Karl Rahner and "transcendental experience"
I am studying what Karl Rahner calls "transcendental experience." I have read biographical info on Rahner and the factbook entry. Karl Rahner, Foundations of Christian Faith: An Introduction to the Idea of Christianity (New York: Crossroad, 1985), is helpful in the Introduction and Chapters I and II. On p. 20 Rahner describes transcendental experience as "the subjective, unthematic, necessary and unfailing consciousness of the knowing subject that is co-present in every spiritual act of knowledge, and the subject's openness to the unlimited expanse of all possible reality." I do not see where this concept comes from in theological references. Rahner's transcendental theological thought is based on the idea that human openness to transcendence stems from a pre-existing understanding of infinite reality or the transcendent God. Rahner's fundamental position on God is that He is the "absolute" or "holy" mystery. As an utter mystery, God is unfathomable and impenetrable. However, human beings can know and relate to God as God, who has generated and created non-divine entities. How can I use Logos to study this from a biblical and evangelical perspective?
Comments
-
Christian Alexander said:
How can I use Logos to study this from a biblical and evangelical perspective?
Study all occurrences of the label theophany.
Study everything you own on apophatic theology (should be bias towards Eastern Orthodox if you have decent resources). Then review why Rahner's approach is both apophatic and cataphatic.
Follow Rahner's logical chain of thought of the inferences that can be made from all existent things being grounded in the Infinite ground of being. Explore the definitions used to define God in Christian theology, including (infinite) ground of being and see which definitions Rahner uses and where he uses them. Then consider the effect of the incarnation of Jesus Christ on those inferences.
For Biblical references, read Karl Rahner. Remember his approach is holistic rather than proof-texting. I would suggest that you might find The Mystical Way in Everyday Life: Sermons, Prayers, and Essays more approachable as an evangelical than Foundation of Christian Faith given the amount of preface you gave your question. I would suggest also that to understand Karl Rahner takes some consistent, concentrated effort. Spend at least two weeks on the subject without jumping to unrelated topics or irrelevant rabbit trails. (Yes, I know that ruins the fun ... but the ultimate fun of understanding some of Rahner makes it worth it.)
If you still struggle to understand Rahner, evaluate the depth of your knowledge of Thomistic theology (Thomas Aquinas, O.P.). Thomistic theology is often assumed by Rahner.
For Evangelical perspective on ... beats me ... there are only a few topics on which I am familiar enough with the old-school evangelical perspective on to be able to provide useful guidance, even fewer when one goes new-school.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
0 -
My study of all occurrences of the label theophany in the biblical text was fascinating. I did not own much on apophatic theology but I read all I had. The Mystical Way in Everyday Life: Sermons, Prayers, and Essays was way more approachable as an evangelical student. This help me understand it better. Thomas F. O’Meara, God in the World: A Guide to Karl Rahner’s Theology (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007) was great. I had it from a previous class. Rahner argues in order to understand God is to understand humans as oriented to God.
0
