Contents Abbreviations 7 Chapter 1: A Guide to Karl Rahner's Theology 1 I. An Important Theologian 1 II. A Lasting Influence 2 III. Rahner and Munich in the 1960s: A Personal Encounter 3 IV. A Guide to a Theologian for Today and Tomorrow 6 Chapter 2: Karl Rahner, Theologian 13 I. An Ordinary Life 14 II. Teachers and Sources 20 III. A Theologian's Journey 25 Chapter 3: Fashioning a Theology for Today 28 I. A Theology for Today: Five Challenging Issues 33 II. Three Characteristics of a Contemporary Theology 37 III. Reorientations 40 Chapter 4: Men and Women within God's Life 51 I. The Seeking Person, the Revealing God 51 II. Human Existence in God's Realm 54 III. An Ordinary Spirituality 56 IV. Dramas of Grace 59 Chapter 5: God's Life in Terrestrial History 67 I. Existential History 68 II. Salvation History and World History 69 III. Jesus Christ 71 IV. The Word of Jesus Christ: The Bible 75 V. God's Wide Love and Life 79 VI. People's Religions 82 Chapter 6: The Church and Its Ministries 89 I. The Church as Event and Community 90 II. The Church Existing in History's Forms 93 III. Charism and Ministry and Office 96 IV. A Transcendental Community of Ministers 98 V. Leaders in the Church 102 VI. The Church Today 105 Chapter 7: The Future of the World 114 I. The Future of Christianity 114 II. The Future of the Church 115 III. God and Intelligent Creatures beyond Earth 118 IV. The Absolute Future 120 Conclusion 128 Appendices I. Chronology of Karl Rahner's Life 132 II. Bibliographical Guides 133 Index 135