Karl Rahner: Theologian of Grace

“Grace itself is everywhere and always. ”
– Karl Rahner

Encounter the towering thought of Karl Rahner (1904–84), one of the most significant voices in Catholic theology in the twentieth century. An extraordinarily productive and creative theologian who wrote over 5,000 works, he played a central role as a theological advisor to the bishops at Vatican II. His influence continues to live on in the Church and world today.

In this 12-lecture course, you will journey through Rahner’s life, thought, and works. Under the guidance of Rahner expert Fr. Richard Lennan, you will explore his theology of grace, which lies at the heart of his works. As you will come to see, Rahner’s approach to grace stresses the encounter between God and humanity, an encounter that takes place in every dimension of human life. You will examine how Rahner developed an understanding of God’s mystery, the dynamics of the Trinity, and the human person as the recipient of God’s grace.

Rahner’s work includes all the principal theological themes—Trinity, Church, sacraments—but what makes his theology so powerful is his constant reference to the presence of grace in human history. For Rahner, therefore, spirituality is not simply a theme of his writings, but is rather at the heart of all that he writes. Karl Rahner’s powerful theology will help you encounter God’s profound presence in history and our world today.

This course is part of the Learn25 collection.