“Where Christ Has Gone, We Are to Follow.”
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
(Year B; Lect: 58)

Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9; Ephesians 4:1-13; Mark 16:15-20
Fr. Bryan Kromholtz, OP

“Ascendit Deus in jubilatione. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy.” This is what our stained-glass window of the Ascension proclaims; and this is what we have proclaimed in our Responsorial Psalm. Yes, we believe and profess that Jesus “ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” The Ascension does not mean merely that Jesus is taken from our sight – although it certainly means that. In the Letter to the Ephesians, we hear that Christ “ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” The Doctrine of the Ascension concerns this reign of the Incarnate Word, the Crucified and Risen One, as Lord over all of creation: over heaven and earth. Yet the Doctrine of the Ascension tells us not just about Jesus’ destiny and his role as Lord of heaven and earth. More than this, today’s Solemnity shows us the truth of what the ultimate goal of our own salvation looks like, for it is in ascending to the Father that Jesus has made it possible for us to follow him there. We – soul and body – are to follow where our Lord has gone. In Jesus, humanity has been taken up into heaven, to the Father. Where the Head has gone, the members are to follow.

This is precisely what Baptism makes possible. Through Baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we are made the Father’s sons and daughters; we are made to be one with Christ. We are joined to him, so that our lives may be conformed to his. We are buried with him in the water of baptism, that we may rise to new life, in soul and then in body, as he rose from the dead. Baptism allows us to receive Christ in the Eucharist, by which we are nourished, that we may grow more deeply united to Christ. Of course, this means that we are to be conformed to his life, conformed to his love for the Father and for the world, conformed to his suffering and death, conformed to his resurrection, and conformed to his ascension. We are to be lifted into the presence of the Father, with the Son, in the Holy Spirit, forever.

And perhaps the resurrection and ascension of the Body should be underlined here. For Jesus has risen indeed bodily from death. In this way, he is shown clearly to us to be distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit, though consubstantial, one in substance, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Christ’s humanity is not melded into his divinity, or into his Person. There is no absorption of the Son into an amorphous divine blob. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons in one God – and the humanity assumed by the Son, the human Body of Christ, is brought into the heart of the very life of the triune God.

So, too, we are to be one in Him, yet we are to remain ourselves, distinct from Him and from one another, while remaining united in Him. Our unity in Him does not come at the expense of ourselves. Rather, our own unique gifts, received through the Holy Spirit, have their place in the Body of Christ – differentiated and ordered in an intricate way that only God can fully see – for the good of the whole Body.

We hear of this very differentiation of the gifts of the Body of Christ in our reading from Ephesians: “And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God.” Everyone has a place in the Body of Christ. Everyone has a role in Christ’s mission to the world, which is to raise the world up, through Christ, into the presence of God the Father, the source of everything and the goal of everything. Since each of us has a unique part to play in the Body, each of us is to discern the way the Lord has called us, according to our gifts in that Body. This is what we believe.

Notice how different this is from the way the secularist sees the world. For the secularist, the things of the world arise by chance. In such a view, because there is no common source, there is a fundamental disunity among all things. And because there is no common source, there can be no common end; there is no reason to posit a common goal for all things. Some will try assert that the community’s good as a whole can serve as such a goal. But what is the basis for such an assertion? What kind of foundation could be found for such an all-pervasive, unifying, universal goal? There is none. Thus, in such a secular view, the idealism of a common good crumbles quickly, because it has no foundation beyond an idea. Without believing in God as Creator and source, or as the author of the nature of things, or as the goal of all things – what can be the basis for any greater good?

So then, in the absence of a common goal, and in the absence of anything transcendent, what can remain as a viable, plausible goal but the “least common denominator,” the baser desires of will or appetite – the desires for power, privilege, prestige, popularity, pleasure. But the supplies of these goods (and even our capacities for them) are necessarily limited. (Despite what some in our culture may promise, not everyone can be powerful, since power implies some control over others. And not everyone can be “above average.”) Because each one strives to maximize his or her own possession of these very limited goods, there is, at the heart of such a vision of the world, a competitive wilderness where only a few can possibly succeed. And there is never any such thing as “enough”.

What a contrast with the truth of the Body of Christ! In Christ, our unity is given to us. On the basis of this unity in the Body of Christ, each one of us in his or her own unique way, can be an expression of God’s glory. What we seek, our goal, is not limited, but rather is limitless: God’s own life. To reach our goal, it is not necessary that anyone else miss it. We do not need to win at the expense of anyone else. One person’s victory does not imply someone else’s loss. Indeed, to reach our goal, we are to help one another on the way of salvation. For we are all called to holiness, we are all called to the risen and ascended life of Christ, a life that increases the more it is shared.

Now, I admit, I have suggested a rather peaceful vision of life in Christ. Yet there is sharp, cutting edge to the Gospel: “‘Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned’” (Mk 16:16). This puts the matter rather starkly, doesn’t it? Can our Lord Jesus perhaps be exaggerating? Does he mean what he says?

Yes – we believe that he means it. Our Lord offers us his salvation, and, indeed, offers life to the whole world. But we cannot escape the logic of this universal offer of salvation: if we do not accept it, well, we will not receive it. The more universal the offer, the more universal is the possibility of accepting that offer – but also, the more universal is the possibility of rejecting it.

And even when one does accept Baptism, when one accepts the heavenly homeland that our risen and ascended Lord has established for us, is there peace? In this life, on our pilgrim way, there cannot be a premature peace. The Cross is evidence enough for one who believes. We have a battle to fight – against the demonic powers, who seek to turn us against one another.

But also, there is a place for striving among us, even a special kind of competition among us, as St. Paul tells us to “compete well for the faith” (1 Tim 6:12). Yet we compete for the faith, not because supplies are limited, and never at the expense of our neighbor. Rather, we seek by grace to push one another forward, to inspire one another, precisely because the riches of God’s grace are unlimited. You and I and everyone around us can be further and further enriched in our Lord, for his goodness is beyond measure.

Yes, we are to “seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). For it is in the risen and ascended Lord that all of us can have life, and have it abundantly. Amen.

Unique DSPT Program
TWO DEGREES IN THREE YEARS
MA Philosophy & MA Theology

This program is the reason I am here. Here, I can study ancient, medieval, and modern philosophy as well as the Church Fathers, Saint Thomas, and modern theological questions. Along with this, I have the opportunity to take classes at UC Berkeley from some of their best-known philosophy professors, from the very people who are advancing movements in contemporary analytic philosophy, as well as have full access to their extensive library. I am afforded a unique opportunity here at DSPT to learn the Tradition of the Church and begin to probe how such a Tradition can relate to modern and contemporary philosophical and theological questions.

- Christopher Ragusa, Concurrent MA Philosophy/MA Theology

Please consider making a gift today. dspt.edu/donate or (510) 883-7159

Where the Water Meets the Sky

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology hosts a human rights film festival. Next Films: March 5 and 6.

The DSPT is no longer hosting the web page for this entry, but we keep the post to show their variety.

Reel Religion

Museum of Biblical Art in New York exhibition reveals God was in the details of vintage Bible-based-movie advertisements, features Fr. Michael Morris, OP.

'Reel Religion' puts movie posters in a sacred light
Museum of Biblical Art in New York exhibition reveals God was in the details of vintage Bible-based-movie advertisements.

March 06, 2009|Religion News Service

In the beginning, there was light. And soon after, it seems, there were movies.

And with movies came movie posters -- the "heralds" that drew people into movie theaters, particularly during the Golden Age of Hollywood: the 1920s through 1950s. This was a time "when fantasy architecture made its visitors feel as though they were entering into a sacred space," says the Rev. Michael Morris, a Dominican priest, film scholar and avid movie poster collector.

But the posters -- some of them as monumentally designed as the films they were advertising -- could be miniature masterpieces in their own right. And, in fact, some were superior to the films showing inside the theaters....continue reading at the Los Angeles Times

A Community of Scholars Committed to the Pursuit of Truth

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology goes all Facebook on us. Get connected today!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7387128367

I Was Weighed And I Was Sifted.

Fr. Bryan Kromholtz shares a slideshow of
his defense of his doctoral dissertation in
Fribourg, Switzerland.

Adam, Where Are You?

René Girard considers the challenges facing contemporary Christianity.
Free to the public, this is the first in a series of talks throughout the year.

