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A Short Primer for Unsettled Laymen
Von Balthasar addresses the critical issues facing today's Catholic layman in a clear and readable manner. Speaking plainly on those ideas and questions which have unsettled many of the Catholic faithful, he brings much needed clarity into the contemporary confusion.
145 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1985
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About the author
Hans Urs von Balthasar
456 books312 followersHans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is considered one of the most important theologians of the 20th century.
Born in Lucerne, Switzerland on 12 August 1905, he attended Stella Matutina (Jesuit school) in Feldkirch, Austria. He studied in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich, gaining a doctorate in German literature. He joined the Jesuits in 1929, and was ordained in 1936. He worked in Basel as a student chaplain. In 1950 he left the Jesuit order, feeling that God had called him to found a Secular Institute, a lay form of consecrated life that sought to work for the sanctification of the world especially from within. He joined the diocese of Chur. From the low point of being banned from teaching, his reputation eventually rose to the extent that John Paul II asked him to be a cardinal in 1988. However he died in his home in Basel on 26 June 1988, two days before the ceremony. Balthasar was interred in the Hofkirche cemetery in Lucern.
Along with Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan, Balthasar sought to offer an intellectual, faithful response to Western modernism. While Rahner offered a progressive, accommodating position on modernity and Lonergan worked out a philosophy of history that sought to critically appropriate modernity, Balthasar resisted the reductionism and human focus of modernity, wanting Christianity to challenge modern sensibilities.
Balthasar is very eclectic in his approach, sources, and interests and remains difficult to categorize. An example of his eclecticism was his long study and conversation with the influential Reformed Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, of whose work he wrote the first Catholic analysis and response. Although Balthasar's major points of analysis on Karl Barth's work have been disputed, his The Theology of Karl Barth: Exposition and Interpretation (1951) remains a classic work for its sensitivity and insight; Karl Barth himself agreed with its analysis of his own theological enterprise, calling it the best book on his own theology.
Balthasar's Theological Dramatic Theory has influenced the work of Raymund Schwager.
Born in Lucerne, Switzerland on 12 August 1905, he attended Stella Matutina (Jesuit school) in Feldkirch, Austria. He studied in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich, gaining a doctorate in German literature. He joined the Jesuits in 1929, and was ordained in 1936. He worked in Basel as a student chaplain. In 1950 he left the Jesuit order, feeling that God had called him to found a Secular Institute, a lay form of consecrated life that sought to work for the sanctification of the world especially from within. He joined the diocese of Chur. From the low point of being banned from teaching, his reputation eventually rose to the extent that John Paul II asked him to be a cardinal in 1988. However he died in his home in Basel on 26 June 1988, two days before the ceremony. Balthasar was interred in the Hofkirche cemetery in Lucern.
Along with Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan, Balthasar sought to offer an intellectual, faithful response to Western modernism. While Rahner offered a progressive, accommodating position on modernity and Lonergan worked out a philosophy of history that sought to critically appropriate modernity, Balthasar resisted the reductionism and human focus of modernity, wanting Christianity to challenge modern sensibilities.
Balthasar is very eclectic in his approach, sources, and interests and remains difficult to categorize. An example of his eclecticism was his long study and conversation with the influential Reformed Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, of whose work he wrote the first Catholic analysis and response. Although Balthasar's major points of analysis on Karl Barth's work have been disputed, his The Theology of Karl Barth: Exposition and Interpretation (1951) remains a classic work for its sensitivity and insight; Karl Barth himself agreed with its analysis of his own theological enterprise, calling it the best book on his own theology.
Balthasar's Theological Dramatic Theory has influenced the work of Raymund Schwager.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 5, 2015
Readers may be disappointed that questions of ethical discipline are relegated to the postscript. Instead, the book is solidly focused on Jesus Christ, the core dogma of faith, the attitude of the baptized to this dogma, and the current circumstances of this faith in the world.
This book shows the interpenetration of the mysteries of faith in reference to internal and external situation of the Church in this age: liberalism, pluralism, progressivism, political theology, ecumenism. For a similar discussion in dialogue with evangelical Protestantism, I recommend In the Fullness of Faith: On the Centrality of the Distinctively Catholic. The simplest and most radiant version of this conversation can be found in Balthasar's book on the rosary: The Threefold Garland: The World's Salvation in Mary's Prayer.
This book shows the interpenetration of the mysteries of faith in reference to internal and external situation of the Church in this age: liberalism, pluralism, progressivism, political theology, ecumenism. For a similar discussion in dialogue with evangelical Protestantism, I recommend In the Fullness of Faith: On the Centrality of the Distinctively Catholic. The simplest and most radiant version of this conversation can be found in Balthasar's book on the rosary: The Threefold Garland: The World's Salvation in Mary's Prayer.
