1. Aim The thesis aims to explore Emmanuel Levinas’ philosophy as a fertile resource for Christian theology. In this general context, we focus specifically on the way Levinas opens the possibility of a language of alterity, or radical “otherness”, in theology, in a manner which escapes the limitations of such categories as objectivity, presence and Being. Recent attempts to employ Levinas’ philosophy for the benefit of Christian theology have hesitated to go beyond onto-theology. This thesis, however, aims to show how Levinas’ philosophy opens up a style of thinking and suggests a vocabulary of expression that can serve Christian theology, especially by intensifying its sense of encounter with Christ and of the Other in him. Accordingly, the thesis will make use of a number of Levinasian notions to critique and complement the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar. This will lead to the development of what we call a “prolegomenon to a Trinitarian praxis”. 2. Scope The thesis firstly remarks on Christian theology’s discovery of Levinas’ philosophy. We then go on to introducing three of the major influences of Levinas’ philosophy, namely Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger and Franz Rosenzweig. This will be followed by an introduction to the life of von Balthasar. But the major part of the thesis will be made up of three extensive explorations. The first introduces a number of key terms and concepts in Levinasian thought, taking into account their possible contribution to the theology of von Balthasar. Here we examine especially the notions of “otherness” and “passivity”. The second exploration takes us into what might be called a recontextualisation of the major sections of von Balthasar’s theology (aesthetics, dramatics and logic) through Levinasian analysis. We will concentrate especially on von Balthasar’s treatment of Holy Saturday, the Resurrection, Trinitarian and Soteriological “Inversion”, and truth as participation. The third exploratory exercise attempts to develop a prolegomenon to a Trinitarian praxis. Intrinsic to the very understanding of this Trinitarian praxis is the notion of alterity to such a degree that ethical transcendence is the very inspiration for theology if it is to go beyond the limits of objectivity, Being and presence. This prolegomenon will, therefore, contain an articulation of Trinitarian praxis in the context of ethical transcendence, eschatology and soteriology. To this end, we employ Levinas’ ideas of passivity and otherness to critique von Balthasar’s eschatological conception of Christian existence and his soteriological understanding of the eucharist. Because Levinas and von Balthasar have both used the writings of Husserl, Heidegger and Rosenzweig as sources, there will be abundant references to these writers at various junctures in this study. Likewise, the views of a number of Christian theologians who have been influenced by Levinas (Purcell, Ward, Barnes and Ford) will be critically examined. 3. Conclusions The thesis concludes that, with the aid of Levinas’ ideas, theology is offered the possibility of breaking out of the limits imposed by traditional notions of objectivity, Being and presence. In reaching such a conclusion, the thesis contests von Balthasar’s prioritising of the beautiful by resituating his use of analogical thought. In this context, our study suggests new ways of speaking of Holy Saturday and the Resurrection, in a non-phenomenal manner. It means developing a theology of Gift to understand the unity between Christ’s missio and processio. Here we highlight the deepest problem to be faced by a theo-logic as one of giving priority to the ethical over the ontological. In short, the thesis argues for a conception of Christian life that goes beyond the categories of ontology and experience. From what we have learned from Levinas, we propose a notion of Trinitarian praxis in which we come to God by way of ethical transcendence.

