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

Hearers of the word, further emphasising its foundational 2 theoretical significance.Marmion notes that this pattern of spiritual/philosophical juxtapositioning also occurs inthe chronological sequencing of both Spirit in the world and Ascetics and mystics(Rahner’s revision and adaptation of an earlier French work on early Christianspirituality 3 ). It could simply be a coincidence that a chronologically significant workuniquely uses the term ‘silence’. It could also be that this title signals at the verybeginning of Rahner’s extensive publishing career what was most significant to him inhis understanding of the human/divine relationship?Reinforcing the significance of Encounters on a conceptual level is Swiss theologianHans Urs von Balthasar’s comment, in a 1939 review, that Encounters ‘reiterates thebasic insights of Rahner’s theoretical works on the level of religious experience and mustbe considered in order to fully understand his thought’ 4 . That Encounters is a ‘reiteration’of Rahner’s early philosophical theology or indeed the primary source of his theory isdebatable. Nevertheless, from the start this thin devotional text has been considered anessential expression of Rahner’s understanding of God.Declan Marmion describes Encounters as ‘undoubtedly’ Rahner’s ‘spiritual classic’ 5 . Henotes that by 1967 the text was in its tenth edition and had been translated into eightlanguages. Marmion also offers an interpretive conceptual perspective on the text,arguing that the ‘silence’ of God in Encounters is twofold: it echoes the unreachablesilence of the dead—representing the common frustration with prayer: talking to God buthearing no reply; yet paradoxically this same silence represents a ‘boundless space’ in2 The use of the term ‘foundational’ here, in view of Karen Kilby’s argument (see ‘Philosophy, theologyand foundationalism in the thought of Karl Rahner’. Scottish Journal of Theology 55 ( 2) (2002): 127 -140.)is not intended to ascribe a prescriptive or determinant role to Rahner’s early publications, wherebyeverything he writes in later years must be interpreted through the lense of his original works. Rather, thatthe text reveals major themes that were important to Rahner and continue to be reflected in varying waysin later works.3 D. Marmion, A spirituality of everyday faith – a theological investigation of the notion of spirituality inKarl Rahner, (Louvain: Peeters Press, 1988), 49-53.4 John Galvin’s paraphrasing of Baltahsar’s comments, see: ‘Before the holy mystery: Karl Rahner’sthought on God’, 230-231.5 A spirituality of everyday faith – a theological investigation of the notion of spirituality in Karl Rahner,48.55