November 20, 2015
Anyone requiring a quick, short, and yet comprehensive, guide to the challenges the Church faces from within and without need look no further than this slim volume. What the Catholic commentariat often grapples with in this day and age that causes many of the faithful so much anxiety is nothing altogether new. But what von Balthasar stresses over and over and over again is the centrality of the Creed, and putting the necessity of letting Christ be truly Himself at the center.
Time and time again, what emerges from what Von Balthasar writes is how much the Eucharist matters.
If you're feeling ambitious, follow up this "Short Primer" with either Ratzinger, "Salt of the Earth," "God and the World," and "Light of the World" if you are wading into Catholic theology for the first time, or if you've already gotten your feet wet, follow up with Ratzinger, "Introduction to Christianity" and "Spirit of the Liturgy." A word about Ratzinger, though: be prepared to be patient; he rewards the patient reader. Anything he writes packs so much into even the briefest of sentences, so his work is best chewed over, savored, and digested-- as opposed to being horked down.
Time and time again, what emerges from what Von Balthasar writes is how much the Eucharist matters.
If you're feeling ambitious, follow up this "Short Primer" with either Ratzinger, "Salt of the Earth," "God and the World," and "Light of the World" if you are wading into Catholic theology for the first time, or if you've already gotten your feet wet, follow up with Ratzinger, "Introduction to Christianity" and "Spirit of the Liturgy." A word about Ratzinger, though: be prepared to be patient; he rewards the patient reader. Anything he writes packs so much into even the briefest of sentences, so his work is best chewed over, savored, and digested-- as opposed to being horked down.
January 25, 2010
A very good, pithy, overview of the major issues challenging laymen after the Second Vatican Council. This is one of the most accessible pieces by Balthasar I have read.
December 22, 2020
Second time reading — it’s a relatively short book — and as always with Balthasar, I always come away with something new.
July 19, 2025
There’s a lot going for Balthasar in this book, with some chapters being particularly more exciting than others, he makes it clear that this book does not serve as or for a substitute of the Catechism. A big thing I liked about this book was his affirmation of the importance of the Divine Mysteries in Christian daily life- that for subjective holiness to take place, it must be supplied by the objective means [Sacraments and the Liturgy]. Also understanding that Vatican II had unintended but negative consequences for many faithful laymen, academic religious and priest, as well as spectators of Catholic religion who felt that the post-conciliar council discredited its legitimacy. Despite all of this, he remains faithful because he accepts that in spite of flaws that could have been avoided, the ‘’gates of hades will never prevail’’ against the Church. He also chastises positions considered too progressive or liberal, and as well as during his time, the traditionalist movement, which is a complex paradigm that he didn’t intend to fully exhaust here in this writing.
But maybe… I think the title of this book being meant for unformed laymen is a stretch. I think he does excellent in some areas of the book compared to others that can be easily communicated to the lay. But in my opinion, the whole corpus of this book has moments of ups and downs in which it was difficult to keep a fully appreciated attention. Although, his affirmation of Christ in nearly each and every chapter as having a necessary, morally important, and advantageous gift for the Christian is described very positively!
But maybe… I think the title of this book being meant for unformed laymen is a stretch. I think he does excellent in some areas of the book compared to others that can be easily communicated to the lay. But in my opinion, the whole corpus of this book has moments of ups and downs in which it was difficult to keep a fully appreciated attention. Although, his affirmation of Christ in nearly each and every chapter as having a necessary, morally important, and advantageous gift for the Christian is described very positively!
October 25, 2020
I'm really disappointed with the majority of this primer, which in its very brief treatment of multifarious controversial topics of interest to "unsettled laymen" fails to crystallize the major problems facing Catholic theology or provide a coherent response. Much of the first half of the book in consumed with theo-babble that is unintelligible to the layman, and is a slog to get through despite its brevity. The section on Mary-Church-Office was one of the few insightful chapters in that it identified the false philosophy of feminism, diagnosed its cause as the lack of a true mariology, and commented on its implications for the Church. His treatment of "traditionalism" was horrid, as expected; he defends Communion in the hand and the "necessary" liturgical changes made after Vatican II. Ironically in the postscript he bemoans the lack of belief in the Real Presence, saying "perhaps they really do not know it because nobody tells them." Apparently he can't put two and two together.
December 20, 2019
Balthasar is wonderful, really. His theology is very rich. ... But I still can't get over how bad his politics are at certain points in the work. (His "criticism" of feminism comes off, at least to me, as very forced.)
December 23, 2023
Although written over 30 years ago, this book has so many applicable insights for the situations of the Church today.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews