finitude

prayer

nationality

Swiss

religion

Catholic

Christianity

occupation / innovator as

priest

theologian

innovator in the field of

theology

Catholic priest

translator

Catholicism

cardinal

 emerges specifically out of man's relationship to the infinite. It is not the case that man becomes less finite the closer he approaches the infinite... rather, the contrary is true.

We might compare Balthasar's sense of finitude to that of Heidegger, who also rejects the notion of finitude as a quantitative boundary. For Heidegger, finitude is the relationship to Nothingness... it follows, therefore, that man as the 'placeholder of the nothing' is the most finite of all creatures. Balthasar would agree, it seems. But he would add, beyond Heidegger, that such finitude emerges specifically out of man's relationship to the infinite. It is not the case that man becomes less finite the closer he approaches the infinite... rather, the contrary is true.

is to be understood in terms of quality, not quantity, similar to the sort of quality a connoisseur perceives in tasting a wine and judging its age and provenance.

Balthasar compares the quality of finitude in created being to the sort of quality a connoisseur perceives in tasting a wine and judging its age and provenance.

is dialogue, not man's monologue before God.

Prayer is dialogue, not man's monologue before God. (Hans Urs von Balthasar)

Hans Urs von BalthasarThinkers

Hans Urs von Balthasar