Introductory notes for readers of this thesis - Theses - Flinders ...

of the faith, the multiplicity of Christian doctrines and statements present the unity of themystery consistently 114 .For Rahner, these three essential truths of faith within the broad field of Christiantheology and doctrine may be considered mysteries in the sense that they articulate theconcrete form of the mystery:1. the mystery of the Trinity;2. the mystery of the hypostatic union;3. the mystery of the beatific vision.Rahner argues that other Christian doctrines or mysteries are incorporated or reduced intothese essential mysteries. For example, ‘original sin’ finds its meaning within the broaderconcept of the ‘supernatural sanctification of…[humanity] by grace prior to…[anindividual’s] personal decision’ 115 (a concept emerging from the doctrine of the beatificvision). Transubstantiation 116 , which cannot be defined as a mystery in relation to asupposed ‘transubstantiation of one purely natural reality into another’ (as no ‘mystery’exists in our objective knowledge of created things), is conceivable only on the basis ofhypostatic union 117 . The mysteries associated with soteriology 118 and redemption are‘reduced’ into the concept of the Incarnation 119 . These three theologies, which Rahnerarticulates as trinity, incarnation (hypostatic union) and the ‘divinisation of humanity ingrace and glory’ (beatific vision), provide the source and framework for all Christiandoctrines.In his brief explanation for why these three elements of Christian doctrine form the‘canon’ of essential mysteries, Rahner observes that the exclusive and essential mysteryof the Trinity is self-evident: ‘if any real mysteries are possible at all, they must exist in114 Ibid.115 Ibid, 64.116 The Roman Catholic teaching of the ‘change of substance’ of the physical communion elements into theactual body and blood of Christ – P. Stravinskas, ed. Catholic encyclopedia, 940.117 Hypostatic union: the doctrine of the coexistence of two natures in the one historical person, JesusChrist, who the creeds proclaim as fully God and fully human.118 The theological study of salvation.119 Theological investigations, IV, 64-65.111