Our Lady and the Church

by Hugo Rahner

Our Lady and the Church, first published in English shortly after the declaration of the dogma of the Assumption, is a testament to the breadth and depth of Hugo Rahner’s Mariology. The dogma of the Assumption, for Rahner, raises two First, what is the precise place of the dogma in the body of Catholic teaching? Second, what is its significance for the development of the spiritual life? The answer to these questions lies in resolving the apparent—but not actual—contradiction between the place of the sacraments and the liturgy and the role of Mary the Mother of God in the Christian life. The humble life of the Virgin Mary is the stage for the Incarnation of the Son of God and his founding of the one, holy, catholic, apostolic Church.

In eleven visionary chapters, Rahner weaves the wisdom of the Church Fathers with his own insights to show the unity of Mary and the Church and the effects of that relationship on the spiritual life of every Christian.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Catholic

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Hugo Rahner, S.J., Ph.D. (Theology, 1931), D.S.T., was a Jesuit theologian and ecclesiastical historian who served as dean and president of the University of Innsbruck.

Reviews

[Tyler Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the introduction, chapter 1 "Mary, Essentially a Symbol of the Church," and chapter 2 "Immaculata" (about 18% of the book) for my Systematic Theology II course under Dr. Jacob Lett for a research paper I was writing on Mary, the mother of Jesus. This book is a fairly easy read and is not very long, making it accessible to lay individuals, but still maintains a scholarly feel. I would like to return to it, and finish it entirely. Hugo Rahner was a 20th century German Jesuit scholar.

[Fr. Daniel Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugo Rahner's research into the Fathers of the Church is clearly extensive. This book does a wonderous job of transmitting the rich connections which the fathers and medievals made between Mary and the Church. All of the references are clearly organized and presented in a clean and tidy way which makes for easy learning as well as contemplation.

I found it as a resource for reflection and meditation rather difficult because it seems a lot like an "idea dump" with a little sugarcoating. This is because Rahner wants to get out of the way and let the fathers speak, as the foreword accurately describes. As such, it is a scholarly work which can be useful for contemplation on the mysteries of Mary and the Church. But I found that while the writing style is academic, the content itself is more reflective in nature. Perhaps this is why I struggled with finishing it.

This book will make for excellent citations for talks on Mary or on the Church. It could be the skeleton and references for an excellent conference on seeing the reflection of one in the other. And for homilies on particular Marian feasts, there is a treasure trove of material to present or comment upon. Just be weary that this is not a simple read-through. It is more a reference book or a book worth reading slowly and reflectively, especially if one wishes to deepen one's understanding of Mary and the rich heritage of her in the Church.

[Bob Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marian ecclesiology

Rahner probes the depths of Marian theology explored by the church fathers to give us a glimpse at new depths in ecclesiology. There is much to be meditated here. Understanding Mary is necessary for understanding the Church.

[Mags · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good book for some educational meditation.