Theology of Revelation and Credebility

a) Problemeröffnung: "Eine Offenbarung, die wahrhaftig wäre…" Holbachs Einheit von Religions-und Offenbarungskritik Beginnen wir diese Vorlesung, deren Gegenstand so oft und vielfach diskutiert wurde, nicht mit einer längeren, mehr oder weniger eleganten Einleitung, sondern gleich mit einer fulminanten Problemeröffnung, wie sie vor etwa 250 Jahren im Rahmen der radikalen Aufklärung Paul Henri Thiry d'Holbach (1723-1789) formulierte, jedoch ohne in seiner Zeit von den Theologen eine überzeugende Antwort zu erhaltenwas er auch kaum erwartet haben dürfte. "Eine Offenbarung", schreibt Holbach in seiner Streitschrift Le Christianisme devoilé, "die wahrhaftig wäre, die von einem gerechten und gütigen Gott und für alle Menschen notwendig wäre, müßte klar genug sein, um auch vom ganzen Menschengeschlecht verstanden zu werden. Trifft dies aber für die Offenbarung zu, auf die sich der Judaismus und das Christentum gründen? Die Lehrsätze des Euklid sind für alle verständlich, die sie verstehen wollen; dieses Werk ruft keinerlei Streitigkeiten unter den Mathematikern hervor. Ist die Bibel auch so klar und verursachen die geoffenbarten Wahrheiten keine Streitigkeiten unter den Theologen, die sie verkünden? Durch

The twentieth century has seen a dramatic shift even within Catholic theology when it comes to how the Church understands divine revelation and her own historical reception of it. The Second Vatican Council was a pivotal point in which contrasting views of doctrinal truth seemed to meet head-to-head. But while it might seem that the now popular understanding of revelation as an event, rather than a set of propositions, represents a victory for modernism, there is no contradiction between this personalistic paradigm and the propositional, which reigned in the neo-scholastic era. Rather, there are points of contact between the traditional Thomistic approach of an early-twentieth century Dominican theologian, Francisco Marin-Sola, and the understanding of revelation, particularly, the nature of doctrinal truth, that has risen to prominence thanks to the so-called nouvelle theologie. It is especially evident in the work of Yves Congar and Joseph Ratzinger that it is possible to reconcile the Tubingen approach to reality, which inspired the new school, and the (Augustinian-)Thomistic insistence on the immutability of truth.

In neoorthodox theology, the Bible becomes revelation when the reader encounters Christ through its text.  Scripture, though a genuine witness to the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, is neither divinely inspired nor inerrant.  By examining the writings of the two leading neoorthodox theologians, Karl Barth and Emil Brunner, this paper intends to describe the dangers of dismissing propositional truth from the Bible.  The research will first examine neoorthodoxy’s marginalization of Scripture, which will include a discussion on the neoorthodox view of biblical inspiration, inerrancy, and authority.  Next, the paper will detail the subjective nature of revelation and evaluate the concept of receiving revelation from personal encounters with Jesus.  Finally, the research will describe the consequences of neoorthodoxy as tending toward personalized belief systems and worldviews.  Due to the marginalization of Scripture and the subjective nature of revelation, neoorthodox’s denial of propositional truth results in religious autonomy that rejects spiritual accountability and proper doctrine.

In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium published in 2013, Pope Francis encourages all Christian communities toward missionary transformation. The transformation should lead to a genuine awareness and restoration of the missionary nature of the contemporary Church. The papal document has been quoted and commented on a number of times since its publication, as it bears enormous potential for transformation of the Catholic Church and for the mission of all Christians. The article presents an analysis of the four principles proposed by Evangelii gaudium in a section that focuses on the common good and social peace of humankind. The article acknowledges these principles as the axes of hypothesis that deals with reform of the Catholic Church as much as they contain important implications for a Christian theology of Revelation, for a theology of the act of faith and for a basic reflection on the structure of ecclesiastical communities. These elements are accepted as both an intrinsic condition and practical contribution for the Church's missionary transformation.

La rivelazione come “autocomunicazione di Dio” in maniera definitiva in Gesù Cristo è la parola che identifica lo specifico della fede cristiana. Partendo dalla Scrittura, in cui Dio non dice che è ma manifesta chi è, il volume ripercorre la riflessione storica e sistematica sul tema nella prospettiva nuova indicata dal Concilio Vaticano II

This study is devoted to the problem of the place and significance of the scientific quest and worldview, and to their articulation with metaphysics as they serve to bring the mind to the consideration of the problem and mystery of the existence of God in the thought of the contemporary French philosopher and theologian Claude Tresmontant (1925-97).

Michael Polanyi provides a viable rethinking of how science and theology share a common epistemology and sociology.  He thus provides a working vision of how research and discovery enable the traditions of science and theology to rectify and improve what it is that they claim to know and to do.  My dissertation at the Graduate Theological Union was directed by Bernard Loomer and bears the title, "A Theology of Christian Revelation based upon the Thought of Michael Polanyi." 

The paper submitted here represents pp. 32-104 of this dissertation.  This is Part I.