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The Fulfilment Theology of Jean Daniélou, Karl Rahner and Jacques Dupuis
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2024
Abstract
Prominent in much Theology of Religions is the concept of fulfilment (the extension of the fulfilment of the Old Covenant by Christ, to the fulfilment of other religions by Christ). The three Catholic theologians who are the subject of this article – Jean Daniélou, Karl Rahner and Jacques Dupuis – rely heavily on the fulfilment concept in their understanding of the relationship between other religions and Christianity. However, each uses the concept differently. This article outlines and then compares the use of the fulfilment concept in the theology of these three prominent theologians, and in doing so develops a fulfilment typology.
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- Copyright © The author 2008. Journal compilation © The Dominican Council/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
References
1 Knitter, Paul, No Other Name? (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2002), p. 63Google Scholar. Knitter suggests that this is especially true for present day Roman Catholicism. (p. 64)
2 Dominic Veliath, declares that Daniélou's theology of religions is “difficult to understand” and he “never elaborated his views in any systematic manner.” Veliathxfs, Dominic, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions: Jean Daniélou and Raimundo Panikkar, A Study in Contrast. (Bangalore: Kristu Jyoti College, 1988), pp. 5, 9.Google Scholar
3 Daniélou, Jean, The Lord of History. (London: Longmans, 1958), p. 28Google Scholar. Cf. Veliath, Theological Approach, p. 35. Veliath argues that Daniélou views salvation history as extending between two cosmic events – creation and the transfiguration.
4 Daniélou sometimes calls these successive stages “missions”. See for example, The Salvation of the Nations. (London: Sheed & Ward, 1949), p. 16Google Scholar.
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6 Daniélou uses this term, by which he means the Old Testament Israelite religion.
7 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 24.
8 ibid., p. 27. Here, Daniélou calls this third phase or mission “the real one”. p. 26.
9 Jacques Dupuis, Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism. (Maryknoll, Orbis, 1997), p. 134. It should be noted that Daniélou does not use the term “prehistory” in any of the publications consulted by the current writer. It may therefore be a term Dupuis imports. This cannot be verified for Dupuis does not cite his source here. However, Veliath's doctoral study on Daniélou (and Raimundo Panikkar) does not use the term, and in correspondence with the current writer Veliath suggests Daniélou would not use this term. (Email from Dominic Veliath, 13th January 2005).
10 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 2.
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15 Dupuis, Toward, p. 134. I have been unable to find explicit affirmation of this in the primary Danielou texts and Dupuis does not cite his source. However, this assertion does seem to be implied by the available Daniélou's sources.
16 Daniélou, Jean., The Lord of History, p. 137. The meaning of Daniélou's reference to “intervention in the historical process” is not clear, for surely the flood was “intervention”– and this precedes Abraham.
17 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 3.
18 ibid., p. 82.
19 ibid., p. 83.
20 ibid., p. 82.
21 Dupuis, Toward, p. 134.
22 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 23.
23 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 20. Daniélou prefers to use the term “cosmic religion” rather than “natural religion” because of the latter term's incorrect implication of meaning “apart from grace”. Holy Pagans, p. 3. Veliath notes that “in his earlier books and articles, Daniélou used the qualification ‘natural’ to designate these religions [i.e. pagan religions]. Subsequently, however, he preferred the terms ‘pagan’ or ‘cosmic’.” Veliath, Theological Approach, p. 44.
24 Email from Veliath, 17th January, 2005.
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28 ibid., p. 92.
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31 Barnes, Michael, Christian Identity & Religious Pluralism, (Nashville: Abingdon, 1989), p. 47Google Scholar.
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33 ibid., p. 119.
34 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, pp. 6, 23.
35 Daniélou, Lord of History p. 119.
36 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 8.
37 Dupuis, Toward, p. 135.
38 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, p. 59.
39 Daniélou, Lord of History, p. 5 referring to Irenaeus Adv. Haer. IV:11,2 and IV:9,1.
40 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, pp. 59–60. Note, “nouveauté totale” is Daniélou's term. Veliath is quoting it from Le Mystère de l'Avent (Paris, 1948), p. 13Google Scholar.
41 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 8.
42 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 20.
43 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 4
44 ibid., p. 9.
