That They May All Be One: The Call to Unity Today

Description

Cardinal Kasper is a fine theologian who was a colleague of Cardinal Ratzinger and Hans Kung at The University of Tubingen. Kasper now heads the Vatican's Council for Christian Unity. He has the specific task of trying to heal the rift between The Roman Catholic Church and The Russian Orthodox Patriarchate in Moscow, among other things. By any reckoning, Kasper is a key player in the Christian Churches today. In this new book, his first to appear in English since Jesus the Christ (Burns & Oates) he outlines his vision for the unity of Christian Churches. Although Kasper has one of the top jobs in The Roman Catholic Church today, he is a man with an open mind. The interpretation in this book of the uniqueness of The Catholic Church and its Magisterium is nonetheless progressive as he understands that truth is something that no-one has a monopoly on. The Catholic Church must listen to other traditions and learn from them. But Kasper also realizes that the cause of unity is exceptionally difficult at the present time. The lack of central teaching authority in the Anglican Communion is extremely problematic. The politics of the relationship between Rome and Moscow have seldom been more fraught. This book will command quite exceptional interest. Many will read it in the hope that this highly intelligent, open-minded Church leader may give hope to people of all traditions that they may learn to understand Jesus's injunction - 'they may be one'.

Cardinal Walter Kasper was President of The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. A German by birth, he spends much time lecturing and giving conferences in the English-speaking world.

"The book's 10 chapters include important addresses or articles by Cardinal Kasper during his years of international church leadership.... Christians can thank God for the Holy Spirit's working in the midst of the modern ecumenical movement, and for skillful scholars and ministers like Cardinal Kasper who assist us to be more deeply engaged together in the common pilgrimage toward full, visible unity." -Catholic Explorer, 3/25/05 "Kasper is also very helpful in addressing the difficult question of relations with the Eastern churches, including the filioque clause, the future of the Eastern Catholic churches and the problem of the autocephaly of the Orthodox national churches....As a theologian who is also a cardinal of the Roman Curia, Kasper shows considerable ability to push the tradition and at the same time to interpret some of the more difficult positions...rich in wisdom for pursuing Jesus' call :that all may be one." -America, May 2005 * America: The National Catholic Weekly * "The well-known German theologian and Cardinal Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity pulls together a series of reflections that provide an overarching vision for ecumenical work in the present moment. Given the nature of his role in the Vatican Curia, as well as the different dialogue partners with whom he is engaged, the book is remarkably forthright in illustrating his hopes while accounting for the very real obstacles to unity. One of the many strengths of his book is the international vantage he now enjoys in coming to his conclusions, though his notes betray a rather Eurocentric gleaning of the literature...it should also be read by every ecumenical officer or persons with an interest in fostering unity among faiths."- Patrick J. Hayes, Catholic Library World, December 2005 * Catholic Library World * "No living Catholic theologian is more qualified than Cardinal Kasper to comment on the current state of ecumenical relations. In summary, when the current dean of ecumenical theology on the Catholic side speaks out on the present perceived impasse on ecumenism, all will so well to listen.... Kasper is wise in his assessment that "full communion will not be achieved by convergence alone, but even more by conversion" (134). - Daniel E. Doyle, Horizons, Spring 2006 Vol. 33 * Horizons * Mentioned. -- Christopher Hill * Theology * 'Kasper's very positive book is an invitation to continue this conversation with the Cardinal and, because of his position in the Vatican, with the Roman Catholic Church as such.' - Christopher Hill, Theology -- Christopher Hill * Theology * "Happily, however, although Walter Kasper's words command attention on the basis of his prominent position alone- he is head of the Catholic Church's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity- in him we have a theologian of high caliber whose works have been widely read for years and can be reviewed on their own merits. "...I... warmly recommend Kasper's book to all those who want to understand the mind of the Catholic Church's foremost ecumenist and one of her most prominent contemporary theologians, and also to understand the contemporary debates of ecumenical theology."- Touchstone, March 2006 * Touchstone: Journal of Mere Christianity *