Our Lady and the Church
By Hugo Rahner
Our Lady and the Church, first published in English shortly after the declaration of the dogma of the Assumption, is a testament to the breadth and depth of Hugo Rahner’s Mariology. The dogma of the Assumption, for Rahner, raises two questions: First, what is the precise place of the dogma in the body of Catholic teaching? Second, what is its significance for the development of the spiritual life? The answer to these questions lies in resolving the apparent—but not actual—contradiction between the place of the sacraments and the liturgy and the role of Mary the Mother of God in the Christian life. The humble life of the Virgin Mary is the stage for the Incarnation of the Son of God and his founding of the one, holy, catholic, apostolic Church.
In eleven chapters, Rahner weaves the wisdom of the Church Fathers with his own insights to show the unity of Mary and the Church and the effects of that relationship on the spiritual life of every Christian.
We must learn to see the Church in our Lady, and in our Lady the Church. The two mysteries are most intimately connected, and a deeper understanding of both together will bring us to realize better the meaning of grace in our souls. (Hugo Rahner, S.J.)
Hugo Rahner, S.J. (1900–1968) was a Catholic priest, theologian, and Church historian. Professor of theology at the University of Innsbruck, he became Dean and then President of the University following World War II. His scholarship in Patristics, lauded by Pope Benedict XVI, helped rediscover the profound connections between Mariology and ecclesiology.
Paperback & E-book: 174pp.
E-book: Immediately following purchase, an .epub file and a .mobi (Kindle) file are available for download.
ISBN: 978-1949899801