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Gratitude
The four authors of this slim, accessible volume provide complementary insights on the nature of gratitude, inviting us to a deeper appreciation of the essential and transformative role of gratitude in our relationships to others and ultimately in our relationship to God.
Dietrich von Hildebrand possesses an unrivaled skill for bringing to light essential truths of our human experience that we often take for granted. In this essay, he illuminates the distinctive qualities of gratitude as value-response, both as it relates to gratitude among persons and gratitude to God.
Balduin V. Schwarz was a leading student of Hildebrand in Europe and a professor of philosophy at the University of Salzburg. This essay, only previously available in a long out-of-print Festschrift, begins with Schwarz clearing the ground by dismissing attitudes and ways of thought that “suppress” gratitude. He then carefully considers the distinctive character of gratitude and the paradoxical relationship among giving, thanking, and receiving, with a view to the ways that gratitude enriches human life, building ultimately to the intimation of gratitude as an argument for God’s existence.
The philosophical essays by Schwarz and Hildebrand are enriched by accompanying selections from Joseph Ratzinger and one of his most important teachers, Romano Guardini.
Ratzinger draws our attention to the unique role of joy–the expression par excellence of gratitude–in the Christian faith. Guardini establishes the uniquely personal conditions for gratitude, points us to examples of gratitude in the Gospels, and leads us to “Did Christ thank?”
Dietrich von Hildebrand possesses an unrivaled skill for bringing to light essential truths of our human experience that we often take for granted. In this essay, he illuminates the distinctive qualities of gratitude as value-response, both as it relates to gratitude among persons and gratitude to God.
Balduin V. Schwarz was a leading student of Hildebrand in Europe and a professor of philosophy at the University of Salzburg. This essay, only previously available in a long out-of-print Festschrift, begins with Schwarz clearing the ground by dismissing attitudes and ways of thought that “suppress” gratitude. He then carefully considers the distinctive character of gratitude and the paradoxical relationship among giving, thanking, and receiving, with a view to the ways that gratitude enriches human life, building ultimately to the intimation of gratitude as an argument for God’s existence.
The philosophical essays by Schwarz and Hildebrand are enriched by accompanying selections from Joseph Ratzinger and one of his most important teachers, Romano Guardini.
Ratzinger draws our attention to the unique role of joy–the expression par excellence of gratitude–in the Christian faith. Guardini establishes the uniquely personal conditions for gratitude, points us to examples of gratitude in the Gospels, and leads us to “Did Christ thank?”
- GenresPhilosophyTheology
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2023
6 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Dietrich von Hildebrand
76 books210 followersDietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic philosopher and theologian who was called (informally) by Pope Pius XII "the 20th Century Doctor of the Church."
Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.
The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."
Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.
Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.
The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."
Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 24, 2024
With a title like “Gratitude,” I really thought this book would be something a feel good, self-help book. I expected it to be filled with exhortations to achieve a happy life by making gratitude a daily practice. If you are looking for this, this book is not for you.
This compilation features four essays from philosophers and theologians of the twentieth century on the topic of gratitude. Their essays reflect on the nature of gratitude and its importance to a life lived well. Together these essays explore a wide range of topics related to gratitude. Hildebrand considers gratitude as a fundamental attitude or disposition to the world. As a fundamental attitude, he studies gratitude as a necessary part to our relationships with God, friends, strangers, and lovers. (There is a great section on the feeling of being in the “debt of gratitude” to another.) Schwarz considers gratitude as an interpersonal phenomenon. He explores why gratitude ought to arise in us spontaneously and discusses a few reasons why we may be suppressing or avoiding gratitude. Ratzinger discusses gratitude at the level of existence. Instead of being grateful for something or someone, Ratzinger explores the gratitude to exist at all. Guardini’s final essay notably explores the freedom required for gratitude.
Like I said before, if you are looking for self-help this isn’t it. What readers can expect to find, and what I did find, was insight and clarity on what it means to experience gratitude, its different forms, and why it makes life so joyful and beautiful- or as Ratzinger puts it worth living.
