The Great Church Year: The Best of Karl Rahner's Homilies, Sermons, & Meditations

by Karl Rahner, Harvey D. Egan (Translator), Albert Raffelt (Editor)

Unlike Rahner's theological writings, which can be obscure. these sermons provide a smooth entrance for those who are just beginning to read this fine contemporary theologian and preacher.

Genres: Spirituality, Theology

396 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Karl Rahner, SJ (March 5, 1904 — March 30, 1984) was a German Jesuit and theologian who, alongside Bernard Lonergan and Hans Urs von Balthasar, is considered one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century.

He was born in Freiburg, Germany, and died in Innsbruck, Austria.

Before the Second Vatican Council, Rahner had worked alongside Yves Congar, Henri de Lubac and Marie-Dominique Chenu, theologians associated with an emerging school of thought called the Nouvelle Théologie, elements of which had been criticized in the encyclical Humani Generis of Pope Pius XII.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Catholic Church Year is a marvelous blend of fixed feasts (Christmas, The Immaculate Conception, Saint’s days) and of moveable feasts (Easter); there are also seasons of the Church Year, starting with Advent (beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas), Christmas and Epiphany, Ordinary Time, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time again. Karl Rahner (1904 – 1984) was a German Jesuit theologian, with a reputation for being difficult; but he was also a priest for fifty-two years, and one concerned with ministering to the common people. Hence this collection of homilies, sermons, and meditations that cover various aspects of the Catholic Church Year. And I will say that I enjoyed reading this book, even if every so often his concepts whiffed over my head.

Logically enough, this collection of homilies, sermons and meditations (many preached on Ignatian retreats) starts with the season of Advent, moves to the Christmas Season, then into Lent (with a Mardi Gras sermon on how laughter can be Christian). After the Easter and Pentecost sections, there is a large section on Yearly Feasts, followed by a final section covering Feasts of the Lord and Feasts of the Saints.

In all of these selections (and there are many, covering more than 40 years), Father Rahner shows pastoral care for those to whom he is speaking. Some selections taken from retreats for fellow priests are a bit more abstruse, perhaps, but most of the selections use simple language to bring out the treasures of the Church Year.

In Matthew 13:52 (New American Bible translation) is the verse, “And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”" I feel that Father Rahner did just that; in his preaching of these homilies and meditations he judiciously brought forth treasure that was old and new, suitable for his audience; and that I have been made a better Christian for having read these sermons and homilies on the Church Year.

[Bull Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rahner is an acquired taste. I started reading theology back during the nineties to make up for what I didn't get in seminary. I don't even remember who put me on to K. Rahner, but I'm glad they did. This collection of sermons follows the Catholic Christian year, but could be appreciated by non-Catholics too. The author is an abstract theologian. He locates one fairly strong idea from the chosen lectionary text, and develops that in a mostly abstract way; that's to say he leaves it to the reader (or hearer) to apply the text to one's life. One phrase that sums up KR is "Christ is all and is in all." (from Colossians 3:11)

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is marketed as being accessible to laypeople who are not professional theologians. However, I found the content to be a bit dense and difficult to read through. I did like that the book was divided into 120 small chapters which made it easier to read through a short section every day.