Hans Urs von Balthasar's Theology of Representation: God, Drama, and Salvation

In Hans Urs von Balthasars Theology of Representation, Jacob Lett explores how Christ can act in the place of humanity, grounding representation in the trinitarian life of God. This book offers a comprehensive analysis of Balthasars theology, reshaping discussions in soteriology, Christology, trinitarian theology, anthropology, and ecclesiology. It also considers comparative voices beyond those typically found in Balthasarian scholarship.

Format: Hardback
Length: 278 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2023
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

This in-depth exploration establishes the pivotal significance of the concept of representation (Stellvertretung) within Hans Urs von Balthasar's theological endeavor. How can Christ assume the role of humanity? In his Theology of Representation, Jacob Lett delves into this perplexing soteriological query and presents the first comprehensive analysis of Balthasar's theology of representation (Stellvertretung). Lett's study reveals how Balthasar revitalizes the concept of representation by integrating it with the core mysteries of the Christian faith: grappling with the absence of metaphysical and theological foundations for understanding this question, Balthasar ultimately establishes representation in the trinitarian life of God, thereby centering "action in the place of the other" as a fundamental aspect of divine and creaturely existence. Lett not only elucidates the centrality of representation to Balthasar's theological project but also showcases that Balthasar's theology of representation possesses the potential to redefine discussions in the domains of soteriology, Christology, trinitarian theology, anthropology, and ecclesiology.

This work encompasses a diverse array of themes in Balthasar's theology, including spatial and placental metaphors, a post-Chalcedonian Christology centered around Christ's two wills, and theories of drama. Furthermore, this book extends its comparative reach by considering Balthasar's key interlocutors, including Gregory of Nyssa, Maximus, Aquinas, Przywara, Ulrich, Barth, and expanding this base to encompass voices beyond those commonly found in Balthasarian scholarship, such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Dorothee Sölle. The culmination of this effort yields a profoundly penetrating presentation of one of Balthasar's most significant contributions to contemporary theology.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268205027