La présente dissertation se propose d'étudier la problématique de l'unicité et de l'universalité de Jésus-Christ dans la christologie contemporaine. Le choix de ce thème a été motivé par le fait que pendant ces dernières années la confrontation avec le pluralisme culturel et religieux a conduit la théologie chrétienne à réfléchir de manière nouvelle sur cette question. Elle porte sur le christianisme en tant qu'il a pour spécificité de rendre témoignage à un homme confessé comme le Fils unique de Dieu et le Sauveur de tous les hommes. Dans ce sens, la finalité de notre recherche est de montrer la signification et la portée de l'affirmation de Jésus-Christ comme unique Médiateur de notre salut, et ce dans le cadre de la théologie fondamentale et en particulier de la christologie. Bien que cette doctrine ait été toujours et soit encore une pierre d'achoppement pour ceux qui ne partagent pas notre foi, elle représente pour la tradition chrétienne plus qu'une croyance centrale, elle est vue comme le fondement même de la foi. Pour montrer la pertinence du sujet traité, ainsi que les chemins à suivre afin de proposer de nouvelles perspectives pour la réflexion théologique, notre point de départ est l'analyse du phénomène de la multiplication des modèles interprétatifs concernant le rapport entre le christianisme et les autres religions. Les recherches menées par Peter Schineller, Joseph Gelot, Paul Knitter, Camil Ménard et Jacques Dupuis dans ce domaine, nous ont permis de nous familiariser avec le vocabulaire utilisé dans la discussion (exclusivisme, inclusivisme, pluralisme, etc.) et de percevoir les possibles relations entre les modèles proposés. Du point de vue de notre travail, ces analyses montrent d'une part que la question christologique se trouve au cœur du débat, et d'autre part que l'enjeu de celui-ci se situe dans la manière dont les théologiens cités comme représentants de chaque modèle, chacun à partir de ses propres présupposés, traitent la question de l'unicité et de l'universalité du Christ. C'est cette double constatation qui nous a amené à choisir d'étudier la pensée de cinq théologiens contemporains: Karl Barth, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Edward Schillebeeckx, Karl Rahner et John Hick. La partie conclusive de la thèse expose les perspectives christologiques qui se dégagent de la recherche. Elle offre une esquisse élaborée avec la conviction que la christologie ne se limite pas à offrir un répertoire d'opinions sur le Christ, mais qu'elle est une réflexion dynamique et attentive aux défis qui lui sont adressés. Notre étude conduit, d'une part, à une prise de distance critique vis-à-vis des modèles ou catégories qui sont proposés aujourd'hui pour expliquer la pluralité d'opinions concernant l'unicité et l'universalité de Jésus-Christ. Ils ont certainement une pertinence pédagogique, ensemble ils constituent une sorte de carte géographique qui offre des points de repères dans un terrain devenu assez complexe. Néanmoins cette «nouvelle vulgate», selon l'expression de G. Comeau, qui a fortement marqué les esprits, perd de sa pertinence lorsqu'elle est considérée comme l'exposé d'une «évolution naturelle» dans le débat. D'autre part, l'examen de la théologie des auteurs permet d'identifier les présupposés christologiques qui doivent être pris en compte pour traiter la question de l'unicité et de l'universalité du Christ. Premièrement, l'universel concret, parce que la christologie est appelée à réfléchir sur les polarités dialectiques qui caractérisent le mystère: l'Absolu et le fini, l'Universel et le concret, l'humanité et la divinité; deuxièmement le christocentrisme, qui permet une révalorisation de l'histoire du salut comme horizon théologique propre de la place du Christ dans le projet de Dieu; enfin la relation entre personne et mission de Jésus-Christ, qui témoigne du tournant sotériologique opéré dans la christologie contemporaine et qui met en évidence la manière dont l'homme participe à la vie divine. Nous avons identifié aussi deux éléments qui caractérisent le Christ comme unique et universel: l'affirmation de Jésus-Christ comme Médiateur de la volonté salvifique universel de Dieu, et l'incarnation par laquelle s'exprime l'identité personnelle de Jésus.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Littérature comparée : Littérature et spiritualité : Metz : 2005. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Notes bibliographiques.

Thèse (Ph. D.)--Université Laval, 2008. / Bibliogr.: f. 327-331. Publié aussi en version électronique dans la Collection Mémoires et thèses électroniques.

Diss.--Theologische Fakultät--Freiburg i. Br.--Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 1989.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-122).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-122).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-122).

