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Thesis advisor: Stephen J. Pope / This dissertation attends to the crisis of addiction in the United States. The increasing number in annual overdoses and the inadequacy of national responses to curtail these preventable deaths demands an immediate moral response. In the last year, deaths caused by overdose increased by nearly 29 percent, and 20.8 million people in the United States are currently living with substance use disorders. The number of families affected by addiction presents a striking testimony to the scope of the problem. Nevertheless, there is still enormous disagreement over the nature of addiction and therefore how to best treat it. This dissertation will therefore offer a theological approach to addiction in order to advocate for a social response to this crisis.This dissertation proceeds in five chapters. In the first chapter, I evaluate the medical and moral models of addiction. This first chapter engages research in neurobiology and psychology and argues that these models are premised upon a false dichotomy between determinism and freedom of the will. The second chapter explores disagreements in bioethics over the meanings of health, disease, and illness. These different definitions contribute to the chasm between the medical and moral models of addiction. This chapter proposes a holistic account of health for understanding addiction and healing. The third chapter grounds this holistic account of health in Karl Rahner’s transcendental anthropology in order to uphold the fundamental relationality of human persons and to move past the false dichotomy presented in chapter one between determinism and freedom of the will. This chapter then offers a theological examination of sin as a power or force that preconditions freedom. It concludes by proposing a theological and relational account of autonomy. The fourth chapter engages philosophy of the mind in order to argue for a nonreductive approach to mentality that appreciates the ways in which human persons are co-constituted by bottom up and top down causality. A nonreductive approach to mentality offers a way to understand addiction as an interacting set of processes and patterns. This fourth chapter concludes by considering the possibility for responsibility by examining narrativity, vulnerability, and imagination. It argues that there is a moral responsibility to imagine a better world for people living with addictions, and to bring that world about. Finally, the fifth chapter draws upon the theological virtue of solidarity and the principle of the preferential option for the poor in order to articulate a preferential option for people living with addictions. I argue here that Church institutions can stand in solidarity with people who suffer from addiction by acting as providers, educators, and lobbyers. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

[pt] O avanço da modernidade é um marco na história da teologia. Pois, com ele, também se acentua o caráter antropocêntrico moderno. O ser humano, com suas criações e descobertas, caminha para tomar o lugar de Deus e da cosmovisão cristã clássica, caracterizando um giro antropológico moderno. Naturalmente, esta situação de dualismo moderno envolvendo o ser humano e Deus acaba por exigir alguma reação por parte das teologias cristãs. Algumas acham a saída para tal problema na própria figura humana, fazendo dela um novo caminho através do qual é possível falar de Deus. Tal atitude caracteriza um giro antropológico, na teologia. Nessa dissertação, serão apontadas as atitudes básicas de uma teologia que se propõe a realizar tal giro antropológica, cujo teórico principal é o teólogo jesuíta Karl Rahner, enfatizando alguns de seus desdobramentos acerca da questão de Deus. Este caminho será feito para que, ao fim, seja possível expor a construção teológica de Paul Tillich acerca da questão de Deus em sua Teologia Sistemática, levantando a hipótese de que, nela, ele realiza o giro antropológico necessário a toda teologia que pretende reagir ao antropocentrismo moderno. Isto mostra que a possibilidade de Deus não recai, necessariamente, no desprezo ao ser humano e seus avanços. / [en] The modernity advance is a mark in the history of Theology. And because of this progress, the anthropocentric character of modernity is also accentuated. The human being, with his creations and discoveries, walks to take the place of God and the classical Christian worldview, which characterizes a modern anthropological twist. Naturally, this situation of modern dualism involving human being and God asks for some reaction of the Christian theologies. Some of them find the solution for this problem at the human figure itself, making of it a new way through what is possible to talk about god. Such attitude characterizes an anthropological twist in the theology. This dissertation will show the basic attitudes of a theology that propose itself on realizing such anthropological twist, whose the main theorist is the Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner, emphasizing some of its developments about the question of God. This way will be done in order to make the exposition of Paul Tillich s theological construction about the question of God on his Systematic Theology possible, raising the hypothesis that he realizes the anthropological twist in his work, which is necessary to any theology that aims to react to the modern anthropocentrism. Thus, it shows that the possibility of God does not necessarily end in contempt for human being and his advances.

[pt] A presente dissertação trata da centralidade de Jesus Cristo no entendimento do projeto de Deus sobre o ser humano. Esta abordagem encontrou na Gaudium et Spes, especialmente em seu número 22, um lugar significativo, pois permitiu à antropologia teológica uma visão mais unitária. Cristo, Homem Novo, aparece como Homem Perfeito, isto é, paradigma daquilo que o ser humano é chamado a ser. O caminho que faremos terá três momentos. O primeiro será um relato descritivo e interpretativo sobre a gênese e o desenvolvimento da Gaudium et Spes, com uma atenção especial ao tema proposto, o mistério do homem revelado no mistério de Cristo, marcadamente presente no primeiro capítulo do documento, em destaque no número 22. Em seguida, aprofundaremos a centralidade de Jesus no projeto de Deus Pai para o ser humano. A dignidade da pessoa humana se esclarece no mistério de Cristo (GS 22). Nesta afirmação está a mais alta fundamentação da Constituição Pastoral. E, finalmente, iremos explicitar o pensamento de dois grandes teólogos alemães do século XX, Wolfhart Pannenberg, pastor luterano, e Karl Rahner, padre jesuíta católico, que afrontaram o tema da relação entre teologia e antropologia. / [en] This dissertation is about the centrality of Jesus Christ in the understanding of God s project about human being. This approach found in Gaudium et Spes, especially in its number 22, a significant place because it allowed a more unified vision to the theological anthropology. Christ, New Man, appears as Perfect Man, that is, paradigm of what human beings are called to be. There will be three moments on the path we will have. The first will be a descriptive and interpretive account about the genesis and the development of Gaudium et Spes, with special attention to the theme, the mystery of the man revealed in the mystery of Christ, markedly present in the first chapter of the document, highlighted the number 22 . Then we will deepen the centrality of Jesus in the project of God the Father for humans. The dignity of the human person is made clear in the mystery of Christ (GS 22). This statement is the highest reason for the Pastoral Constitution. And finally, we will explain the thoughts of two great German theologians of the twentieth century, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Lutheran pastor, and Karl Rahner, Catholic Jesuit priest who blasphemed the theme of relationship between theology and anthropology.

[pt] A cristologia existencial de Karl Rahner e de Teresa de Calcutá é uma pesquisa cujo objetivo é apresentar, de modo comparativo, esses dois grandes místicos do século sem Deus (XX). O trabalho se estrutura em cinco momentos. Primeiro, é apresentada a vida do teólogo alemão que dá a tônica para o trabalho. Em seguida, a cristologia de Karl Rahner, a partir da qual descrevemos a proposta de uma nova reflexão cristológica para a atualidade, segundo o próprio teólogo. Da mesma forma, explicitamos as duas vertentes cristológicas, pensadas desde a relação com a pessoa de Jesus Cristo e tratadas por Karl Rahner, tanto a descendente, quanto a vertente ascendente. No terceiro momento, é apresentada a vida de Teresa de Calcutá – como foi a de Rahner – a partir da sua experiência espiritual. Em seguida, a cristologia de Madre Teresa é descrita e orientada com base em alguns teólogos, que oferecem luzes para a compreensão do pensamento dessa mulher que pode e será considerada uma teóloga. O último momento da pesquisa será estruturado numa perspectiva comparativa. Rahner e Teresa de Calcutá serão vistos a partir das consequências da chamada cristologia existencial, que afetam a reflexão teológica. Como via de aplicação, o pensamento do Papa Francisco será usado, de modo que se perceba o quanto a reflexão dos místicos pode contribuir para a renovação da teologia e, por consequência, da vida eclesial, nos dias atuais. Dessa maneira, a cristologia existencial de Karl Rahner e de Teresa de Calcutá oferecerá luzes para o ser cristão no século XXI. / [en] The existential Christology of Karl Rahner and of Therese of Calcutta is a research which objective is to present, in a comparative way, these both great mystics of the century without God (XX). This work is structured in five moments. First, It is presented the life of the German theologian which gives the tonic to the work. Then, the Christology of Karl Rahner from which we describe the proposal of a new Christological reflection for the present days, according to this theologian. At the same way, we explained the two Christological strands thought from the relation with the person of Jesus and treated by Karl Rahner which are both the descendant and the ascendant strand. In the third moment, It is presented the life of Therese of Calcutta – as we did with Rahner – from her spiritual experience. Then, the Christology of Mother Therese is described and oriented based on some theologians, who offer lights for the comprehension of this woman s thought who can and will be consider as a theologian. The last research moment is going to be structured in a comparative way. Rahner and Therese will be seen from the inconsequences of the called existential Christology, which affect the theological reflection. As a way of application, Pope Francis thought will be used, in order of realizing how much the reflections of the mystics can contribute with the renewal of theology and, as a consequence, the ecclesial life, in the present day. This manner, the existential Christology of Karl Rahner and of Therese of Calcutta will offer lights for the being a Christian in the XXI century.

La question qui traverse toute l’œuvre de Karl Rahner continue de se poser : comment rendre crédible et croyable la révélation de Dieu en Jésus aux gens d’aujourd’hui? Cette question doit être pensée sans cesse à nouveau dans la réalité concrète de la vie humaine. Au temps de Rahner, on mettait l’accent sur la transcendance de Dieu. Depuis ce temps, la culture occidentale s’est transformée : au début du 21e siècle, elle présente de façon marquée les traits du matérialisme, du consumérisme, de l’individualisme, du relativisme et du sécularisme. Conséquemment, on a aujourd’hui tendance à évacuer la transcendance divine. Notre recherche consiste en l’effectuation d’échanges entre la théologie de Karl Rahner et la philosophie de Gilles Deleuze, dans le but d’établir des conditions de possibilités d’un croire chrétiennement aujourd’hui. La philosophie de Deleuze nous introduit dans un processus créatif avec lequel nous pouvons penser radicalement Dieu comme à la fois transcendant et immanent. Notre démarche construit huit hybrides conceptuels qui aident à penser Rahner autrement et à ouvrir la possibilité d’un croire chrétiennement aujourd’hui. Notre recherche ouvre également la perspective d’une théologie de la rencontre entre des mondes théologiques, philosophiques, artistiques et scientifiques. Enfin, elle aide à éclairer la réalité de la nouvelle évangélisation en Occident chrétien. / The question which moves throughout Karl Rahner’s work continues to lay down a principle: how can one make believable and convincing the revelation of God in Jesus to the people of today? This question must be considered again unceasingly in a practical reality of human life. In Rahner’s time, emphasis was placed into the transcendence of God. Since then, occidental culture was transformed: in the beginning of the 21st century, is showed a very obvious tendency of materialism, consumerism, individualism, relativism and secularism. Consequently, there is a tendency to evacuate the divine transcendence. Our research consists in exchanges between Karl Rahner’s theology and Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy, with the purpose of establishing possible conditions of Christian belief today. Deleuze’s philosophy introduces us into a creative process through which we can think radically of God as being at the same time transcendent and immanent. Our approach is developed with eight conceptual hybrids which help understand Rahners’s theology in another perspective and leads to the possibility of a Christian belief for today. Our research opens as well onto the perspective of theology meeting between the theological, philosophical, artistic and scientific worlds. Finally, it helps to enlighten the reality of the new evangelization in Christian Occident.