Search for René Girard at Cornerstone.org

Cardinal Schönborn speaks at DSPT

Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, O.P. to speak on
"Chance or Purpose?
Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith"

In Chance or Purpose? Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith, Cardinal Schönborn responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned "theology of creation". Can we still speak intelligently of the world as "creation" and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a "delusion"? How should an informed believer read Genesis? If God exists, why is there so much injustice and suffering? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? What is man's destiny? Is everything a matter of chance or can we discern purpose in human existence?

In his treatment of evolution, Cardinal Schönborn distinguishes the biological theory from "evolutionism", the ideology that tries to reduce all of reality to mindless, meaningless processes. He argues that science and a rationally grounded faith are not at odds and that what many people represent as "science" is really a set of philosophical positions that will not withstand critical scrutiny.

[Link Broken May 12, 2011]

The 18th Annual Aquinas Lecture

"Thomas Aquinas and the Problem of Human Suffering"
-presented by Eleonore Stump, PhD

March 14, 2008

Eleonore Stump is The Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, where she has taught since 1992. She received a PhD in medieval studies and medieval philosophy from Cornell University in 1975. Prof. Stump is editor-in-chief of the Yale Library of Medieval Philosophy and was section editor for the philosophy of religion for the new Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Among other honors, she is past president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, and the American Philosophical Association, Central Division. In 2003, she presented the Gifford Lectures in Aberdeen, Scotland. In 2004, she received the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching from Baylor University. In 2006, she gave the Wilde lectures at Oxford.

Prof. Stump"s many publications include Reasoned Faith (1993); Philosophy of Religion: The Big Questions (1998); the Cambridge Companion to Aquinas (1993); the Cambridge Companion to Augustine (1999); and Aquinas in the series "Arguments of the Philosophers" (2003). Her Gifford lectures, entitled Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering, are forthcoming from Oxford University Press.

Friday, 8 February 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Margarita Vega
Metaphor in the Light of On Interpretation, 16a 3-8

The theory and use of metaphora by Aristotle is a problem that scholars have addressed without a satisfactory answer. Instead of simply tracing the varied uses of metaphora in the various treatises, I propose that the semantics of metaphora needs to be explained. Aristotle's views about the relation between language, thought and reality as depicted in On Interpretation 16a 3-8 in conjunction with the references to metaphora throughout the Corpus provide a framework to understand metaphora as a complex phenomenon of epiphora, metapherein and metaphorikon einai. Aristotle's theory of metaphora helps us to understand the relationship between language and thought in Aristotle's philosophy.

All lectures will be held at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
2301 Vine Street (at Arch and Vine), Berkeley, CA 94708
The lectures are free and open to the public.

Aristotle

Aristotle and Contemporary Theories of Mind
Wednesday, 6 February 2008, 10:30 A.M.,
by Joseph Mage

Aquinas Symposium 2007: "St. Albert the Great, Teacher"

In celebration of the
75th Anniversary of the
Founding of College of St. Albert the Great

November 27, 2007, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
2301 Vine Street
Berkeley, CA 94708

Admission is FREE, but registration is required

November 27, 2007

Three scholars were invited to DSPT to present papers relating to the theme of "St. Albert the Great, Teacher" in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of The College of Saint Albert the Great.

"The Studium at Cologne and Its Role Within Early Dominican Education," M. Michèle Mulchahey

Very few facts regarding the early history of the Dominican Order's Cologne studium survive to us: we have a foundation date and know that Albert the Great was a driving force in the creation of this new German studium; we know the names of some of his students there, which include Thomas Aquinas; and it is fairly clear what Albert was expected to teach them at this school that was originally conceived by the leaders of the Order as a St-Jacques for the provinces. We know, too, that Albert soon introduced a curriculum at variance with what was normally taught at Paris in this period, or in Dominican schools elsewhere, when he commented upon Aristotle's Ethica, as newly translated by Robert Grosseteste. But Albert was only in Cologne for five years before taking up other duties within the Order, and it not clear that innovative teaching long survived him at Heilige Kreuz itself. The altogether more significant, if not to say revolutionary, contribution of the Cologne studium to Dominican education came in the impetus it gave to the men who left Cologne with new ideas about the teaching of theology and the training of the friars. It is those ideas born in Cologne – and played out by Thomas Aquinas in the studium at Santa Sabina, and in Albert's own project for introducing natural philosophy formally into the Dominican curriculum – that are the subject of this paper. From Albert the Great to Meister Eckhart and Beyond: the Rhineland Dominican School.  More ...

Preparing the Priests, Religious and Lay Leaders of the Future, Now!

The Capital Campaign for the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology releases a new DVD that shares the value of the endeavor. See the online video

Mission West: Campaign for Dominicans

This capital campaign is the first major opportunity for the Western Dominican Province to acquire and own their own facilities for their graduate school of theology and philosophy.  The Dominican friars and many others are joining together to not only make this opportunity a reality, but insure that authentic, faithful, Catholic education is available to the laity, those of religious orders, and seminarians alike.  Please enjoy this short video and discover the incredible value of this holy endeavor.

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WESTERN DOMINICAN PROVINCE PUBLICATIONS
This list is for published books.  Periodical works are not listed.

Do you know of an additional book published by a Western Dominican Friar?
Submit it by sending an email to the webmaster.
Suggested search locations for copies provided, as available

New Chapters in the Life of Paul: The Relative Chronology of His Career
Gregory Tatum (2007)
AllBookStores

After Wittgenstein St Thomas
Roger Pouivet, Michael Sherwin (2007)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Viajeros Hacia Dios
Spanish Version of The Journey to God (1999)
Antoninus Wall (2006)
Sola Press

Light of the Nations
Brian Mullady (2006)
New Hope

Into the Deep
Thomas De Man (2006)
River Publications (self published)

Finding the Elusive God
Paul Scanlon (2006)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Rooted in God: The Essence of Christian Perfection
Kevin Wall, compiled by Helen C. Zachary (2006)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To Know Him, the Way, the Truth & the Life
Paul Duffner (2006)
Rosary Center

By Knowledge & By Love: Charity and Knowledge in the Moral Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas
Michael Sherwin (2005)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Beyond Modernism? - George Lindbeck and the Linguistic Turn in Theology
Tilman Anselm Ramelow (2005)
Ars-Una.de

Cities of God: The Religion Of The Italian Communes 1125-1325
Augustine Thompson (2005)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ambivalenz – Ambiguitaet – Postmodernitaet. Begrenzt Eindeutiges Denken
Collegium Philosophicum Vol. 5
Editors: Richard Schenk, P. Koslowski (2004)

Man's Desire for God
Brian Mullady (2003)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Morality: The Catholic View
Servais Pinckaers, Michael Sherwin (Translator) (2003)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 12, 2001
Editors:  V. Hoesle, P. Koslowski, G. Kruip, and R. Schenk (2001)

Mystical Presence
John Williamson Nevin, Augustine Thompson (Editor) (2000)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Anxious Bench, Antichrist and the Sermon Catholic Unity
John Williamson Nevin, Augustine Thompson (Editor) (2000)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Apokalypse. Vortragsreihe zum Ende des Jahrtausends
Loccumer Protokoll Nr.54/98
Editors: W. Voegele, R. Schenk (2000)

Aktuelle Apokalyptik!
Loccumer Protokoll Nr.20/99
Editors: W. Voegele, R. Schenk (2000)

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 11, 2000
Editors: V. Hoesle, P. Koslowski, and R. Schenk (2000)

The Journey to God
Antoninus Wall (1999)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

The Seeker's Guide to 7 Life-Changing Virtues
Mr. Bill Dodds & Michael Dodds (1999)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Die Reunionsgespraeche im Niedersachsen des 17. Jahrhunderts. Rojas y Spinola – Molan – Leibniz
Editors: Hans Otte, and Richard Schenk (1999)

Die Aufgaben der Philosophie heute
Editors: V. Hoesle, P. Koslowski, and R. Schenk (1999)

Invisible made Visible: Angels From The Vatican
Allen Duston, et al. (1998)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Christian Totality: Theology of the Consecrated Life
Basil Cole & Paul Conner (1998)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kontinuitaet der Person. Zum Versprechen und Vertrauen
Collegium Philosophicum, vol. 2
Editor Richard Schenk (1998)

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 10, 1999
Editors: Vittorio Hoesle, Peter Koslowski, Richard Schenk (1998)

Living the Beatitudes Today: Happily Ever After Begins Here and Now
Bill Dodds & Michael Dodds (1997)
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Gott, Freiheit, Weltenwahl: Der Ursprung DES Begriffes Der Besten Aller Moglichen Welten in Der Metaphysik Der Willensfreiheit Zwischen Antonio Perez S. J. (1599-1649) Und G. W. Leibniz (1646-1716)
Tilman (Anselm) Ramelow (1997)
Brill