This compilation features four essays from philosophers and theologians of the twentieth century on the topic of gratitude. Their essays reflect on the nature of gratitude and its importance to a life lived well. Together these essays explore a wide range of topics related to gratitude. Hildebrand considers gratitude as a fundamental attitude or disposition to the world. As a fundamental attitude, he studies gratitude as a necessary part to our relationships with God, friends, strangers, and lovers. (There is a great section on the feeling of being in the “debt of gratitude” to another.) Schwarz considers gratitude as an interpersonal phenomenon. He explores why gratitude ought to arise in us spontaneously and discusses a few reasons why we may be suppressing or avoiding gratitude. Ratzinger discusses gratitude at the level of existence. Instead of being grateful for something or someone, Ratzinger explores the gratitude to exist at all. Guardini’s final essay notably explores the freedom required for gratitude.
Like I said before, if you are looking for self-help this isn’t it. What readers can expect to find, and what I did find, was insight and clarity on what it means to experience gratitude, its different forms, and why it makes life so joyful and beautiful- or as Ratzinger puts it worth living.
December 20, 2023
This latest chapter book from the Hildebrand Press takes a unique approach in that it is centered not merely around the works of Dietrich von Hildebrand but instead takes the topic of gratitude as its theme and brings insights from several other philosophers and theologians to complement the insights developed by von Hildebrand. The two central texts, the titular essay from von Hildebrand and the essay "Some Reflections on Gratitude" by his student, Balduin Schwarz, offer a beautifully penetrating analysis of the phenomenon of gratitude that builds a compelling picture of just how gratitude is given. These two essays perfectly complement one another, with von Hildebrand's classical phenomenological analysis bolstered by Schwarz's keen and probing existential analysis to create a complete picture of the nature of gratitude and its effect on persons.
These essays are exceptional because of how much ground they cover and the connections they draw in comparatively little space. Both von Hildebrand and Schwarz connect to the social act theory of Adolf Reinach and the phenomenology of the gift, which underlie the central thesis that gratitude is a fundamentally personal attitude. Moreover, von Hildebrand ties a gracious attitude to the attitudes of reverence and humility, developed elsewhere in The Art of Living and Transformation in Christ, respectively, further illuminating the depth to which gratitude manifests itself. More than simply articulating the essence of gratitude, these essays make the case for gratitude as a central component of a fulfilled life. In the words of Schwarz, "Gratitude places me at that point where I am able to receive fully. It is the fertile ground in which the reverent recognition, the real 'receiving' (with its aspect of humility) becomes actualized" (87). Not only does gratitude open us up entirely to the being of the gift and the being of others, but it also sheds light on our dependence on others and, ultimately, God. It reveals itself not as a degrading force but as a force of love towards the other.
The two excerpts from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Romano Guardini provide insightful addendums to the developments made by von Hildebrand and Schwarz. They are worthy additions to this volume as they accentuate various points made in the two main essays. The excerpt from Ratzinger's "Faith as Trust and Joy - Evangelium" is initially a response to the critiques of the Christian life and worldview from such scathing critics as Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. While not necessarily dealing specifically with gratitude, Ratzinger's emphasis on the harmony of the individual with themselves and with truth, encompassed in the Christian faith, which produces joy, maps very well onto the observances of von Hildebrand and Schwarz, who saw joy as a natural manifestation of gratitude, especially gratitude towards God and others in an I-Thou relationship. Guardini's excerpt, also titled "Gratitude," makes many of the same insights as von Hildebrand and Schwarz, but additionally, in a move reminiscent of Gabriel Marcel, shows how modernity and the "mechanical apparatus" ( 125) have a destructive effect on how we as a culture view gratitude and the gifts we receive.
This little volume gives the reader many insights from some of the twentieth century's most astute philosophers and theologians. It possesses a rare clarity that only enhances the richness and depth of the texts. Not only does it continue to display the unmatched intellect of Dietrich von Hildebrand, but the totality of the volume offers many avenues for further investigation and conversation, such as adding to the social act theory of Reinach or the phenomenology of the gift as developed by Jean-Luc Marion or Jacques Derrida. Overall, this volume demonstrates the richness of the Hildebrandian personalist tradition and invites readers to engage with a world where values are ubiquitous and waiting for us to receive them.
These essays are exceptional because of how much ground they cover and the connections they draw in comparatively little space. Both von Hildebrand and Schwarz connect to the social act theory of Adolf Reinach and the phenomenology of the gift, which underlie the central thesis that gratitude is a fundamentally personal attitude. Moreover, von Hildebrand ties a gracious attitude to the attitudes of reverence and humility, developed elsewhere in The Art of Living and Transformation in Christ, respectively, further illuminating the depth to which gratitude manifests itself. More than simply articulating the essence of gratitude, these essays make the case for gratitude as a central component of a fulfilled life. In the words of Schwarz, "Gratitude places me at that point where I am able to receive fully. It is the fertile ground in which the reverent recognition, the real 'receiving' (with its aspect of humility) becomes actualized" (87). Not only does gratitude open us up entirely to the being of the gift and the being of others, but it also sheds light on our dependence on others and, ultimately, God. It reveals itself not as a degrading force but as a force of love towards the other.
The two excerpts from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Romano Guardini provide insightful addendums to the developments made by von Hildebrand and Schwarz. They are worthy additions to this volume as they accentuate various points made in the two main essays. The excerpt from Ratzinger's "Faith as Trust and Joy - Evangelium" is initially a response to the critiques of the Christian life and worldview from such scathing critics as Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. While not necessarily dealing specifically with gratitude, Ratzinger's emphasis on the harmony of the individual with themselves and with truth, encompassed in the Christian faith, which produces joy, maps very well onto the observances of von Hildebrand and Schwarz, who saw joy as a natural manifestation of gratitude, especially gratitude towards God and others in an I-Thou relationship. Guardini's excerpt, also titled "Gratitude," makes many of the same insights as von Hildebrand and Schwarz, but additionally, in a move reminiscent of Gabriel Marcel, shows how modernity and the "mechanical apparatus" ( 125) have a destructive effect on how we as a culture view gratitude and the gifts we receive.
This little volume gives the reader many insights from some of the twentieth century's most astute philosophers and theologians. It possesses a rare clarity that only enhances the richness and depth of the texts. Not only does it continue to display the unmatched intellect of Dietrich von Hildebrand, but the totality of the volume offers many avenues for further investigation and conversation, such as adding to the social act theory of Reinach or the phenomenology of the gift as developed by Jean-Luc Marion or Jacques Derrida. Overall, this volume demonstrates the richness of the Hildebrandian personalist tradition and invites readers to engage with a world where values are ubiquitous and waiting for us to receive them.
December 4, 2024
“La Gratitud" de Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Es una lectura rápida, pero muy compleja y profunda. La gratitud comienza en cada uno de nosotros y nos abre el corazón a Dios y a los demás. Bonhoeffer nos invita a reflexionar sobre la importancia de la gratitud en la vida y cómo puede transformar nuestra forma de ver el mundo.
Es un libro que te invita a la reflexión y a la acción. Si buscas una lectura que te inspire a vivir con más gratitud, "La Gratitud" de Dietrich Bonhoeffer es una excelente opción.
Es un libro que te invita a la reflexión y a la acción. Si buscas una lectura que te inspire a vivir con más gratitud, "La Gratitud" de Dietrich Bonhoeffer es una excelente opción.
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September 6, 2024"En este considerar como algo natural todas las muestras bellas y valiosas del amor del otro por nosotros, hay también un endurecimiento de nuestro corazón, un atentado contra la virtud fundamental de la bondad". Tengo la sensación de que es una repetición de todo lo que desarrolla en el no leido "The Heart: An Analysis of Human and Divine Affectivity". En algunas cosas me ha recordado mucho a mi querido Julián Marías, me quedo con la duda de si se habrán leído.
August 7, 2025
me encantaría leer más de von Hildebrand
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews