The role of the language in theological making: Elements of Rahner’s legacy regarding literature and poetry

Abstract

The article begins by presenting some elements of analyses on theological language and its relevance to theological making, beginning from the philosophical impulse of the 20th century, especially those of Heidegger, Gadamer and Ricoeur. Theology, conversing with literature, values its language as a place where the words not only communicate, but also happens as an event, a gathering and even as a place for God’s experience. Elements of Rahner’s legacy regarding the magnitude of poetry as a privileged place for God’s Word occurrence are set out bellow, given that poetry “is the grace which works on men”. For Rahner, literature, and especially poetry, promote the ability of making the human happen; therefore, theology develops its aptitude of making the event of the Word happen, which has to do with the meaning of theology as “life’s hermeneutic”.

Keywords: Theological language, poetry, literature, Karl Rahner.