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Christianity: Essence, History, Future

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Kung's book is a tour de force polemical - and yes, read it critically, in bite-sized chunks, think over each of his points before buying or rejecting anything. Kung will challenge and perhaps even surprise (shock?)you. Many will block out his words, because they question many pat, traditional beliefs that have become doctrine in Christian circles. But do not fail to appreciate the faith in (and deep love) of God exemplified in Kung's search for the real Christianity. Anyone looking to find Jesus and Christ in their Christian faith, to work toward returning the "Christ" to Christianity, and who is willing to think, ponder, re-consider and weigh, should read this book. In Kung we once again have one of the finest living minds at work in the field of theology. You may conclude to disagree with him on many points, but you will not find him shallow, or closed-minded. His courage to question marks him as a great Christian as well as a great Christian thinker. His books are stimulating and inspiring. But if you prefer a keeping a closed mind, skip this book.

This book is a must-read for any serious Christian theologian or Church historian. While the book is tremendous in size and scope, it is very readable and is full of Kung's keen insights and humor. Kung looks at five different theological/cultural paradigms in the history of Christianity -- The Jewish Christian Apocalyptic, The Hellenistic, The Medieval Roman, The Protestant Evangelical, and the Liberal Modern. He analyzes and critiques these 5 paradigms in the light of their faithfulness to the original Gospel message of Christ. Then he asks intriguing questions about the lessons that can be learned from each paradigm, and projects the future of Christianity in terms of a 6th paradigm: An Ecumenical Post-modern Paradigm. Both for its theoretical insights and for its practical relevance, you won't find a better analysis of church history!

Here is a book by the noted German Ecumenist Hans Kung. You can tell Kung is an Ecumenist, even if you've never heard of him, for this book is punctuated by "Questions for the Future" and parallels between, and for, different faiths. Kung's kind of ecumenism is not between denominations but between religions. In this book those faiths are primarily the Christian, the Jewish and the Islamic. Kung, so it seems, wants something approaching complete world religious tolerance. An interesting message in these days of terror.

Let us not accuse Kung of superficiality. This is no short book and the scholarship within is no mere trifle. The book demands, indeed, requires, a serious cast of mind. The ecumenism it wears so obviously will be found a challenge by some (for it asks us to recognise others) but it should not be allowed to put the reader off track. For the book repays serious study. What is paid out are questions. This book is a book of few answers. The wise reader, however, will recognise that answers are "ten a penny" and that questions are more fundamental.

Kung's paradigm approach to the incarnation of Christianity throughout history is interesting but always a matter of debate. His approach in many respects could be said to be chickening out. After all, it is basically marking arbitrary lines off on a linear view of history. However, for all that Kung has chosen this obvious way of reviewing Christianity he has done it well. There is detail and debate in Kung's discussions.

Read, think, and question. That is how this book should be approached.

Kung's brilliance as a religious historian and a Christian theologian carry this erudite review of the paradigm shifts of Christianity over the past two millenium. It is not an easy read, as are none of his books, however, it is by far the most enlightening. It is clear why Pope John XXIII chose Kung to participate in Vatican II even though he was outside the curia. It is tragic that the great pope's followers repudiate Kung.

Someone once said that a book is to a man as a beacon is to a ship. And the need for a beacon is nowhere greater than along the rocky shores of Christianity. Though by no means the last word on the subject, Hans Küng's new book, Christianity: Essence, History, and Future gives the mature Christian a valuable guide for navigating the difficult business of being a Christian. Translated from the German by John Bowden, Christianity is the second in Küng's yet to be completed trilogy, "The Religious Situation of Our Time." What is clear from the start of this book is the depth of analysis with which Küng writes. The Roman Catholic Church in particular is subjected to an acid bath of erudite criticism. But this is Küng's purpose: to call for reform and point to ecumenicity through a critical understanding and synthesis of the whole of Christianity. Readers may disagree with Küng on certain issues, but they will be delighted with the scholarship Küng employs in his ambitious project. The stylistic merits of the book also deserve honorable mention. An engaging and well organized style is important for such a large book (797 pages of text, 114 pages of notes), and Küng delivers, withstanding some bumps in the translation. The book is not a history of Christianity, but a paradigm analysis of the religion itself. Two thousand years of Christianity are organized around six paradigms, with a paradigm understood as "an entire constellation of beliefs, values, techniques and so forth shared by the members of a given community." This fascinating survey is prefaced by two short chapters on the essence of Christianity. The reader is immersed in sober re-evaluation of Christianity throughout the book, which is entirely profitable. But the inquiry has a tone of detachment, as if Küng has given us a political and historical analysis. The joy and confidence of Christian experience is sidelined. Encouragement is not easily found in these pages. We must never forget that Christianity is not simply another world religion alongside of Judaism and Islam; it is Truth. Yet if we desire to be serious about our religion, and thirst for insight and understanding, then this is definitely the best book I've seen on the topic of Christianity

The views expressed by Kung in this great critical analysis of Christianity are:

*There is no RIGHT and PERMANENTLY NORMATIVE way of doing theology.Rather, as he adopted T. Kuhn's view of paradigms, Kung argues that in the history of the Church we are able to detect five paradigms (i.e., constellations of beliefs, values, behaviors, teachings and emphases shared by members of a given community). Many elements of our faith today are not to be regarded as constants, but as variables of various ages, passed on through time (e.g., laments imposition of Thomism)

*The reform-oriented, democratic and progressive movements in the churches are GOOD (democratization is "a dynamic process of involvement of the greatest number of faithful in all matters concerning the organization of the church" p.724). Conversely, the conservative, restaurationist, counter-revolutionary forces within the churches are EVIL and must be opposed.

*The Roman system is oppressive and merciless.

*It is wrong of the Church to refuse dialogue with her critics The Church should not have condemned everything that she did, but rather dialogued with her opponents. (Yeah, right!)

*The Church should accommodate herself to the times, always, under any circumstance (quick, adopt a new paradigm!) p. 751

*Theological minimalism:
1)In its essence, Christianity is Jesus Christ himself and his way, leading to God, and not:
a)an eternal idea ("love," "truth," "justice")
b)a dogma
c)a world view
2) Jesus is, in his person, the embodiment of his "cause." This Jesus asks of his followers not worship or imitation, but personal discipleship: to adhere to him and to follow one's path in life according to his directions (e.g.: may God's will be done; ethical appeals for a radical humanism; radicalization of the Jewish ethos)
3)We must avoid "narrow christocentric views."
4)Kung rejects Jesus' pre-existence; upholds unity of Father and Son along Arian lines (i.e., unity is not a metaphysical unity, but rather a functional one. Jesus as God's envoy to men and as representative of men before God)
5)Jesus is never called "God" in the NT (p.103)
6)"Almost all" the ante-Nicean Fathers were subordinationists.
7)Fiercely opposes docetism and spiritualization, and metaphysics.
8)Council of Nicea as "prisoner" of totally alien concepts (p. 189)

*Emphasis on praxis, tolerance, dialogue

The five paradigms outlined in his book are:
1)Jewish-apocalyptic paradigm
No absolute hierarchy, uniform egalitarianism; hierarchy as diakonia; great role and participation of women. Church is a a number of presbyterally-led communities.Jesus as Messiah; Jerusalem as the center and focus of the Church.
Ebionites condemned by Ignatius of Antioch and Iraeneus.
We must distinguish between an evolutio contra and an evolutio secundum evangelium.
2)Ecumenical-Hellenistic paradigm
End of charismatic church; development of professional episcopacy. Age of great councils: Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon. Hellenistic christological dogmas. Orthodoxy becomes paramount (discipline and discipleship become a distant second). Origen promotes the turn to the metaphysic. Development of monasticism, catechumenate, confirmation, veneration of saints, importance of baptism, virginity (instead of being seen as personal preference becomes the highest ideal). Development of the understanding of the historical-salvific mission of Christ.
3)Medieval Roman Catholic paradigm
Augustine and notion of "true church" or "mother church". Compelle intrare. Reification of grace. Attacks Augustine (p. 300).Development of papacy (see the fraudulent pseudo-isidoran decretals) along absolutistic lines. Yes to papacy as primacy of service. No to papacy as:
a)infallibility
b)autocratic gvmt
c)oppressive hierarchy
d)autoritarianism
e)secret procedures of Holy Office
Development of infant baptism; popular piety practices; private confession; Conciliarism: see the council of Constance's decree Haec sancta. Kung loves this one, for it subordinates even the pope to the authority of the council.. Romanization, clericalization, crusades.Issue of the investitures
4)Protestant-evangelical paradigm
He claims that Luther had the NT behind him. Laments that Erasmus' "third way" was not followed.
The Church is not seen as the sacrament of salvation, but as the community of the regenerated believers.
5)Modern paradigm
Celebrates Schleiermacher for cognitive value of feelings, inner dimension, value of experience.
Declaration of man's and citizen's rights (1789 modeled after US).Laments that Church did not dialogue with French revolution (you've got to be kidding me!!!)
Kung claims that the Church developed wrong reactions to modernity, lacking fair sense of perspective.

The book of Hans Kung, "Christianity: Essence, History and Future" is a must read for any person who is serious in her/his commitment to Christianity as a transforming agent in the world.
The book is of three parts: 1. A look into what is authentically and essentially Christian; 2. The origins of Christiantiy and a definition of what is central to Christianity: the person of Christ, the cross and discipleship for a radical humanity; 3. the last part consist in the study and reflection on the major paradigm shifts in the historical evolution and development of Christianity. It is a book that looks on not only the meaning of history but the directions it is taking, enablilng the reader and the Christian to get involved in making history. It gives a good portion of reflection on women in history and challenges the female reader to continue in the reclaiming of women traditions in Church History and making history a common history.

Kung attempts to break down, but certainly not simplify, the complex history of Christianity through the analysis of five historical paradigms. Despite some ambiguity, his work is a fine summary of the past two thousand years and I cautiously recommend picking up a copy at the nearest bookstore. Like with anything though the reader should resist the temptation to buy into Kung's theology and analysis "wholesale". His intention is clearly sincere and ecumenical, but the weak mind will renounce the fundamentals of Christianity altogether after reading Kung. My advice: stay alert and fine tune all critical thinking skills. Address each of Kung's "questions for the future" with questions of your own and know when it's time to take a break from reading.

To those that are looking for truth, this is a must read. As an ex-Christian missionary this work helped me crystallize my conflict with the concept that God is angry with man and we need a Messiah to bridge the divide, and the concept of what God creates by definition is not defective. I especially benefited from better understanding the influence of Hellenism in Christianity. If you have a faith that you are comfortable with you may want to pass by this book. If you are searching, this book has more questions for you.

This is an excellent book. The author does an excellent job in describing the essence of Christianity, placing the reader in the actual history of Christianity, and also placing the reader in a position to look at the future of Christianity.

The book is well written.