Von Balthasar’s Godforsakenness of Christ and Reaching out to the peripheries

Abstract

Through a presentation of Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theology of Christ’s Godforsakenness, particularly on the Cross and in the descent into hell, in this dissertation it will be shown how Christ reached out and embraced all existential peripheries, and, consequently, how this reaching out is intrinsic to the Christian mission. To reach this aim, this dissertation is divided in three chapters: The first chapter provides us with the necessary background to be able to understand Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theology. The second chapter offers a rather comprehensive overview of von Balthasar’s presentation of the Paschal Mystery from a theo-dramatic perspective. In the third chapter, after presenting a synthesis of Pope Francis’ discourse on reaching out to the peripheries, von Balthasar’s theology of Godforsakenness will be proposed as a paradigm for the Church’s “going forth” to the peripheries.