Light in Darkness: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Catholic Doctrine of Christ’s Descent into Hell
Overview
“He descended into hell.”
Hans Urs von Balthasar, one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century, placed this affirmation of the Nicene Creed at the heart of his reflection on the world-altering events of Holy Week, asserting that this identification of God with the human experience is at the “absolute center” of the Christian faith. Yet is such a descent to suffering really the essence of Catholic belief about the mystery of Holy Saturday?
Alyssa Lyra Pitstick’s Light in Darkness—the first comprehensive treatment of Balthasar’s theology of Holy Saturday—draws on the multiple yet unified resources of authoritative Catholic teaching on Christ’s descent to challenge Balthasar’s conclusions. Pitstick conducts a thorough investigation of Balthasar’s position that Christ suffered in his descent into hell and asks whether that is compatible with traditional teaching about Christ.
Light in Darkness is a thorough argument for the existence and authority of a traditional Catholic doctrine of Christ’s descent as manifested in creeds, statements of popes and councils, Scripture, and art from Eastern and Western traditions. Pitstick’s carefully argued, contrarian work is sure to spur debate across the theological spectrum.
Key Features
- Presents a comprehensive discussion of Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theology of Holy Saturday
- Argues for the existence and authority of traditional Catholic doctrine of Christ’s descent
Contents
- Part One: The Catholic Tradition
- Creeds and Catechisms
- Scripture and the Traditional Doctrine of Christ’s Descent
- Magisterium and Sensus fidelium: Liturgy and Art
- Part Two: Hans Urs von Balthasar’s Theology of Christ’s Descent into Hell
- The Descent Event
- Christ’s Descent in Light of the Trinity: The Father, Active Inflictor of the Visio Mortis
- Christ’s Descent in Light of the Trinity: The Son, Mission as Expression of Procession
- Christ’s Descent in Light of the Trinity: The Spirit, Bond of Love, Bridge of Separation
- The Centrality of the Descent in the Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar
- Part Three: General Comparison and Conclusion
- Global Questions about the Theological Opinion of Hans Urs von Balthasar
- General Conclusion
Top Highlights
“As Christ truly died, His soul was separated from His body, and each went to its proper place after death, the body to the tomb, and the soul to the abode of the dead.1 The Descent is also implicit in the article on the Resurrection, since it is from both the tomb and the abode of the dead that Christ arose.” (Pages 9–10)
“Christ voluntarily allowed Himself to be handed over to the death” (Page 36)
“One may ask, ‘From where did He rise?’ The answer is simple, ‘From the tomb and from where a soul goes after death.’ The text cannot refer only to the resurrection of Christ’s body from the tomb. To say ‘He rose’ is to refer to the Person, not just His body. Although separated from each other in death, both the body and soul of Christ remained united to the divine Person of the Word.8 But Christ’s soul was not ‘where’ His dead body was, but separated from it; otherwise, His body would still have been alive. Therefore, since the creed says, ‘He rose,’ and He refers to the Incarnate Word, it professes that Christ rose in both His body and His soul.” (Page 11)
“For the soul of a living person is in fact located where it acts, i.e., coextensively with his body. We can see how the soul is located by its acts by considering that a person’s soul no longer acts in an amputated finger, and so must no longer be present to it. Likewise, a separated soul is located where its powers are in act, and so it can rightly be said to be in that place.” (Page 11)
“There one sees Christ freeing Adam and Eve from their graves, and the broken gates of hell beneath His feet. In the West, this doctrine of a triumphal Descent of Christ was held universally until the Protestant Reformation, and then also afterward by the Catholic Church. It remains, then, part of the heritage of Christians of all denominations.” (Page 1)
Praise for the Print Edition
Pitstick’s book is a challenge to those who regard Balthasar as an entirely trustworthy theologian, ranking with the greatest masters of the Tradition. She subjects his understanding of Christ’s descent into hell to a searching critique and shows it to be seriously at odds with the teaching of the fathers and Doctors of the Church.
—John Saward, associate lecturer, Blackfriars, Oxford University
This severe, but forcefully argued, study will have to be borne in mind in all future assessment of Balthasar’s theological doctrine.
—Aidan Nichols, John Paul II Memorial Visiting Lecturer, Oxford University
Alyssa Pitstick gives no quarter. She notes instances in which Balthasar, in her view, misrepresents scriptural, patristic, and magisterial texts and simply ignores aspects of the tradition inconvenient to his argument. . . Pitstick has thrown down a gauntlet that other theologians should not ignore. . . . Thanks to Pitstick, a new and lively debate over Balthasar’s achievement is almost certainly under way.
—Richard John Neuhaus, First Things
An impressive book. Pitstick has had the courage to challenge a major theological reputation head on, and has done so with great skill. The result is the most sustained and detailed criticism of Balthasar’s theology yet published in English, and a work of acute argument in its own right.
—New Blackfriars
Product Details
- Title: Light in Darkness: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Catholic Doctrine of Christ’s Descent into Hell
- Author: Alyssa Lyra Pitstick
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 474
- Christian Group: Catholic
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Topic: Philosophical Theology
About Alyssa Lyra Pitstick
Alyssa Lyra Pitstick holds degrees from Pontifical University in Rome, International Theological Institute in Austria, and Gonzaga University, and is assistant professor of religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
Reviews
4 ratings
Zach Moore
2/18/2019
Katelyn M
10/30/2018
Sean
6/20/2018
This is a masterful work of theology, a revised doctoral dissertation that fulfills the ideal of both thoroughly answering a very focused question as well as showing mastery of the breadth of the field of systematic theology. Even if one, like me, isn't interested in Balthasar's theology, there is an incredible amount that can be learned from this book on subjects such as church history, soteriology, Trinitarian theology, and Christology. It is a very dense work and far from an easy read, though the writing style is quite clear. This is a very catholic work but still very useful for protestants in three chief areas: 1. It covers a much neglected topic: Christ's harrowing of hell. 2. It is an extremely good illustration of catholic theological method. It showcases both how and why their approach to the Bible and tradition differs from that of protestants. 3. Although it's only lightly touched upon, Balthasar's basic problem is that he pretty accepts the reformed theory of atonement as penal substitution. He follows Calvin in teaching that Christ suffered in hell after his death. This work shows, from a different angle than most, the disruptions that this belief creates throughout the breadth of Christian belief. Protestants would be well advised to take some of these points into consideration when thinking about how they interpret Christ's saving work on the cross.
Rev. Dr. K. Robert Schmitt
4/8/2018
