Hans kung, can we save the catholic church an excerpt re. Im drawn to his writings because he serves as aurea mediocritas between protestantism and catholicism. From the start, he has been a rebel, being swiss and a lover. The books kung wrote at that time the council, reform, and reunion 1960 and structures of the church 1962 proved to be prophetic.
This muchneeded book tells the truth about the catholic past for the sake of the churchs future. Hans kung is swiss and was born into a middleclass family. I have had numerous temptations, never that of leaving the catholic church. Many people would be happy to see me leave the church. If i criticize it more than some others do, it is, on the contrary, a sign of profound adhesion. Herrlinger of tubingen, with reworking by thomas riplinger and andrew lyon london. Hans kung interviewvatican ii, roman catholic church. He was ordained a roman catholic priest in 1954, and he. Hans kung is pictured in his office in tubingen, germany, in a 2008 file photo. A short history by hans kung, on being a christian by ha. You would expect that given the harsh treatment handed out to him by the authorities, kung would be resentful and write books that are filled with venom. Since 1995 he has been president of the foundation for a global ethic stiftung weltethos. Hans kung is one of the most celebrated theologians of the present day.
The realization that the foundations established by the council of trent in the 16 th century were no longer adequate prompted one of the most important reformulations of the ecclesiology of the roman catholic church in history. Obviously others have combed its pages with a rather critical eye, as the possible mounting of a roman process suggests. He played a major role at vatican ii from 1962 to 1965. Kung gives to us an outline of what it means to be the church, avoiding strict specifics while giving a broad outline within which there can, and should, be variations. Along the way, he examines the great schismsbetween east and west, and catholic and protestantas well as the evolving role of the papacy, the stories of the great reforming popes. I first learned about kung after his criticism of the roman churchs handling of the child abuse cases throughout europe. About the author 1976 hans kung is swiss and was born into a middleclass family. An unresolved enquiry by hans kung, the catholic church.
In this extraordinary book, the renowned hans kung chronicles the roman catholic churchs role as a world power throughout history. The catholic church by hans kung overdrive rakuten. In the early 1960s the roman catholic church met to discuss its own being. Hans kung is emeritus professor of ecumenical theology at the university of tubingen and president of the global ethic foundation. Or so he said in an interview last week in the british catholic weekly, the tablet. The church universal the negative impact of a repressive regime 2. February 2004hans kung is a christian theologian whose influential writings have been criticized by the vatican, which in 1979 stripped him of his right to teach as a representative of the church. Kung fairly and comprehensively presents almost 2,000. His questions and reflections are more the defining words of his ideas. Discount prices on books by hans kung, including titles like the council, reform and reunion classic reprint. In the years immediately succeeding its publication, the church played its role in the anguished debate over the very nature of catholicism in the postmodern world. To recount the twothousandyear story of how the church developed from a small band of persecuted jews who followed christ into the most enduringly powerful institution in the history of the world is to.
A very interesting book from the controversial theologian, hans kung. Hans kung on church reform sylvania franciscan village. The church by kung, hans and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This helpful and rigorous survey of the 40year career of this theological giant by hermann haring offers an overview of the themes, concerns, and impact of hans kungs monumental writings.
Hans kung is a catholic priest and a prolific theologian, and a very controversial man. The beginnings of the christian church are shrouded in mystery. The early writings of karol wojtyla ronald modras 4. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Munich, may 6 eninewsthe catholic church is seriously, possibly. Hans kung says francis responded to request for free. Hans kung remains a prophetic voice who wants the universal christian church united. His audience, which is strong within his own roman catholic church, is equally solid among christians of other denominations, among those outside the churches and indeed among those at the frontiers of organised religion. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in. In this extraordinary book, the controversial and profoundly influential hans kung chronicles the roman catholic churchs role as a world power throughout history. He studied in rome for seven years, obtaining his licentiate in philosophy and theology from the gregorian university there, and then receiving his doctorate in theology from the catholic institute in paris. For the christian church, however, the central issue shifted, over the course of time, to the person of jesus and his relation to god.
Hans means to make this volume his vaya con dios in the sense that, at the end, he looks back and reflects on what he judges is a full and complete life. In this extraordinary book, the renowned hans kung chronicles the roman catholic church s role as a world power throughout history. Ripples spread out from hans kungs work national catholic. Provides a picture of the churchs theological image as expressed in the. In his magnificent book, the church, he gives an outline of what it.
He traces the formation of catholic theology alongside the growth of the church from acts, the gospels, peter and paul, all the way up through the second vatican council and the pontificate of john paul ii. Pope grateful to heretic kung may 1, 2014 by editor in uncategorized tags. About the catholic church in this extraordinary book, the renowned hans kung chronicles the roman catholic church s role as a world power throughout history. Released in 1967 just two years after vatican ii, this signature work of hans kung was succeeded by a string of critical and controversial ecclesiastical works by its author. With the lack of evidence about that time in history, it. There is no denying that the church is a child of its time. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In this book kung argued that barth, like martin luther, overreacted against the catholic church which, despite its imperfections, has been and remains the body.
Apostate hans kung extremely delighted with election of bergoglio as pope francis. He wrote the draft of the declaration towards a global ethic which was endorsed by the parliament of the worlds religions during their 1993 chicago meeting. And it reads very much as if it were written by a protestant, but a protestant who recognizes a need for a papal office for the sake of unifying the church, not as an infallible christlike substitute. He is the author of numerous best selling books including on being a christian harper collins. Apostate theologian hans kung, peritus at vatican ii but eventually censured even by the new church, denies practically every dogma in the book, from papal infallibility to the most holy trinity. The author is professor of systematic theology at the catholic university of. He examines great schisms between east and west, catholicism and protestantism the evolving role of the papacy and the stories of the great reforming popes. From the great hans kung comes a landmark history of the catholic church and its place in the world, from its roots in the teachings of jesus christ to the present day. Although kung is not officially allowed to teach catholic theology, his priestly faculties have not been revoked.
See all books authored by hans kung, including the catholic church. One of those involved in this council was a theologian named hans kung. Christianity and the world religions, hans kung, catholic theologian, as quoted in, should you believe the trinity. A short history is a small masterpiece of historical and theological writing. At the end of the book kung returns to the question. Theologian kung says only radical reforms can save the catholic. A quick study of the worlds largest and oldest christian church, from a swiss priest whose unorthodox views on the subject have kept him simmering in hot water for the last quartercentury. A discussion of hans kungs analysis religious tolerance. Faithful catholics planning a visit to rome are encouraged. Hans kung is regarded by the powers in the vatican to be untrustworthy as a teacher of catholics within the roman church. In this extraordinary book, the controversial and profoundly influential hans kung chronicles the roman catholic churchs role as a world power.
Does god exist an answer for today by hans kung books. Catholics who are loyal to the magisterium often come to rome and book tours which they discover are led by persons either ignorant of, or even overtly hostile to our church. He is notable for his rejection of the doctrine of papal infallibility. In his magisterial book simply named the church, he seeks to expound on the doctrine which was at the core of what vatican ii became. Kung is suffering from parkinsons disease, macular degeneration, and polyarthritis in his hands.
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