Cardinal kasper gave an eloquent speech looking at how marriage. In the national cathedral, cardinal kasper stated, mercy is the essence of the gospel and the key to christian life. He looks at empathy and compassion as a starting point for theological reflection on the topic. Kaspers basic proposal in his bookthat mercy is the primary way in which we understand god and the primary characteristic of living a christian lifecan be. The book received a more extendedand criticalassessment in daniel p. In mercy, the important new book praised by pope francis, cardinal walter kasper examines gods mercy while holding these devastating facts and questions. Saint john paul ii and cardinal kasper on mercy and holiness by tom gourlay with the year of mercy just around the corner, it is fitting to return to what is perhaps the greatest explication of the doctrine of mercy in recent years, that of pope, now saint, john paul ii. If one comments that cardinal kasper is preaching to the choir, he is elucidating the foundation of the christian good news. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life kindle edition by kasper, cardinal walter. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading mercy. 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. Describing kasper as a superb theologian, the pope said his book on mercy has done me so much good, so much good.
Mercy and the theology of cardinal kasper zenit english. Cardinal kasper s book jesus the christ 1974 treats christology in three manners. Access contact information, location details and schedule an appointment. Previously, he was a senior editor at the atlantic and a blogger for. It includes chapters on mercy from a philosophical point of view, in the bible and in the teaching of jesus.
The cardinals book is set to be published in english in early may. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Francesco miano, one of the married attendees of the recent synod on the family, said it centered on the tension between mercy and truth. Cardinal kasper said that feeling mercy, that this word changes everything. I would be surprised if anyone who reads the first 20 pages of mercy could put it aside again. The storys edge, and the economy with which jodi picoult hones it, positively gleam. Mercy quotes by walter kasper meet your next favorite book. It would seem that a new heresy is being created before our very eyes. Without abandoning traditional personal piety, he reminds the flock of the social dimension of faith in todays world. German cardinal, author of book on mercy, to address world.
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. It includes a blurb from pope francis, who has made mercy a cornerstone of his ministry since he was elected last year. Dave dwyer, csp, interview walter cardinal kasper about his new book, mercy, his work on interfaith issues, and being a part of the papal conclave. In mercy, the important new book praised by pope francis, cardinal walter kasper examines gods mercy while holding these devastating facts and questions in hand. A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just. A married person may have failed to preserve the unity and common life of his marriage, or been the victim of the failure on the other spouse. The essence of the gospel and the key to the christian life was written by cardinal walter kasper, president emeritus of the pontifical council for christian unity. For all those reasons and more, i thought of the year of mercy as little more than a pious exercise, and i prayed that someone would wake me when it was over. Pope francis has repeatedly said he expects his papacy to be a brief one, but cardinal walter kasper is working to ensure that the pontiffs legacy endures long after this pope leaves the scene. Before serving as president of the pontifical council for promoting christian unity 20012010, kasper was bishop of rottenburgstuttgart 19891999. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian.
Neither is divine mercy limited, exhausted or made exclusive. Ross douthat joined the new york times as an oped columnist in april 2009. Mercy according to cardinal kasper fides catholica. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life.
He points out that in the section of his book regarding the trinity, the section entitled mercy as mirror of the trinity, he makes no such assertion. Cardinal kasper makes a strong argument that the councils journey of renewal is not over and that the. The cardinals have converged in the vatican to witness the installation of 19 new cardinals as well as for a series of meetings that. But all that changed when i casually turned the pages of cardinal walter kaspers book on mercy. 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. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life, trans. Cardinal kasper explains in detail the study, in systematic theology, of justice and a punitive god. 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 walter kasper on mercy mary catherine brouder january 17, 2017 matt malone, s. Almost singlehandedly one cleric has turned the churchs teaching on. It is easy to see why pope francis exclaimed the book did him a lot of good. Cardinal kasper defends irelands gay marriage decision. Cardinal kaspers speech on divorce, remarriage, and communion. Walter kasper has 114 books on goodreads with 1157 ratings.
But how god is merciful is a theological conundrum, especially if we conceive of god in metaphysical terms as pure being. Cardinal walter kasper, the popes theologian, reveals. Mercy is the title of his seminal book published by paulist press. After these three approaches have been exhausted, the christological themes of resurrection, mystery, and priesthood are treated. R ecently, theres been an odd conversation in catholic circles about the nature of mercy. Meet the 82yearold progressive german cardinal who has. Cardinal kasper defends irelands gay marriage decision the grave effects of irelands gay marriage vote, not only for the secular world, but.
Walter kasper notes in this stimulating book that gods. The idea that the church should recognize a pseudomarriage as an expression of gods mercy is a contradiction of the gospel. On february 20, 2014, pope francis gave retired german theologian cardinal kasper the high honour of addressing the entire college of cardinals gathered in rome for what many say is the most important week in pope francis young papacy. The book has opened my eyes to a merciful god like jesus christ vs the angry god portrayed in the torah, particularly exodus. The troubling case of cardinal kasper onepeterfive. 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. In his letter, cardinal kasper complains that i attribute to him the view that there is mercy within the trinity, that for example, the father shows mercy to the holy spirit. This is the real thing, a novel about plausible people and important ideas told with riveting cinematic clarity. Available for the first time in english, cardinal kasper looks to capture the essence of the gospel message. It includes a blurb from pope francis, who has made mercy a cornerstone of his. The essence of the gospel and the key to christian life by cardinal walter kasper, which was recently published in english by paulist press. Cardinal kasper backpedals on papal endorsement of controversial proposal jun 4, 2015 03.
An interview with cardinal walter kasper commonweal magazine. Team up with the cardinals and mercy to fight pediatric cancer with mercy discount ticket days. We greet with great interest the theological effort of cardinal walter kasper to restore the theme of gods mercy not only to the centre of the churchs preaching and pastoral approach, but above all to the centre of theological reflection. Describing cardinal kasper as a superb theologian, the pope said his book on mercy has done me so much good, so much good. There was much talk at the conference that, perhaps, in the providence of god, kaspers most influential years are now and in the future, as the key. Cardinal walter kaspers most recent book sets aside as inadequate the mercyjustice divide because there is a breadth to gods justice that encompasses mercy. Cardinal kasper latest news catholic news agency cna. German cardinal walter kasper cardinal walter kasper has an important piece in todays osservatore romano, saying that pope francis, with his focus on poverty and social justice issues, has launched a new phase of implementation of the second vatican council. Cardinal kasper has this rare quality of both a biblical scholar and a pastor. Kasperintvfinal5 when cardinal kasper came to my parish he met with our young adult ministry, apostolist, to talk with us about mercy and mercy. Harvard and the education of the ruling class hyperion, 2005 and the coauthor, with reihan salam, of grand new party. In his recent book on mercy, which appeared in german in 2012 and was then translated into italian by queriniana giornale. Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an articles initial publication. Walter kasper born 5 march 1933 is a german roman catholic cardinal and theologian.
His views on mercy draw upon or are informed by writings on the subject by aquinas, merton and more recent scholars, like cardinal walter kasper the author of another book on mercy, who. Cardinal walter kaspers most recent book sets aside as inadequate the mercyjustice divide because there is a breadth to gods. 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. He is president emeritus of the pontifical council for promoting christian unity, having served as its president from 2001 to 2010. William madges new york, 2014, p12 7 kasper, merc y, p79 8 kasper, mercy, p100. In a twohour address to a consistory on the family last month, cardinal walter kasper discussed marriage and family life, devoting the last section to. Kaspers considerations on mercy have doctrinal and.