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Who Is a Christian?
The title of this book is a short question. In its longer form, the question would be: “In the changed circumstances after the 2ndVatican Council—with its theme of aggiornamento or ‘updating’, especially in the areas of the Bible, the Liturgy, Ecumenism, and openness to the modern world—what does it really mean to be a Christian today?”
Balthasar begins by acknowledging the confusion of many in the post-Conciliar period. He then describes the valuable contributions of the Council in those four areas. But he also describes their “shadows”: what could go wrong and often did go wrong. Finally he points out the path to genuine renewal in the personal life of the Christian and in the Christian’s service of the world.
Among the key topics and issues Balthasar discusses that are important for the authentic renewal of the Christian life include: The Primacy of Contemplation, Who Is a ‘‘Mature Christian’’? , Love, the Form of the Christian Life, How Should a Christian Serve the World—and How Not?, Despite Everything, a Single Commitment , and Prayer, Hope, and the Profane.
“We must therefore resolve to turn around and approach what seemed to be behind us as something before us. To have the question before us, ‘Who is a Christian?’, together with our effort to answer it, is the right approach, for the answer will necessarily come to us from the source from which our Christian life itself is given, namely, God’s living Word . . . We rightly find God in the sign of Word and Sacrament, but only in order to seek him ever more passionately where he is not and where we must bring him. Or, rather where he already dwells unseen, and where we must discover him.”
-Hans urs von Balthasar
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1965
3 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Hans Urs von Balthasar
439 books314 followersHans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is considered one of the most important theologians of the 20th century.
Born in Lucerne, Switzerland on 12 August 1905, he attended Stella Matutina (Jesuit school) in Feldkirch, Austria. He studied in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich, gaining a doctorate in German literature. He joined the Jesuits in 1929, and was ordained in 1936. He worked in Basel as a student chaplain. In 1950 he left the Jesuit order, feeling that God had called him to found a Secular Institute, a lay form of consecrated life that sought to work for the sanctification of the world especially from within. He joined the diocese of Chur. From the low point of being banned from teaching, his reputation eventually rose to the extent that John Paul II asked him to be a cardinal in 1988. However he died in his home in Basel on 26 June 1988, two days before the ceremony. Balthasar was interred in the Hofkirche cemetery in Lucern.
Along with Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan, Balthasar sought to offer an intellectual, faithful response to Western modernism. While Rahner offered a progressive, accommodating position on modernity and Lonergan worked out a philosophy of history that sought to critically appropriate modernity, Balthasar resisted the reductionism and human focus of modernity, wanting Christianity to challenge modern sensibilities.
Balthasar is very eclectic in his approach, sources, and interests and remains difficult to categorize. An example of his eclecticism was his long study and conversation with the influential Reformed Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, of whose work he wrote the first Catholic analysis and response. Although Balthasar's major points of analysis on Karl Barth's work have been disputed, his The Theology of Karl Barth: Exposition and Interpretation (1951) remains a classic work for its sensitivity and insight; Karl Barth himself agreed with its analysis of his own theological enterprise, calling it the best book on his own theology.
Balthasar's Theological Dramatic Theory has influenced the work of Raymund Schwager.
Born in Lucerne, Switzerland on 12 August 1905, he attended Stella Matutina (Jesuit school) in Feldkirch, Austria. He studied in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich, gaining a doctorate in German literature. He joined the Jesuits in 1929, and was ordained in 1936. He worked in Basel as a student chaplain. In 1950 he left the Jesuit order, feeling that God had called him to found a Secular Institute, a lay form of consecrated life that sought to work for the sanctification of the world especially from within. He joined the diocese of Chur. From the low point of being banned from teaching, his reputation eventually rose to the extent that John Paul II asked him to be a cardinal in 1988. However he died in his home in Basel on 26 June 1988, two days before the ceremony. Balthasar was interred in the Hofkirche cemetery in Lucern.
Along with Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan, Balthasar sought to offer an intellectual, faithful response to Western modernism. While Rahner offered a progressive, accommodating position on modernity and Lonergan worked out a philosophy of history that sought to critically appropriate modernity, Balthasar resisted the reductionism and human focus of modernity, wanting Christianity to challenge modern sensibilities.
Balthasar is very eclectic in his approach, sources, and interests and remains difficult to categorize. An example of his eclecticism was his long study and conversation with the influential Reformed Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, of whose work he wrote the first Catholic analysis and response. Although Balthasar's major points of analysis on Karl Barth's work have been disputed, his The Theology of Karl Barth: Exposition and Interpretation (1951) remains a classic work for its sensitivity and insight; Karl Barth himself agreed with its analysis of his own theological enterprise, calling it the best book on his own theology.
Balthasar's Theological Dramatic Theory has influenced the work of Raymund Schwager.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 11, 2018
Not a devotional manual, but rather the "why" behind any and all devotion that comprises the Christian life: in an age where the Church is in an "exposed position," Von Balthasar lucidly and soberly expounds on what it means to be a Christian, and what the implications are.
Anyone who has ever wondered what "the spirit of poverty" and to be "poor in spirit" means, and why they are important in the Christian life, would do well to read this book. Von Balthasar wrote Who is a Christian?" in 1983. Given that this book assesses the aftermath of Vatican II-- what the Council meant, what transpired anyhow, and what remained unrealized-- what also makes for an intriguing read is observing a certain... feistiness in Von Balthasar's pronouncements on the then-current state of the Church, much of which remains relevant.
Anyone who has ever wondered what "the spirit of poverty" and to be "poor in spirit" means, and why they are important in the Christian life, would do well to read this book. Von Balthasar wrote Who is a Christian?" in 1983. Given that this book assesses the aftermath of Vatican II-- what the Council meant, what transpired anyhow, and what remained unrealized-- what also makes for an intriguing read is observing a certain... feistiness in Von Balthasar's pronouncements on the then-current state of the Church, much of which remains relevant.
September 9, 2024
H. U. von Balthasar argues that merely living the social gospel of Christianity is not enough to distinguish Christians from Humanists. I appreciated his view of Christian humanism versus Secular Humanism. He distinguishes Christian humanism by adding, of course, the faith element (60). A Christian understands the gospels to not be some dated, stagnant writing but an account of how Christ continues to companion a believer now just as he did with the original community of disciples (53-58).
Living a contemplative life of both spiritual and material poverty while maintaining the mission of the Church and exemplifying self-sacrificing Love ala Christ are signs of Christian “maturity” (67-102). To “practice” as a Christian seems to be defined by the transformation of theory to action; “A practical Christian is a man who undergoes this resurrection of truth in the reality of his life. When this happens, the practical Christian becomes a practising Christian…a practising Christian is one who loves Jesus and ‘keeps his commandments’ ” (96). Balthasar highlights attending Mass, confessing, celebrating the Church calendar/feast days, and live as an example of how to accept (as the Didache also says) that all things come from God (98-102).
Balthasar flowers up the above directives, of course, but these are what boils down to “practicing” as a Christian (a Catholic-Christian specifically) before plunging into the last bit of his work in the final chapter. He makes the argument that in being “not of the world,” the Christian works—through their labor, obedience to God, and their values wherever they find themselves—by “building up of the kingdom of humanity” and in so doing, “contributed something small to the kingdom of God in the world and realm of men” (113). Indeed, he writes, “The more earthly civilization organizes itself and undertakes campaigns against poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy, the more Christians must take part in these schemes as human beings working with other human beings, and help them to progress” (117). In this way, the Church can fulfill its original commission by Christ (not post-Vatican II’s social gospel movement, he is quick to point out) to serve the poor, downtrodden, etc. Through this work and the work of prayer, a Christian becomes “emptied of self” and “in faith and obedience has dispossessed himself” on his path to God (120;123).
I respect the work of von Balthasar and am reading him to seek to understand his theology more deeply. However, I cannot help but think that he is giving us only a long homily in this book. In top of that, he is so long winded! I should have stopped on page 44 when he says, “Who is a Christian?…the man who most deeply ingrains what is Christian into the stuff of the modern world.” That’s it! That’s all, folks! Book over. Done. Alas, it is not. This book was a boring and laborious read.
As a cradle-Catholic, I was disappointed in hearing the same ole’ “go to Mass, don’t miss the Holy Days of Obligation, and wash behind your ears” routine. If you grew up Catholic, you have heard all this before. If you just converted, skip the book and take this review as a summary. As for me, I’ll stick with my Secular Humanism and live like von Balthasar calls Christians to live without all the Mass-going and twisting myself into contortions thinking about how to make sense of this sort of theology anymore.
Living a contemplative life of both spiritual and material poverty while maintaining the mission of the Church and exemplifying self-sacrificing Love ala Christ are signs of Christian “maturity” (67-102). To “practice” as a Christian seems to be defined by the transformation of theory to action; “A practical Christian is a man who undergoes this resurrection of truth in the reality of his life. When this happens, the practical Christian becomes a practising Christian…a practising Christian is one who loves Jesus and ‘keeps his commandments’ ” (96). Balthasar highlights attending Mass, confessing, celebrating the Church calendar/feast days, and live as an example of how to accept (as the Didache also says) that all things come from God (98-102).
Balthasar flowers up the above directives, of course, but these are what boils down to “practicing” as a Christian (a Catholic-Christian specifically) before plunging into the last bit of his work in the final chapter. He makes the argument that in being “not of the world,” the Christian works—through their labor, obedience to God, and their values wherever they find themselves—by “building up of the kingdom of humanity” and in so doing, “contributed something small to the kingdom of God in the world and realm of men” (113). Indeed, he writes, “The more earthly civilization organizes itself and undertakes campaigns against poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy, the more Christians must take part in these schemes as human beings working with other human beings, and help them to progress” (117). In this way, the Church can fulfill its original commission by Christ (not post-Vatican II’s social gospel movement, he is quick to point out) to serve the poor, downtrodden, etc. Through this work and the work of prayer, a Christian becomes “emptied of self” and “in faith and obedience has dispossessed himself” on his path to God (120;123).
I respect the work of von Balthasar and am reading him to seek to understand his theology more deeply. However, I cannot help but think that he is giving us only a long homily in this book. In top of that, he is so long winded! I should have stopped on page 44 when he says, “Who is a Christian?…the man who most deeply ingrains what is Christian into the stuff of the modern world.” That’s it! That’s all, folks! Book over. Done. Alas, it is not. This book was a boring and laborious read.
As a cradle-Catholic, I was disappointed in hearing the same ole’ “go to Mass, don’t miss the Holy Days of Obligation, and wash behind your ears” routine. If you grew up Catholic, you have heard all this before. If you just converted, skip the book and take this review as a summary. As for me, I’ll stick with my Secular Humanism and live like von Balthasar calls Christians to live without all the Mass-going and twisting myself into contortions thinking about how to make sense of this sort of theology anymore.
December 31, 2023
A helpful book on this time of confusion.
July 18, 2015
Great introduction on the primacy of prayer in the Christian life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews