Karl-Josef Kuschel – författare

Theology is not a subject especially noted for its jokes (though one of the chapters in this book has a good collection of them). However, since laughter is such an important element in life, there would be something wrong if it could not be heard in theology: not mocking laughter, but the laughter which indicates delight and joy. And that such laughter cannot be heard today in the Roman Catholic church in its 'wintry season' is an important indication of its problems. Dr Kuschel traces a fascinating story of laughter: from Sarah in the Hebrew Bible through Homer, Plato and Aristotle, Mozart and Kafka, to Umberto Eco and The Name of the Rose. There is a long chapter on Christian laughter and its foundations in the New Testament and there is a discussion of the Christian condemnation of laughter, among the church fathers and the monastic tradition. And sometimes laughter is out of place - a lesson which our modern world has not really learned. Jesus, from whom Christianity arose, was laughed at; and his followers have known what it is to be laughed at too. That recognition, too, is vital; one more strand in what proves to be the rich vein of new theological insights offered here. `How much underlies laughter! This is the kind of theology that we need: the world in all its heights and depths, everything clearly thought through, brilliantly written and at the same time centred on the Christian message' (Hans Kung). Karl-Josef Kuschel teaches ecumenical theology and theological aesthetics in the University of Tubingen.

In March 1993 Hans Kung celebrated his sixty-fifth birthday, and to mark the occasion a substantial volume was presented to him: not so much the usual Festschrift as a 'workbook' on the many aspects of his faith and thought. This translation is an abridged version of the German text, containing articles of particular interest to readers in the English-speaking world. Its seven sections cover the church, the Catholicity of Hans Kung's theology, the ecumenical world, christology and the doctrine of God, the dialogue with Judaism, world religions and the influence of Hans Kuing. The contributors come not only from Switzerland and Germany but from Britain and Ireland, the United States, Latin America, Saudi Arabia and Russia and represent Judaism, Islam and Buddhism as well as Christianity. Besides being a fascinating critical survey of the life and work of a quite remarkable theologian, the book has one further, important aim: the rehabilitation of Hans Kung as a Catholic theologian. As one of the great figures of Roman Catholic ecumenical theology, Heinrich Fries, recently asked: 'Is the Catholic church so narrow that it cannot tolerate a man like Kung, or is it so rich that it can dispense with him?'

An international journal of theology; a catholic journal in the widest sense: rooted in Roman Catholicism yet open to other Christian traditions and the world's faiths. Promotes discussion in the spirit of Vatican II. Annual subscriptions available.

An international journal of theology; a catholic journal in the widest sense: rooted in Roman Catholicism yet open to other Christian traditions and the world's faiths. Promotes discussion in the spirit of Vatican II. Annual subscriptions available.

As it explores the issues of the pre-existence of Christ - the doctrine found in the New Testament, enshrined in the classic creeds of the Christian Church, and proclaimed in every celebration of the Eucharist - this brilliant work turns back to the origins of the doctrine in Scripture, examines every relevant text in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and identifies inconsistencies, improbabilities, and weak points. Foreword by Hans Kung.

The lectures collected in this volume shed some fascinating light on Hans Kung's career and present a moving picture of one of the greatest theologians of our time.

"Presents the text of the 'Declaration' and a commentary on its evolution and significance.... The message of this book is very timely." -The Leading Edge

The familiar and heartwarming story of Christmas is one of hope, encapsulated by the birth of the infant Jesus. It is also a story that unites Christianity and Islam--two faiths that have often been at odds with each other. The accounts of the Nativity given by the Evangelists Luke and Matthew find their parallels in Surahs 3 and 19 of the Qur'an, which take up the Annunciation to Mary, the Incarnation from the Holy Spirit, and the Nativity. Christmas and the Qur'an is a sensitive and precise analysis of the Christmas story as it appears in the Gospels and the Qur'an. Karl-Josef Kuschel presents both scriptures in a convincing comparative exegesis and reveals startling similarities as well as significant differences. Kuschel explores how Christians and Muslims read these texts and reveals an intertwining legacy that serves as a base for greater understanding. Without leaving the realm of theology, Kuschel approaches his analysis in a theocentric way by emphasizing the shared belief that God is almighty, which, he argues, can act as a healing suture between Christianity and Islam. Christmas and the Qur'an gives the reader the chance to remember the message of hope that the birth of Jesus brings and invites to a dialogue between Muslims and Christians.