Existence 270 What Do "Afterlife"
and "Eternity" Mean? 271 The Experience of Immortality: Nature
or Grace? 273
d) On Understanding the Resurrection of Jesus 274 Faith in the
Resurrection of Jesus as a Unique Fact 274 The Unity of the Apos
tolic Experience of the Resurrection and Our Own 274
e) The Resurrection Experience of the First Disciples z76
f) The Original Theology of the Resurrection of Jesus as the Starting
Point of All Christology 279 The Vindication and Acceptance of
Jesus' Claim To Be the Absolute Saviour 279 The Point of Depar
ture for "Late" New Testament Christology 28o
g) On the Theology of the Death of Jesus from the Perspective of
the Resurrection 282 The Interpretation of the Death of Jesus as
Cause of Salvation 282 The Foundation of the Soteriological Inter
pretation of the Death of Jesus 283
7. The Content, Permanent Validity and Limits of Classical
Christology and Soteriology 285
a) The Content of Classical Christology and Soteriology 285 Pre
liminary Remarks 285 The Official Christology of the Church 286
Classical Soteriology z88
b) The Legitimacy of the Classical Doctrine of Incarnation 2.88
c) The Limits of Classical Christology and Soteriology 289 The
Problem of Horizons of Understanding 289 The Problem of the
"Is" Formulas 29o The Indetermination of the Point of Unity in the
Hypostatic Union 292. Inadequate Expression of the Soteriological
Significance of the Christ Event 292
8. On the Question of New Approaches to Orthodox
Christology 293
a) The Need for Closer Unity between Fundamental Theology and
Dogmatic Theology in ChriStOlOgy 294 Priority of the Lived Actual
ization of Existence to Reflection upon It 294 Appeals in a "Search
ing Christology" 295 The Appeal to an Absolute Love of Neigh
bor 295 The Appeal to Readiness for Death 296 The Appeal to
Hope in the Future 297
b) The Task of a "Christology from Below" z98 Man as a Being
Oriented towards Immediacy to God 298 ne Unity bctween Es
chatological Event of5SgLyatinn an J‑1te AbsQlute_Sa=ur_298 The
Co‑nnectiion ‑between This Reflection and the Church's Doctrine of
Incarnation 299 On the Relationship between Ascending Chris
tology and the Question of Eternal, Divine SonshiP 301
c) Specific Dogmatic Problems 3o2 The Possibility of an Ortho
dox "Consciousness Christology" 302 The Problem of Pre‑Exist
ence 304 The Discussion of the Death of God 305
9. The Personal Relationship of a Christian to Jesus Christ 305
The Need for an "Existentiell" ChristOlOgY 305 Individual, Con
crete Relationship to Jesus Christ 307 A Theo‑logicaI Reflection 308
The Unity between the Love of God and Concrete Love of Neigh
bor 3og The Risk of Encounter 310
10. Jesus Christ in Non‑Christian Religions 311
The Question within the Limits of a Dogmatic Reflection 31z Two
Presuppositions 313 Christ and Non‑Christian Religions 315 The
Presence of Christ in the Holy Spirit 316 The Searching "Memory"
of All Faith Is Directed towards the Absolute Saviour 318 The
Question about the Concrete History of Religion 321
CHAPTER VI I: CHRISTIANITY AS CHURCH 322
1 . Introduction 322
The Necessary Institutional Mediation of Religion and Its Special
Nature inChristianitY322 The Doctrine of the Church Is Not the
Central Truth of Christianity 324 The Difficult Question about the
True Church 324
2. The Church as Founded by Jesus Christ 326
The Question 326 Presuppositions for the "Founding of the
Church" by Jesus 327 The Thesis and Its Problem 328 Tile At
tempt to Respond: the Principles Involved 329 Application to the
Problem of Continuity between Jesus and the Church 331 TheActs
of Jesus Which Founded the Church 332
3. The Church in the New Testament 335
On the Self‑understandingof the Original Community 335 Onthe
Theology of the Church in Luke and Matthew 336 On the Paul
ine Theology of the Church 337 Other New Testament Ecclesiol
ogies 339 Unity and Variety in the New Testament Image of the
Church 340
4. Fundamentals of the Ecclesial Nature of Christianity 342
Christianity Is Necessarily Church 342 The Autonomous Cbaraster
of the Claim of Jesus Christ's Message 343 The Necessary Historical
and Social Mediation of Salvation 345
5. An Indirect Method for Showing the Legitimacy of
the Catholic Church as the Church of Christ 346
On the Necessity of Church 347 The Church of Jesus Christ Must
Be One Church 348 Legitimate Confidence in One's Own Ecclesial
Community 350 Criteria and Presuppositions 352 The Criterion
of Continuity with the Origin as a Defense against EcclesiologiC21
Relativism 352 The Criterion of Preserving the Basic Substance of
Christianity 354 The Criterion of Objective Authority 355 The
Special Application of These Criteria in Our Situation 356 The
Historical Continuity of the Catholic Church 357 The Criterion of
Preserving the Basic Substance in the Light of Reformation Contro‑
versies 359 Sold Gratia: By Crace Alone 359 Sola Fide.. By Faith
Alone 36o Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone 361 The Three Refor
mation "Onlys" and Catholicism: the Result 365 The Positive Sig
nificance of Evangelical Christianity for the Catholic Church 366 The
Fundamental Unity of Christianity and the Question about the
"Meaning" of the Division 367
6. Scripture as the Church's Book 369
Some References to Earlier Discussions 370 The Church's Book 371
The Apostolic Age 371 The Formation of the Canon 372 The
Inspiration of Scripture 374 The Inerrancy of Scripture 375 Scrip
ture and Teaching Office 377 Scripture and Tradition 377
7. On the Church's Teaching Office 378
The Problem of the Uniqueness of an "Ecclesial Teaching Office" 378
The Christological Reason for the Teaching Office 379 The Church
and Perseverence in the Truth 379 Teaching Authority according to
the Catholic Understanding of the Church 381 The "Hierarchy of
Truths" and Its Subjective Appropriation 382 The Question of the
Post‑Tridentine Development of Dogma ‑384 The Primacy and
Teaching Authority of the Bishop of Rome 384 The "New" Marian
Dogmas 387
8. The Christian in the Life of the Church 389
On the Ecclesial Nature of a Christian 389 On Law and Order in
the Church 391 Levels of Relativity in the Law 392 The Church
as the Place for Love of Cod and of Neighbor 398 The Uniqueness
of the Christian Offer of Meaning in a Pluralistic Society 4oo
CHAPTER VIII: REMARKS ON CHRISTIAN LIFE 402
I. General Characteristics of Christian Life 402
The Freedom of Christians 4o2 The Realism of Christians 403
The Hope of Christians 404 Christians and the Pluralism of Human
Existence 405 The Responsibility of Christians 4o7
2. The Sacramental Life 411
Tne Church as Basic Sacrament and the Seven Sacraments 411
Institution by Jesus Christ 413 "Opus Operaturn "‑"Opus
Operantis"413 The Sacraments of Initiation 415 TheSacraments
of States in Life 417 Penance and the Anointing of the Sick 421
The Eucharist 4z4 Common Aspects of the Sacraments 427
Official‑Ecclesial Salvific Act and Existentiell Salvific Act 42.9
Reductio in Mysterium 430
CHAPTER IX: ESCHATOLOGY 431
1. Presuppositions for Understanding Eschatology 431
On the Hermeneutics of Eschatological Statements 431 The Pre
supposition for a Unified EschatOlOgY 434 The Hiddenness of the
Last Things 434
2. The One Eschatology as Individual Eschatology 435
The Definitive Validity of Free Human Actions 435 Death and
Eternity 436 On the Doctrine about a "Place of Purification" 441
On the Necessary Pluralism of Statements about Fulfillment 443 The
Possibility of Eternal Loss 443
3. The One Eschatology as Collective Eschatology 444
The Anthropological Necessity of Collective Statements 444 The
Culmination of the History of Mankind in God's Full Self‑Communi
cation 445 Inner‑worldly Utopia and Christian Eschatology 446
EPILOGUE: BRIEF CREEDAL STATEMENTS 448
The Need for Brief Creedal Statements of Christian Faith 448 The
Multiplicity of Possible Creedal Statements 449 Requirements for
a Basic Creedal Statement 452 A Brief Theological Creed 454 Ex
planatory Remarks 454 A Brief Anthropological Creed 456 Explana
tory Remarks 456 A Brief Future‑Oriented Creed 457 Explanatory
Remarks 457 Reflections of the Trinitarian Faith 458