Bridge to Balthasar
An introduction to the work of Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988) was a prolific German-speaking Swiss intellectual
and theologian. He was trained
as a Jesuit, but left the order to found a secular institute dedicated to the cultural transformation of society.
He was a devoté and spiritual director of Adrienne von Speyr, a Swiss physician and visionary, whose works profoundly influenced von Balthasar's thought.
He was heavily involved in publishing, having his own publishing house, Johannes Verlag, and co-founding the journal
Communio. His major work
was the trilogy, Herrlichkeit,
Theodramatik, and Theologik, a theological synthesis which sought
to reestablish the priority of beauty in theological reflection.
As a result of a discussion with a friend, my attention was directed to a study of Hans von Balthasar.
I have reproduced these discussions which
you can access if interested. When I did a search with my browser, I was amazed how few sites were available giving
Balthasar references in English.
In recent years I have reflected on the complexities of communications between people. Of particular
interest to me is what I would describe as the barriers to good communications; such barriers including hierarchical, academic, social, cultural, personality, language and
barriers created by different specialities. This line of enquiry resulted in my writing a paper for an international conference held in Austria in September 1996.
As my eyes began to be opened to the vaste contribution of von Balthasar to contemporary Catholic thought, I began to wonder why Balthasar's
ideas hadn't disseminated wider in the English speaking world. In response to this I started to consider a Bridge to Balthasar website. My new Christendom
Awake website seems to provide a suitable context in which to place
the Balthasar resources.
This section of the site is offered in the hope that it will stimulate others to work in the
same direction and hopefully go much further.
Mark Alder
Edmonton, London. October
1999
PAGE CONTENTS
Fr Fessio of Ignatius Press writes on Von Balthasar
Various texts on Adrienne Von Speyr are available
on this site as is a lists of Books by Balthasar.
Hans Urs Von Balthasar:
A Sketch
The Hans Urs von Balthasar Website
This website offers news, information about von Balthasar's life and theology, an extensive links section and a
discussion forum.
Second Spring -The online magazine of The Centre for
Faith and Culture, Oxford is now online at: http://www.secondspring.co.uk
Section Contents Copyright ©; Mark Alder and named authors 1999-2001
Present Version of this Page: 5th January 2001
Introduction to Hans Urs von Balthasar
Von Balthasar's theology
Origins of Bridge to Balthasar Initiative
Communio Journal
Von Balthasar's Catholicism
Books about von Balthasar's theology
Books by Balthasar (37KB)
Balthasar reading list
Balthasar article: Centre for Faith and Culture
An Introduction to Balthasar by Aidan Nichols
Von Balthasar and the Co-redemption by Aidan Nichols OP
Balthasar's theological works
Influences on the thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar: Martin Buber
and Karl Jaspers
Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988)
JOEL GARVER - Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Discussion Forum @ www.ezboard.com
Lent: Love Provides a Last Chance - Hans Urs Von
Balthasar
Hans Urs Von Balthasar
Version 12th May 2005
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