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

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meaningful adult lives as believers. The church can’t keep on functioning in exactly thesame way and realistically hope <strong>for</strong> a different result. The church needs to find the way <strong>of</strong>wisdom to ensure its ongoing self-awareness and effective responses to the culturalsituation. This must be a wisdom deeper and more pr<strong>of</strong>ound than simply ramping up therhetoric, adjusting the orders <strong>of</strong> service, printing some more flyers, replacing the organwith rock music or hip-hop, and serving good espresso after the morning worship. Thechurch needs the wisdom that can only emerge from entering the deep silence <strong>of</strong> God.It is my conviction that Rahner models <strong>this</strong> wisdom. Rahner models the anti<strong>thesis</strong> <strong>of</strong> thechurch as angry old man. Rahner models the deep spirituality from which the security andconfidence to listen and to engage rather than defend and win arguments emerges. Rahnermodels a vision <strong>of</strong> the holy mystery that sees not only the church but the whole <strong>of</strong>creation and human society as enfolded and supported by grace. The vastness <strong>of</strong> <strong>this</strong> viewchanges the way human beings live and move in relation to the church and society.From the depths <strong>of</strong> silence comes a renewed theological vision and way <strong>of</strong> supportingothers in spiritual <strong>for</strong>mation. Rahner demonstrates that <strong>this</strong> renewed theological visiondoesn’t come from a conference or a book. It comes from a lifetime <strong>of</strong> prayer, theologicalreflection and everyday engagement with the world as it is rather than the way Christianshope or insist it is.This <strong>thesis</strong> does not hold up Rahner’s thinking as the ultimate and perfect interpretation<strong>of</strong> the Christian faith. This <strong>thesis</strong> draws attention to Rahner’s life, a life that pointsmeaningfully in the direction <strong>of</strong> what will be required <strong>of</strong> future Christians. Rahner’slegacy is substantial; his life and work achieved significant re<strong>for</strong>m, culminating <strong>for</strong>mallyin Vatican II’s radical re<strong>for</strong>mation <strong>of</strong> Catholic Christian understanding. However, hisexperiences <strong>of</strong> disappointment and his references to ‘faith in a wintry season’ reveal thathe had hoped <strong>for</strong> much more. Individuals may not see in their lifetimes the coming t<strong>of</strong>ruition <strong>of</strong> the beautiful visions <strong>of</strong> re<strong>for</strong>m and renewal <strong>for</strong> which they long and hope.Human beings are invited to be part <strong>of</strong> the process that points and leads in a betterdirection. Rahner’s spirituality <strong>of</strong> silence frees believers to <strong>of</strong>fer the very best <strong>of</strong> their223

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