La question qui traverse toute l’œuvre de Karl Rahner continue de se poser : comment rendre crédible et croyable la révélation de Dieu en Jésus aux gens d’aujourd’hui? Cette question doit être pensée sans cesse à nouveau dans la réalité concrète de la vie humaine. Au temps de Rahner, on mettait l’accent sur la transcendance de Dieu. Depuis ce temps, la culture occidentale s’est transformée : au début du 21e siècle, elle présente de façon marquée les traits du matérialisme, du consumérisme, de l’individualisme, du relativisme et du sécularisme. Conséquemment, on a aujourd’hui tendance à évacuer la transcendance divine. Notre recherche consiste en l’effectuation d’échanges entre la théologie de Karl Rahner et la philosophie de Gilles Deleuze, dans le but d’établir des conditions de possibilités d’un croire chrétiennement aujourd’hui. La philosophie de Deleuze nous introduit dans un processus créatif avec lequel nous pouvons penser radicalement Dieu comme à la fois transcendant et immanent. Notre démarche construit huit hybrides conceptuels qui aident à penser Rahner autrement et à ouvrir la possibilité d’un croire chrétiennement aujourd’hui. Notre recherche ouvre également la perspective d’une théologie de la rencontre entre des mondes théologiques, philosophiques, artistiques et scientifiques. Enfin, elle aide à éclairer la réalité de la nouvelle évangélisation en Occident chrétien. / The question which moves throughout Karl Rahner’s work continues to lay down a principle: how can one make believable and convincing the revelation of God in Jesus to the people of today? This question must be considered again unceasingly in a practical reality of human life. In Rahner’s time, emphasis was placed into the transcendence of God. Since then, occidental culture was transformed: in the beginning of the 21st century, is showed a very obvious tendency of materialism, consumerism, individualism, relativism and secularism. Consequently, there is a tendency to evacuate the divine transcendence. Our research consists in exchanges between Karl Rahner’s theology and Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy, with the purpose of establishing possible conditions of Christian belief today. Deleuze’s philosophy introduces us into a creative process through which we can think radically of God as being at the same time transcendent and immanent. Our approach is developed with eight conceptual hybrids which help understand Rahners’s theology in another perspective and leads to the possibility of a Christian belief for today. Our research opens as well onto the perspective of theology meeting between the theological, philosophical, artistic and scientific worlds. Finally, it helps to enlighten the reality of the new evangelization in Christian Occident.

The tradition of classical Christology, understood in a MacIntyrean sense as an historically extended and socially embodied argument, is facing an epistemological crisis due to the fact that, at each stage in its complex development, it has failed to resolve the problems arising out of the articulation of the classical interpretation of the Incarnation. This failure on the part of the tradition is due to the unsatisfactory and intractable metaphysical dualism at its heart. This dualism, highlighted in each successive attempt to explain the union of the divine and human natures in Christ, is to be understood as a symptom of a more fundamental God-world dualism, entailed by the doctrine of creation ex nihilo, and informing the traditional Christian conceptual scheme. Failure to recognise and address the God-world problematic has led to one-sided Christological solutions that reflect and reinforce this original and most basic dualism. An alternative view of God is needed to inform Christology if the problematic dualism at the heart of the classical model is to be overcome and the epistemological crisis resolved. Pan(en)theism is such an alternative model of God that offers resources for a non-dualistic Christopraxis.

The tradition of classical Christology, understood in a MacIntyrean sense as an historically extended and socially embodied argument, is facing an epistemological crisis due to the fact that, at each stage in its complex development, it has failed to resolve the problems arising out of the articulation of the classical interpretation of the Incarnation. This failure on the part of the tradition is due to the unsatisfactory and intractable metaphysical dualism at its heart. This dualism, highlighted in each successive attempt to explain the union of the divine and human natures in Christ, is to be understood as a symptom of a more fundamental God-world dualism, entailed by the doctrine of creation ex nihilo, and informing the traditional Christian conceptual scheme. Failure to recognise and address the God-world problematic has led to one-sided Christological solutions that reflect and reinforce this original and most basic dualism. An alternative view of God is needed to inform Christology if the problematic dualism at the heart of the classical model is to be overcome and the epistemological crisis resolved. Pan(en)theism is such an alternative model of God that offers resources for a non-dualistic Christopraxis.

Zugl.: Rom, Pontificia Univ. Gregoriana, Diss., 2004