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-03-08T02:01:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 000454277-Texto+Completo-0.pdf: 885610 bytes, checksum: e0b1993b938cd718ca4c12ff6535bc92 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / This Master's dissertation, The Church and the Spirit of Truth in Hans Urs von Balthasar, aims to study and present the ecclesiological thought of Balthasar from the pneumatological perspective. Within the immense work of Balthasar, his main ecclesiological and pneumatological writings were selected for this study. At a first moment, the life, works and theological thought of this Swiss author are presented. It reveals that the center of its complex work is in the doctrine of the Trinity and the event Jesus Christ. Thought articulated in an innovative way, with the transcendentals. At a second moment, Balthasar's understanding of the Church is discussed. The Church is then presented from Christ and Mary, as a female person, placed in front of Christ and responding to him. The union of the images of the Church as body of Christ and spouse of Christ contribute to the clarification of this mystery. In them, the Church is understood as communion and mission. More specifically, as mystery of communion of people and missions in Christ, forming his personality. In this mystery, the figures of Mary, Peter and John stand out. Here, Peter personifies the ministry and the institution. Mary is the figure who represents the totality of the Church, with its maternal and espousal mission. At a third moment, the action of the Holy Spirit in this mystery of the Church is analyzed. For Balthasar, the Holy Spirit is fundamentally the Spirit "explainer" of the Truth of the Father − the incarnated Son. Then, in the Church, Son and Spirit act together. Still, the Spirit, which is poured into the Church with water and blood, in the event of Christ's death and resurrection, forces the Church to incarnate itself, testifying that love manifested in the cross. This "incarnating" work of the Spirit of the Church occurs in an objective and subjective way. The objectification of the Spirit takes place in the institutional mediations, as tradition, ministry, scripture and sacraments. The subjective mode of the Spirit acting in the Church is perceived in a special way in prayer, forgiveness and in the testimony of life. Balthasar, in this complex articulation, helps to better understand the joint work of the Trinity in the Church. It also offers a differentiated view of Church, dynamic, personalist, mysterious. / A presente dissertação de mestrado A Igreja e o Espírito da Ver Balthasar, visa estudar e apresentar o pensamento eclesiológico de Balthasar sob a ótica pneumatológica. Dentro da imensa obra de Balthasar, selecionou-se para este estudo os seus principais escritos eclesiológicos e pneumatológicos. Apresenta, num primeiro momento, a vida, obras e o pensamento teológico deste autor suíço. Revela que o centro de sua complexa obra está na doutrina da Trindade e no acontecimento Jesus Cristo. Pensamento articulado de forma inovadora, com os transcendentais. Num segundo momento, discorre-se sobre a compreensão balthasariana de Igreja. A Igreja é então apresentada a partir de Cristo e de Maria, como pessoa feminina, colocada de frente a Cristo e respondendo a ele. Contribuem para o esclarecimento deste mistério, a união das imagens de Igreja como corpo de Cristo e esposa de Cristo. Nelas, a Igreja compreende-se como comunhão e missão. Mais precisamente, como mistério de comunhão de pessoas e missões em Cristo, formando sua pessoalidade. Neste mistério, destacam-se as figuras de Maria, Pedro e João. Aqui, Pedro personifica o ministério e a instituição. Maria é a figura que representa a totalidade da Igreja, com sua missão materna e esponsal. Num terceiro momento, analisa-se a ação do Espírito Santo neste mistério da Igreja. Para Balthasar, o Espírito Santo é fundamentalmente o Espírito explicador da Verdade do Pai – o Filho encarnado. Então, na Igreja, o Espírito atua sempre junto ao Filho. Ainda, o Espírito derramado na Igreja junto à água e o sangue no evento da morte e resssurreição de Cristo, força a Igreja a encarnar-se, testemunhando aquele amor manifestado na cruz. Este trabalho “encarnatório” do Espírito na Igreja se dá de modo objetivo e subjetivo. A objetivação do Espírito ocorre nas mediações institucionais, como tradição, ministério, escritura e sacramentos.O modo subjetivo do Espírito atuar na Igreja, é percebido de maneira especial na oração, no perdão e no testemunho de vida. Balthasar, nesta complexa articulação, faz compreender melhor o trabalho conjunto da Trindade na Igreja. Oferece também uma visão diferenciada de Igreja, dinâmica, personalista, mistérica.