Theo-Poetics

Anne M. Carpenter

Description

Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905–1988) originated much of twentieth- and twenty-first-century theology's renewed interest in aesthetics. Von Balthasar's theology is both poetic and philosophical, and while this combination is often recognized, it calls for an explanation. In Theo-Poetics: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Risk of Art and Being, Anne M. Carpenter explores von Balthasar's use of poetry and poetic language, and she offers a detailed analysis of his philosophical presuppositions. Carpenter argues that von Balthasar uses poets and poetic language to make theological arguments because this poetic way of speaking expresses metaphysical truth without reducing one to the other.

Carpenter begins with von Balthasar's very early interests in music, literature, and philosophy, in particular his work, Apocalypse of the German Soul. She explores Glory of the Lord and the trilogy, moving through his despair over the possibility of reconciling art and theology. She uncovers the major characteristics of von Balthasar's metaphysical thinking, discussing his interactions with Thomas Aquinas, Karl Barth, and Martin Heidegger to firmly link Christology, metaphysics, and the expressiveness of language. The book concludes by marshaling its themes into a focused evaluation of von Balthasar's "redeemed" theo-poetic as it comes to expression in the poetry of G. M. Hopkins. Carpenter resituates and reevaluates Hopkins's poetry in a new context, placing him in the school of Aquinas rather than Scotus, and shows us how metaphysics is necessary for a vigorous understanding of language.

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Esthétique et philosophie de l'art
• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Theology
• PHILOSOPHY
• Philosophie et théologie
• Colegio Mayor Universitario Santo Tomás de Aquino
• Thomas Aquinas
• Systematics
• Catholic
• Christianity
• Aesthetics
• Barth
• Martin Heidegger

Informations

• Publié par: University of Notre Dame Press
• Date de parution: 11 novembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780268077068
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

T H E O - P O E T I C S

T H E O - P O E T I C S

Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Risk of Art and Being - A N N E M . C A R P E N T E R

Foreword by Peter J. Casarella

University of Notre Dame Press Notre Dame, Indiana

Copyrigt © 2015 by te University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 undpress.nd.edu

All Rigts Reserved

Manufactured in te United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Carpenter, Anne M., 1984– autor. Teo-poetics : Hans Urs von Baltasar and te risk of art and being / Anne M. Carpenter ; foreword by Peter J. Casarella. pages cm Includes bibliograpical references and index. ISBN 978-0-268-02378-2 (paperback) — ISBN 0-268-02378-6 (paper) — ISBN 978-0-268-07706-8 (e-book) 1. Baltasar, Hans Urs von, 1905–1988. 2. heology. 3. Teology—Metodology. 4. Religion and poetry. I. Title. BX4705.B163C37 2015 230'.2092—dc23 2015031757

∞The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.

For Beatrice, whom Dante learned to love

O N E

T W O

T H R E E

F O U R

F I V E

Foreword Peter J. Casarella

C O N T E N T S

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

Beauty and Risk:Die Apokalypse der deutschen Seele and Von Baltasar’s Early Work

Te Redemption of Beauty: Von Baltasar and te Pat toHerrlichkeit

Measuring Metapysics: Being, Language, and Cristology

A Teological Poetic

Art, Metapysics, and te Sacraments

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliograpy

Index

ix

xv

1

7

40

82

117

157

183

187

232

244

F O R E W O R D

Wat we typically understand by interdisciplinary work can itself be too limited. If we are tinking about taking a figure or idea from one field and comparing it to anoter figure or idea on te oter side of te de- partmental fence, ten we are still tinking witin te limits of disci- plines alone. Or peraps we ave made te effort of convening experts from two or more fields. I know from experience in my own academic foxole tat tis is no small feat. Scolars need to be convinced tat te new intercange will outweig te risk of moving outside of te comfort zone of one’s cosen discipline. Hans Urs von Baltasar never accepted an academic position. Be- sides te writing of a dissertation on an unusual topic even for a cross- disciplinary field (one wic e imself considered to be liable to te 1 carge of “Methodensyncretismus”), e never ad to wage tese battles or face tese quandaries from witin an academic setting. But tis does not mean tat is work can be viewed as liberated from all disciplinary con- straints. In fact, tere are many passages in is vast oeuvre in wic despiteisoccasionaldemurralseclearlyintendstobereadasapro- fessional teologian. His writings on poets, novelists, and metapysi- cians, by te same token, were seldom written just for a curcly audience. He was te quintessential man of letters wo desired to be read by any- one wo was reading tose wom e was reading, above all by te au- 2 tors temselves. In tis sense, von Baltasar raises rater tan lowers te bar for expertise in a specialized field. None of tis gets to te issue of wat von Baltasar considered es- 3 sential, tat is, is distinctive approac to “katholischeIntegration.” Von Baltasar tougt of tis form of integration as te enancement rater tan te wasing out of distinctions. It ad little to do wit applying a

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