THE DEVELOPMENT AND INFLUENCE OF MOLTMANN S THEOLOGY (original) (raw)

Abstract

It has become de rigeur in writing about a theologian's work to provide not only a theological context for his or her work, but also to begin with some sort of sociopoliti-cal framework which sheds light on the situation and milieu within which the theologian works. In the case of Jurgen Moltmann, such a sociopolitical prolegomena is absolutely necessary for two reasons: first Moltmann's work is intimately tied in with the social and political upheaval in post-World War II German culture; second, Moltmann' s theology is deliberately and decidedly political in character, demanding that one always look to the political sources and results of his theology. This introductory essay will provide a framework, both sociopolitical and theological, for understanding the various twists and turns that Moltmann' s theology has taken over the last thirty years. It will hopefully provide guideposts for understanding the subsequent articles in the volume which deal with specific aspects of Moltmann' s thought Moltrnann is a member of the first post World War II generation of Protestant theologians in Germany. The challenges that this generation faced were manifold. In the first place, all institutions, political, religious, social, and economic, were either destroyed or severely damaged either by Nazi totalitarianism or by the war itself. Because the churches still maintained some structural integrity, it fell to them to help provide the most basic of human services to the German people: food was distributed , shelter provided, and the rebuilding of the physical infrastructure of the country was begun. A more knotty problem remained, however: what was to be made of the atrocities caused by the Nazi regime over the previous decade, and what direction was the New Germany to take. There was the sense that the latter could not proceed without coming to grips with the former.

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References (31)

  1. K Barth, Epistle to the Romans, trans, E, Hoskyns (NY: Oxford, 1980), p. 10. Cf. also J. Hamer, Karl Barth, trans. D. Maruca (Westminster, MD: Newman, 1962), pp. 215-63 for a disrus- sion of Kierkegaard's influence on Barth. 3. Bartl; Epistle to the Romans, p. 88.
  2. These insights form the basis for the entirety of his book, The Epistle to the Romans. It is espe- cially in his discussion of Romans 1-3 that he develops the idea of the Wholly Other and the sense of luisis.
  3. Barth, NDie Kirche und die politische Frage van heute," in Barth, Eine Schweizer Stimme 1938-1945 (Evangelischer Verlag, 1945), p. 90. Quoted in Will Herberg's introduction to Barth's Community, State and Oiurch (Gloucester, MA: Peter Smith, 1968), pp. 40-41.
  4. "Politics and the Practice of Hope," The Oiristian Century, 87 (March 11, 1970) p. 289, cited in Meeks, p. 16.
  5. Ernst Bloch, Das Prinzip Hoffnung, vol Ill (Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1985), chap. 53.
  6. JU.rgen Moltmann, 1heologie der Hoffnung: Untersuchungen zur Begrundung und zu den Kansequenzen einer christfichen Eschatologie (Munich: Chr. Kaiser, 1964) English translation: Theology of Hope: On the Ground and Implications of a Oiris6an &hatology, trans. James W Leitch (NY: Harper and Row, 1967). The English translation of the Introduction in the German edition is found in Religion, Revolution and the Future, trans., M. Douglas Meeks (NY: Scribnel'.5, 1969), pp. 148-76. I 0. Moltrnann, Religion, Revolution and the Future, pp. I 96ff.
  7. I I . Moltrnann, Theology of Hope, p. I 5. 12. Ibid., p. 16.
  8. Barth, Epistle to the Romans, p. 50.
  9. R Bultmann, /esus and the Word, trans. L Smith & E. Lantern (NY: Scribnel'.5, 1958), p. 52.
  10. "New Testament and Mythology," trans. R fuller, in H. Bartsch, ed., Kerygma and Myth (NY: Harper, 1953) I, p. 5.
  11. Bartsch, Kerygma and Myth, p. 40.
  12. Jurgen Moltmann, On Human Dignity, trans., M. Douglas Meeks (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), p. 98.
  13. Moltrnann, Theology of Hope, pp. 21, 196, 269. Cf. also R Chopp, The Praxis of Suffen'ng (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1986), p. 40.
  14. Jurgen Moltrnann, Umhehr zur Zukunft (Munchen: Chr. Kaiser, I 970l, p. 135 (translation mine).
  15. This interest in Christian Marxist Dialogue led Moltmann to develop his own "Theology of Revolution," in Religion, Revolution and the Future.
  16. Jurgen Moltrnann, The Crudfied God, trans., RA Wilson and John Bowden (NY: Harper and Row, 1974), chapter I.
  17. This does not mean that there is no place for theory in Moltmann's thought He maintains that theory and practice are always found in a dialectic.al relationship in which theory informs prac- tice and practice infotrns theory. Cf. J. Moltmann, On Human Dignity, trans. MD. Meeks (Phila.: Fortress, 1984), pp. 107-8. 23. Ibid., p. 98.
  18. The Trinity and the Kingdom, trans. M. Kohl (NY: Harper and Row, 1981 ), p. xi. 25. God in Creation, trans. M. Kohl CNY: Harper and Row, 1985); The Way of /esus Oirist: Oiristo/ogy in Messianic Dimensions, tr. M. Kohl (San Francisco: Harper, 1990); The Spirit of life: A Universal Affinnotion, trans. M. Kohl. (Phila.: Fortress, 1992).
  19. Carl Braaten, The Future of God: The Revolutionary Dynamics of Hope (New York: Harper and Row, 1969), pp. 11-12.
  20. Ibid., pp. 145-52.
  21. See W. Burgmueller and R. Weth, Die Barmer Jheologische Erhldrung INeukirchen: Neukirchner, 1984). Apart from individual essays concerning the relationship between Moltmann's theology and Barmen, several of the remaining articles depended heavily on the approach taken by political theology.
  22. See Dishussion zur 'Theologie der Revolution,' ed. Ernst Feil and Rudolf Weth (Munich: Christian Kaiser, 1970). See especially, Feil's contribution, "Von der 'politischen Theologie' zur Theologie der Revolution," pp. 110-32.
  23. Gustavo Gutierrez, Teologia de la liberadonc Perspectivas !English translation): A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, Salvation, trans. Sister Caridad Inda and John Eagleson IMaryknoll, NY: 1973), pp. 216-18.
  24. Jon Sobrino, Cristolog1il desde america latina (esbozo a partir de! seguimento de! jesUs hist6rico
  25. !Mexico: Centro de Reflexion T 1976. !English translation): Christology at the Crossroads, trans. John Drury IMaryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1978).
  26. Cf. Moltrnann, Trinity and the Kingdom, p. xii.
  27. Cf. E. Moltmann-Wendel and J. Moltrnann, Humanity in God tNY: Pilgrim, 19831.
  28. Cf. Moltmann, "An Open Letter to Jose Miguez Bonino," Christianity and Crisis !March 29, 1976), pp. 57-63; and a volume Moltrnann edited, Miniung: Jhologie des Vo/hes Gottes in Siidhorea tNeukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchner, 19841.
  29. Jewish Monotheism and Christian Tdnitarian Doarine <Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981 ).
  30. John Macquarrie, Thinking about God <London: SCM 1975), p. 230.
  31. Rubem Alves, A Theology of Human Hope ISt. Meinrad, IN Abbey Press, 1975), pp. 59-60. 39. Ibid., p. 62.