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The Moment of Truth: Mysterium Mortis
English, German (translation)
201 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
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August 18, 2020
Whether non-Christians can attain salvation is a much-disputed point among Christian theologians. An unequivocally negative answer will come from more than a few. This was even true for many Roman Catholic theologians through the midpoint of the past century. The Church’s present position as summed up in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.” (CCC 847)
By what means is CCC 847 achieved? Karl Rahner’s “anonymous Christian” is one solution. Another, almost always found only in Catholic Christian theology, is the “final option” theory. The recently-canonized John Henry Newman (1801-1890) posited that Christ interacts with people at the moment of death providing them all with an ultimate opportunity to repent and believe. Others who developed this line of thinking in various ways: Emile Mersch (1890-1940), Palemon Glorieux (1892-1979), Piet Schoonenberg (1911-1999), Louis Monden (1911-2002), Robert W. Gleason (1917?- 1982) and Roger Troisfontaines (1916-2007).
Which brings us to Ladislaus Boros, also firmly in the Catholic “final option” camp. In the book here reviewed, Boros (contemporaneous (1927-1981) with all the above other than Newman) provides his approach, particularly in Chapter III. For instance: “In death his person [the personhood of the one who is dying] becomes open to God; this man is now able to decide about his whole existence in God’s sight. If he makes a negative decision, he sets himself up, with the whole fullness of his person, in rebellion against God.” (p. 128) From the Introduction: “God himself stretches out his hand for him. …There now man stands, free to accept or reject this splendor.” (p. ix)
If two hundred pages on this seem too much, the abbreviated material from Boros and Troisfontaines in The Mystery of Suffering and Death (Michael Taylor, editor; 1973) may suffice.
By what means is CCC 847 achieved? Karl Rahner’s “anonymous Christian” is one solution. Another, almost always found only in Catholic Christian theology, is the “final option” theory. The recently-canonized John Henry Newman (1801-1890) posited that Christ interacts with people at the moment of death providing them all with an ultimate opportunity to repent and believe. Others who developed this line of thinking in various ways: Emile Mersch (1890-1940), Palemon Glorieux (1892-1979), Piet Schoonenberg (1911-1999), Louis Monden (1911-2002), Robert W. Gleason (1917?- 1982) and Roger Troisfontaines (1916-2007).
Which brings us to Ladislaus Boros, also firmly in the Catholic “final option” camp. In the book here reviewed, Boros (contemporaneous (1927-1981) with all the above other than Newman) provides his approach, particularly in Chapter III. For instance: “In death his person [the personhood of the one who is dying] becomes open to God; this man is now able to decide about his whole existence in God’s sight. If he makes a negative decision, he sets himself up, with the whole fullness of his person, in rebellion against God.” (p. 128) From the Introduction: “God himself stretches out his hand for him. …There now man stands, free to accept or reject this splendor.” (p. ix)
If two hundred pages on this seem too much, the abbreviated material from Boros and Troisfontaines in The Mystery of Suffering and Death (Michael Taylor, editor; 1973) may suffice.
Displaying 1 of 1 review