Christopher Steck - Böcker

College Theology Society Book of the Year. In this remarkable study, the first of its kind in any language, Christopher Steck uncovers the ethical dimension of von Balthasar’s thought, showing its relation to other key issues in his works, and to key figures such as Ignatius Loyola, Karl Barth, and especially Karl Rahner. Steck shows both the importance of ethics in von Balthasar’s thinking and how it exposes limitations of current ethical reflection. This clear, authoritative introduction is indispensable for von Balthasar scholars and students of contemporary Catholic theology, as well as all interested in major trends about religious ethics.

The book is the first of its kind to draw together in conversation the views of the early Church, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship, and post-conciliar teachings. Steck develops a comprehensive, Catholic theology of animals based on an in-depth exploration of Catholicism's fundamental doctrines—trinitarian theology, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, and soteriology. All God's Animals makes two central claims. First, we can hope that God will include animals of the present age in the kingdom inaugurated by Christ. Second, because of this inclusion, our responses to animals should be guided by the values of the kingdom.  As Christians await the final liberation of all creation, they are to be witnesses to God’s kingdom by embodying its ideals in their relations with animal life.  Because the kingdom's fullness is yet to come and because our world remains marked by the wounds of sin, however, Christian treatment of animals will at times require acts that are at odds with the kingdom’s ideals (for example, those causing suffering and death). Steck examines each of these ideas and explores all of their complexities.

The book is the first of its kind to draw together in conversation the views of the early Church, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship, and post-conciliar teachings. Steck develops a comprehensive, Catholic theology of animals based on an in-depth exploration of Catholicism's fundamental doctrines—trinitarian theology, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, and soteriology. All God's Animals makes two central claims. First, we can hope that God will include animals of the present age in the kingdom inaugurated by Christ. Second, because of this inclusion, our responses to animals should be guided by the values of the kingdom.  As Christians await the final liberation of all creation, they are to be witnesses to God’s kingdom by embodying its ideals in their relations with animal life.  Because the kingdom's fullness is yet to come and because our world remains marked by the wounds of sin, however, Christian treatment of animals will at times require acts that are at odds with the kingdom’s ideals (for example, those causing suffering and death). Steck examines each of these ideas and explores all of their complexities.

A transformative perspective on animal afterlife bridging theological reflection and moral actionWhat happens to our beloved companion animals after death? Do they and other animals have a place in the divine plan?A Heaven for Animals offers a groundbreaking theological rationale for the inclusion of animals in heaven, challenging conventional thinking about the role animals have in God's plan. Based on Biblical evidence and the doctrine of the Catholic Church, Christopher Steck reveals a radical vision of divine grace that extends far beyond human-centric perspectives, demonstrating how animals are intrinsically part of Christ's redemptive work.Accessible to both theological scholars and thoughtful readers seeking deeper spiritual insights, this book provides a rigorous and compassionate framework for understanding the sacredness of all creation and the creatures within it. A Heaven for Animals invites readers to reimagine their ethical responsibilities, suggesting that our treatment of animals should strive to reflect an anticipatory vision of God's inclusive kingdom—a transformative perspective that bridges theological reflection and moral action.