The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life is wide. To ask how one of gods primary attributes is mercy is to ask profound questions that go to the heart of christian theology. This article explores two books by walter, cardinal kasper, who brings to the task wisdom and experience drawn from his ministries as professor of theology, bishop and president of the pontifical council for promoting christian unity. Renowned theology scholar issues strong critique of cardinal kasper s speech on marriage. In his latest book, mercy, cardinal walter kasper offers a comprehensive study that reads as a scholarly meditation in service of rescuing mercy from the edges of. Naturally, some territory was left unexplored, but heres a sample of our conversation, which we just posted to the homepage commonweal. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read mercy. In mercy, the important new book praised by pope francis, cardinal walter kasper examines gods mercy while holding these devastating facts and questions. He assumed an especially important role under pope francis, who publicly endorsed kaspers book on mercy, thus signaling a principle theme of his papacy. A german cardinal has warned that the church is in crisis and for that reason changes are inevitable. That the book in question is mercy will likely not come as a surprise given that mercy has shown itself to be so prominent a part of pope franciss words and actions. Commonweals interview with cardinal walter kasper by.
Discover book depositorys huge selection of cardinal walter kasper books online. He is president emeritus of the pontifical council for promoting christian. Recommend this book to those who doubt about the relevancy of a very old religion and tradition. Available for the first time in english, cardinal kasper looks to capture the essence of the gospel message. Love, which is proven in mercy, can and must become the foundation of a new culture for our lives, the church, and for society. Before reading cardinal kasper s book, whenever i thought of gods mercy, i tended to think of someone who had rejected gods love throughout his or her life and then, at the last moment, accepted gods mercy. An interview with cardinal walter kasper commonweal magazine.
We covered a lot of ground over the course of an hour. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life by cardinal walter kasper, which was recently published in english by paulist press. His major study explores mercy as the essence of the divine, engaging with biblical studies, philosophy, and systematic theology as he lays the foundation. Mercy pain and suffering have been universal human experiences since our beginning. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life ebook written by cardinal walter kasper.
Cardinal kasper affirms this himself with great clarity in his book mercy. Walter kasper notes in this stimulating book that gods mercy has not found its place within this framework. Theology scholar issues critique of cardinal kasper on. He attempts to address the question of just what mercy is, in god and in man, in theology and in.
Kasper s basic proposal in his book that mercy is the primary way in which we understand god and the primary characteristic of. During pope franciss first angelus address after ascending to the chair of peter, he approvingly cited walter cardinal kaspers book mercy. Kaspers considerations on mercy have doctrinal and. In this important catholic book, praised by pope francis, cardinal walter kasper examines gods mercy while holding these devastating facts and questions in hand. Gods mercy breaks the notion that people only receive what they deserve and earn. Cardinal kasper said that feeling mercy, that this word changes everything. Before serving as president of the pontifical council for promoting christian unity 20012010, kasper was bishop of rottenburgstuttgart 19891999. Pope francis from one the leading intellects in the church todayone whom pope francis has described as a superb theologiancomes perhaps his most important book yet.
Cardinal walter kaspers most recent book sets aside as inadequate the mercyjustice divide because there is a breadth to gods. The book has opened my eyes to a merciful god like jesus christ vs the angry god portrayed in the torah, particularly exodus. Renowned theology scholar issues strong critique of. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. This book has done me so much good, pope francis from one the leading intellects in the church today one whom pope francis has described as a superb theologian comes perhaps his most important book yet. In one of his first statements after his election, pope francis said of cardinal walter kaspers book mercy that this book has done me so much. Mercy the essence of gospel and key to christian life cardinal walter kasper mercy the essence of gospel mercy the essence of gospel buy mercy. Compassionate, bold, and brilliant, cardinal kasper has written a book. Cardinal kasper has this rare quality of both a biblical scholar and a pastor. Kasper argues in his book that mercy is god s defining attribute, that the constitution of gods essence. The troubling case of cardinal kasper onepeterfive. Church has no choice but to discuss reform the church is in crisis throughout the western world, cardinal walter kasper alerted in an interview last week with the frankfurter allgemeine zeitung. Ever since then, mercy has been on the popes lips, and in book titlesas in the church of mercy, a collection of speeches by pope francis. And that book did me a lot of good, but do not think i am promoting my cardinals books.
Now i see more clearly that every one of us needs gods mercy and that mercy is constantly offered to us. Cardinal kasper, popes theologian, in the spotlight. A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just. All religions ask, in one way or another, where suffering comes from, why it exists, and what it means. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life. In his latest book, mercy, cardinal walter kasper offers a comprehensive study that reads as a scholarly meditation in service of rescuing mercy from the edges of reflection on the very mystery of god. The confounding and curious pontifications of cardinal kasper. This is the point on which i charged him of failing to engage with the theological tradition. Walter kasper born 5 march 1933 is a german roman catholic cardinal and theologian. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian. He looks at empathy and compassion as a starting point for theological reflection on the topic.
Last week matthew boudway and i spoke with cardinal walter kasper here in new york. Mercy by cardinal walter kasper, 9780809106097, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Peter, the pope told those gathered for the angelus that he had been reading a book by a cardinal cardinal kasper, a clever theologian, a good theologianon mercy. Gods mercy is infinite, unbounded, a magnificent gift.
Neither is divine mercy limited, exhausted or made exclusive. Describing kasper as a superb theologian, the pope said his book on mercy has done me so much good, so much good. Without abandoning traditional personal piety, he reminds the flock of the social dimension of faith in todays world. In view of the publication and presentation of the book, cardinal walter kasper granted vatican news an interview specifically regarding the debate that pope francis apostolic exhortation sparked as well as. German cardinal, author of book on mercy, to address world. Mercy according to cardinal kasper fides catholica. A further grave misunderstanding of mercy is one which would end up disregarding, in the name of mercy, the divine command of justice we cannot, through false mercy, counsel someone to have an abortionp.
Pope franciss decision to declare the year of mercy owes much to cardinal walter kasper s book mercy. Cardinal walter kasper, whose book on gods mercy drew special praise from pope francis, has said that the jubilee year of mercy corresponds to the signs of the times today. Compassionate, bold, and brilliant, cardinal kasper has written a book which will be studied for generations. The confounding and curious pontifications of cardinal kasper is the german prelate and theologian promoting a book on mercy or pushing a dubious agenda at the expense of fellow bishops. Cardinal walter kaspers most recent book translated into english bristles with the claim that mercy has been criminally neglected in recent dogmatic theology, a disappointing, even.
Cardinal kaspers book jesus the christ 1974 treats christology in three manners. Mercy quotes by walter kasper goodreads share book. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life by kasper, cardinal walter isbn. In your book mercy, you argue that mercy is basic to gods nature. In the past few days i have been reading a book by a cardinal cardinal kasper, a clever theologian, a good theologian on mercy. After these three approaches have been exhausted, the christological themes of resurrection, mystery, and priesthood are treated. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life kindle edition by cardinal walter kasper author 4.
1467 280 549 1277 1331 1089 487 229 490 1085 807 1047 56 278 978 713 364 1006 748 1218 1058 1524 1159 93 1146 521 1424 784 1153 1119 153 1459 1291 699 1437 191