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 9, 1998
Editors: P. Koslowski and R. Schenk (1997)

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 8, 1997
Editors: P. Koslowski and R. Schenk (1996)

Commentary on the Book of Causes
Thomas Aquinas, trans. Richard C. Taylor, Vincent A. Guagliardo, Charles R. Hess (1996)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Meaning of the Term "Moral" in St. Thomas Aquinas (Studi Tomistici, 27)
by Brian Thomas Mullady (1996)
Amazon

Emmanuel Levinas - Fragen an die Moderne
Editors: T. Freyer, Schenk (1996)

Mission West: The Western Dominican Province 1850-1966
Fabian Parmisano (1995)
WDP

Zur Theorie des Opfers
Collegium Philosophicum, vol. 1
Editor: R. Schenk (1995)

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 7, 1996
Editors: P. Koslowski, R. Schenk (1995)

Natur in der Krise. Philosophische Essays zur Naturtheorie und Bioethik
Editors R. Loew, R. Schenk (1994)

Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 6, 1995
Editors: P. Koslowski, R. Loew, R. Schenk (1994)

Gratian: The Treatise on Laws (Decretum Dd. 1-20 With the Ordinary Gloss)
Augustine Thompson (1994)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Jahrbuch des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Editors: P. Koslowski, R. Loew, R. Schenk (1993)

Quaestiones in librum quartum Sententiarum
Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Veroeffentlichungen der Kommission fuer die Herausgabe ungedruckter Texte aus der mittelalterlichen Geisteswelt 17
Editors, Robert Kilwardby, Richard Schenk (1993)Jahrbuch fuer Philosophie des Forschungsinstituts fuer Philosophie Hannover
Vol. 5, 1994
Editors P. Koslowski, R. Loew, R. Schenk (1993)

Revival Preachers and Politics in Thirteenth-Century Italy: The Great Devotion of 1233
Augustine Thompson (1992)
Barnes & Noble

Die Gnade vollendeter Endlichkeit: Zur transzendentaltheologischen Auslegung der thomanischen Anthropologie (Freiburger theologische Studien)
by Richard Schenk (1989)
Amazon

Married in Friendship
Paul M. Conner (1987)
Amazon

The unchanging God of love: A study of the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas on divine immutability in view of certain contemporary criticism of this doctrine
Michael J. Dodds (1986)
Amazon | second edition due in 2008

Specialized Morals
Brian Thomas Mullady (1985)
Amazon

Celibate Love
Paul M. Conner (1979)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Death in Rahner and von Balthasar

“Resurrection in Death in the Theology of Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar,”

a thesis by Fr. Bryan Kromholtz, O.P.
More about Fr. Bryan

ABSTRACT
"Resurrection in Death in the Theology of Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar"
by Fr. Bryan Louis Kromholtz, O.P.
(Graduate Theological Union, 2000)
Fr. Bryan Kromholtz

Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar offer similar proposals regarding the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.  Specifically, both propose that the resurrection could occur immediately in death, without any kind of intermediate state between the death of the individual and the final judgment.  Both versions of this hypothesis aim to oppose an overly mythological understanding of the afterlife and to promote an idea of the human as a body/soul unity.  However, their proposals yield a spiritualized, less bodily view of the human person.  Further, resurrection in death implies a close association of death with resurrection; this necessarily attenuates the negativity of death as something to be opposed as unjust and renders mourning for the dead more difficult to defend theologically.

Read the Thesis
MSWord format

Fellows' Lecture
"The Intellectual Life, its Spirit, Method and Conditions:
Remembering Antonin Gilbert Sertillanges, O.P. in a Post-Modernist Era"

Feb. 13, 2007, 7:30pm.
Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
2301 Vine St. Berkeley, California
Map

All Welcome

Featuring
Dr. Kevin Starr: journalist, author, historian, distinguished public servant, professor (USC). Dr. Starr was the Alemany Dinner honoree in 2006.

The Fellows Program draws upon people of eminence in their fields to offer analysis of contemporary issues, and to present colloquia to supplement the curriculum of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. For more information, please see the current information on the DSPT web site.

College of Fellows

A New Campus with Improved Facilities

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
expands their graduate school and moves into a new property. 
Slideshow: Ceremonies for the new DSPT

DSPT Website