Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar on Salvific truth

Abstract

The search for truth has always figured large throughout the history of philosophy. However, truth, in Latin veritas and in Greek aletheia, has proved to be quite elusive. One of our most elementary concepts, it is notoriously difficult to define. The classic definition, followed by a great many philosophers throughout history is the correspondence or adequation of thought to reality. Parmenides (fl. c. 480 BC) was the first to individuate this relational quality of truth and his insight was codified in the widely-used mediaeval formulation: “adaequatio rei et intellectus”. This definition pinpoints the inter-relation between the intelligibility of the world and intelligent activity.