My Favorite Catholic Theologian: Walter Kasper (With Special Reference to “Mercy”)

Last updated on: January 2, 2015 at 10:19 am by Roger E. Olson

My Favorite Catholic Theologian: Walter Kasper (With Special Reference to “Mercy”) 2015-01-02T10:19:41-05:00 Roger E. Olson

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One of my main reasons for attending the annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion is to browse the publishers’ displays. Over one hundred publishers of religious and theological books display their new and recently published books. To me there’s nothing like seeing and handling books for deciding whether to buy and read. I dread the day when hard copies of books disappear and they are all in electronic versions only (if that ever comes). About a month ago I spent many hours in the publishers’ display area of the annual AAR (and SBL—Society of Biblical Literature) convention in San Diego. What scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, beach coming and surfing are to others (who visit San Diego), browsing new books is to me. I dive into the thousands of books on display deciding which few are worthy of my attention and possible reading.

I knew the moment I saw it I had to have and read Mercy: The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to Christian Life by German Catholic theologian Walter Cardinal Kasper. It was on display in the Paulist Press booth. I thumbed through it before ordering it (I didn’t have room in my suitcase to take it home) but whether I would buy it and read it was a foregone conclusion—the moment I saw it on the shelf. The fact that Pope Francis endorses it (“This book has done me so much good”) on the cover didn’t make any difference to me although it certainly didn’t hurt.

The reason I was so enthusiastic about this book is that I have so much enjoyed and benefited from reading some of Kasper’s other books—especially An Introduction to Christian Faith, Jesus the Christ, and The God of Jesus Christ. The last one mentioned is one of the best books on God that I have ever read.

I just finished reading Mercy and was not disappointed—even though nothing in it really surprised me. (I especially enjoy reading books that surprise me!) Kasper is an unusually clear writer (for a German theologian especially!) and the translations of his books are very good.

Mercy is inspiring and theologically profound—a rare combination for books. It is also challenging—not because of its language but because of its convicting ideas. Throughout the book Kasper calls Christians, including the Catholic Church, to dedicate themselves to showing mercy for the weak among us. But he also avoids simplistic calls for blanket charity or forgiveness without justice. His treatment of “justified war,” for example, is profoundly satisfying. War is always a last resort and only justified when it is absolutely necessary for peace.

I especially liked the chapter called “Systematic Reflections” where Kasper delves into the doctrine of God and deals with questions such as whether God can suffer. Here is a typical “Kasperian” statement: “God cannot be affected and overpowered, passively and involuntarily, by pain or harm. But in his mercy, God allows himself, in sovereign freedom, to be affected by pain and suffering.” (119)

Kasper rejects the Augustinian and Calvinist doctrine of predestination. “Augustine bequeathed the Western tradition [viz., Catholic and Protestant theology] a weighty legacy and a huge ‘mortgage’. For his teaching [viz., about salvation] caused many people to have trepidation about salvation, conscience, and hell.” (99)

Kasper does not stop with criticizing unconditional election; he affirms something very much like classical Arminianism. (Remember that he was instrumental in bringing Catholic and Lutheran bishops to ecumenical agreement about justification.) “The free cooperation of the human person has its place in the history of humankind and in the history of salvation. Free human cooperation is not annulled because Jesus Christ is the archetype, focal point, and goal of the entire history of humankind. Rather, by means of Jesus Christ’s redemptive act, the human person is renewed in his or her creaturely dignity as a new creation and is graciously elevated.” (101) Of course, an Arminian would call that “gracious elevation” by Jesus Christ’s redemptive act “prevenient grace.”

Toward the end of the book Kasper calls “For a Culture of Mercy” and challenges the Catholic Church (and by extension all Christians and their churches [or “ecclesial communities”]) to dedicate themselves to elevating and empowering the weakest among them to be able to live fully human lives in dignity. He does not endorse liberation theology per se, but compares as equally wrong Marxist collectivism and modern consumerist capitalism. He calls on the states, governments, to do justice for all including the weak and disadvantaged and he defines justice as supporting the dignity of all human beings—including the not-yet-born.

What I find so beneficial in Kasper’s writing is his striving for balance between extremes. Among Catholic theologians he is neither modernist nor integralist and yet both can appreciate at least some of what he says. Protestants can easily read him without getting bogged down in technicalities of Catholic theology (although Protestants may not especially appreciate his last chapter on Mary even though they may benefit from reading it).

I heartily recommend Kasper’s books—including this most recent one—to everyone interested in Christian theology and ethics. You don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy reading Kasper. You don’t have to be a theologian to benefit from reading Kasper. If you would like to dip into Catholic theology, whether you’re Catholic or Protestant or Orthodox or “none,” give Kasper a try. I recommend beginning with Mercy.

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