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

Chapter 5: Word and sacrament—explicit formation of inner silenceWhat we call ‘the Church’ as the eschatological presence of God’s truth and lovecontained in word and sacrament, is nothing other than the continuing validity ofthe historical fact that the history of God’s sharing himself with us began in JesusChrist, is believed in today, and continues to unfold in the present and the future 1 .The previous chapter concluded with a reflection on the possibility of a silencetransformed: a movement from existential terror to an experience of boundless, lovingspace. This chapter, reflecting on the essential soteriological2 bridge between the twoencounters with silence, will explore Rahner’s thinking on the explicit elements that forma full, holistic and conscious completion of the work of interior grace. In Rahner’stheology of mystery, experience and grace make spiritual formation a real and possiblefactor in universal human potentiality; in his theology of word and sacrament, elementsthat are an intrinsic part of the spiritual process bringing about the fullness of thispotential. God’s communication with human beings transforms the silent experience oftheir inner depths into a living word of everyday grace. Rahner’s universal spirituality ofsilence—from which the possibility of the anonymous Christianity emerges—is deeplyrooted in and connected to a sacramental, anthropological vision intrinsic to his spiritualtheology of word.The exploration of Rahner’s theology of word and sacrament is important for establishingwhat his spirituality of silence is and what it is not. The chapter on Ignatian spiritualityrefers to the Rahnerian Ignatius proclaiming his profound sense of apophatic nearness toGod—and corresponding ambiguity in his references to other ‘external faith supports’.Such is the strength of this silent, personal encounter that even if other externalsupports to faith, such as a canon of scripture, were to disappear, or did not existin the first place, the saint would remain secure and at peace 3 .Superficially, this comment could be interpreted as disregarding the importance of HolyScripture and other liturgical elements traditionally associated with Christian spiritual1 K.Rahner, Belief Today, (London: Sheed & Ward, 1964), 116.2 Of salvation.3 My paraphrasing of Rahner’s comment in, Ignatius of Loyola , Trans. Ockenden, R. (London: Collins,1979), 12.124