Balthasar : A Very Critical Introduction

Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988), like many other great Roman Catholic theologians, was initially marginalized, but over the years his reputation has only continued to grow. He was said to be the favorite theologian of John Paul II and is held in high esteem by Benedict XVI, and it is not uncommon to hear him referred to as the great Catholic theologian of the twentieth century. In Balthasar: A (Very) Critical Introduction Karen Kilby argues that although the low regard in which Balthasar was held from the 1950s to 1960s was not justified, neither is the current tendency to lionize him. Instead, she advocates a more balanced approach, particularly in light of a fundamental problem in his writing, namely, the authorial voice he employs — an over-reaching “God’s-eye point of view” that contradicts the content of his theology and characterizes his work.