King Küng

When giving my presentation “Two scientists and their faith” to the CTK Women’s Club and Knights of Columbus in January, I mentioned prominent Vatican II Catholic theologian Hans Küng and his 2007 book The Beginning of All Things: Science and Religion.  Then, when reading the February issue of “The Tablet” found in our Church’s library, I discovered an interview with Küng entitled “Frank exchanges” highlighting that Pope Francis is “taking an interest in Küng’s vision of the Church.” Having read many of Küng’s books such as Credo: The Apostle’s Creed Explained for Today (1993), Women in Christianity (2001), and Tracing the Way: Spiritual Dimensions of the World Religions (2002), I was pleased to see that Küng appears to be getting positive reviews from the Pope himself. 

According to Küng, “There are people in the Vatican now who are in a state of fear, of silent opposition.  The question is whether the Pope will be able to overcome this opposition.”  Küng is the Pope’s advocate and is encouraged by cordial letters from Pope Francis including a “personal fraternal handwritten letter in which he promised to read the book” – Küng’s new book he sent to Francis. 

I call everyone’s attention to Hans Küng because this influential 85-year old theologian, stripped in 1979 of his mandate to teach as a Catholic theologian by the Vatican and the German Bishop’s Conference, is nearing the end of his earthly life by his own admission.  He has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and with macular degeneration that will eventually lead to blindness.  He also has polyarthritis in his hands.

In one of his latest books What I Believe (2010), Küng aptly stated, “The Christian model of life is simply this Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, Christos, anointed and sent.  Jesus Christ is the foundation of authentic Christian spirituality.  He is a challenging model for our relationship with our fellow human beings and also with God himself, and has become the orientation and criterion for millions of people all over the world.”

Lent is about to begin, and so, I think of Hans Küng and look forward to reading his new book.

Deacon David Pierce