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

which the spiritual pilgrim finds the love that enables faith 6 . Marmion believes that‘word’ (from the original title Worte ins Schweigen), understood in the context of bothEncounters and its chronological partner, Hearers, is not ‘word as verbal proposition’,but a metaphor for the experience of God’s self-communication with the human person; itis not an actual word but an experience deeper than words that is beyond verbaldescription—and therefore an encounter with silence 7 .The growing emphasis of scholars on the importance and centrality of Rahner’sdevotional literature also highlights the conceptual importance of Encounters. Kilbyargues that Rahner’s devotional literature is more helpful and creative when viewed in itsown light, and for its own value, rather than as a derivative or ‘dumbed-down’ version ofa supposed centrally binding philosophical theory 8 . Herbert Vorgrimler asserts that it isentirely appropriate to approach Rahner through his prayer literature as, essentially,Rahner wrote about himself and his life with God. In Vorgrimler’s opinion, the personand theology of Rahner are most clearly expressed in his devotional writings 9 . PhilipEndean’s study of Rahner, using his orientation to Ignatian spirituality as his lens, leadshim to assert unequivocally that Rahner’s theology is rooted in his spirituality rather thanhis philosophy (cf Balthasar).If Rahner himself is to be believed, then his theology depends less on systematicwriters such as Maréchal or Heidegger than on terse text—‘written in an idiomthat is downright provocation to theological pride’—we know as the Spiritual10Exercises of Ignatius Loyolla .Similar thoughts are echoed by Dych11 , Marmion 12 , and Harvey Egan who describesRahner’s theology as one that6 See K. Rahner, Encounters with silence, Trans. J.M. Demske (Westminster, Maryland: The NewmanPress, 1960), 6-10.7 Ibid, 50-51.8 K . Kilby, Karl Rahner theology and philosophy, (London: Routledge, 2004), 127.9 H. Vorgrimler, Understanding Karl Rahner, Trans. J. Bowden. (London: SCD Press, 1986), 2 & 10.10P. Endean, Karl Rahner and Ignatian spirituality, Oxford theological monographs, (Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press, 2001), 6.11 Karl Rahner (London: Continuum, 1992), 32-46.12 A spirituality of everyday faith – a theological investigation of the notion of spirituality in Karl Rahner,43.56