45 St. Thomas writes: “The sacrament of baptism may be wanting to someone in two ways. First, both in reality and in desire (et re et voto), as is the case with those who neither are baptized, nor wish to be baptised: which clearly indicates contempt of the sacrament, in regard to those who have the use of free will. Consequently those to whom baptism is wanting thus, cannot obtain salvation…… .Secondly, the sacrament of baptism may be wanting to someone in reality but not in desire: for instance, when someone is overtaken by death before receiving baptism. Such a person can obtain salvation without being actually baptized, on account of the person's desire for baptism, which is the outcome of faith that works through charity, whereby God, whose power is not tied to visible sacraments, sanctifies a person inwardly.”Summa theologiae III, q.68, a.1. in Sullivan, Salvation Outside the Church? p. 59.
46 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, pp. 4–5.
47 Islam constitutes a singular exception and will be considered below.
48 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, p. 61.
49 Dupuis, Toward, p. 135.
50 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, pp. 6–7.
51 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, p. 77. Veliath cites Daniélou, “La Participation Active des Séminaristes à la Recherche Théologique” in Seminarium NS 8 (April–June 1968) p. 254, as his basis for this observation.
52 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 14.
53 ibid.
54 ibid.
55 ibid.
56 ibid., p. 15. While there may be an apparent inconsistency in Daniélou's argument here, the continuation of cosmic revelation does seem to be consistent with Daniélou's overall framework. Dupuis interprets Daniélou as affirming this. Dupuis writes: “Whatever came before God's personal manifestation in history, even though already inscribed in God's unique plan for humankind, can at best be called “prehistory” of salvation. The same term would apply to whatever religious experience may be found today, outside the Judeo-Christian tradition, within the religions of the world.” Dupuis, Toward, p. 134. This is also Eugene Hillman's understanding of Daniélou. Hillmann writes: “If St. Paul could ‘liken the case of the pagans of his own day to those of primitive humanity previous to Abraham’, as Daniélou has pointed out, then we may say also that the unevangelized peoples of our time are still under the irrevocable and salutary cosmic covenant. The rainbow still appears in the sky.”The Wider Ecumenism, Anonymous Christianity and The Church. (London: Burns & Oates, 1968), p. 75Google Scholar, quoting Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 14f.
57 Daniélou, Lord of History, p. 7. In the same book Daniélou describes the “Absolute finality” of Christ's work. p. 191.
58 Jean, Daniélou. Advent of Salvation (Glen Rock: Paulist, 1962), p. 18Google Scholar quoted in Barnes, Christian Identity and Religious Pluralism, p. 62, fn.3.
59 Daniélou, Lord of History, p. 5
60 Islam excepted – see next paragraph
61 Daniélou, Advent of Salvation, p. 18 quoted in Barnes, Christian Identity and Religious Pluralism, p. 62, fn.3.
62 Daniélou, Lord of History, p. 19.
63 Daniélou, Advent of Salvation, p. 18 quoted in Barnes, Christian Identity and Religious Pluralism, p. 62, fn.3.
64 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 37. Cf. Daniélou, “Christianity and non-Christian Religions”, p. 86.
65 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 37.
66 Daniélou, Lord of History. This is a theme throughout the book.
67 Knitter, Paul, Towards A Protestant Theology of Religions, (Marburg: N.G. Elwert Verlag, 1974), p. 212, fn.2Google Scholar.
68 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 28.
69 Daniélou, “Christianity and non-Christian Religions”, p. 94.
70 Daniélou, Lord of History, p. 121. Daniélou is here paraphrasing a quote from Pope Pius XII in Divini praecones. (Full reference not given).
71 Daniélou, “Christianity and non-Christian Religions”, pp. 89–90.
72 ibid., p. 89.
73 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, pp. 67–68.
74 That is, in Daniélou's scheme, all those living prior to Abraham, and all those living after Abraham (but prior to Christ) who are not part of the covenant community, but nevertheless have saving faith.
75 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, pp. 4–5. (Emphasis added).
76 ibid., pp. 6–7. (Emphasis added).
77 There are also other grounds for questioning whether the pagan saints were really ‘pagan’. Strange argues that the epithet ‘holy pagan’ is a contradiction either because, they (the so-called ‘holy pagans’) were pagans who became saints by virtue of being ingrafted into Israel, or, secondly they were never ‘pagans,’ but were recipients of a special revelation and so cannot be counted as pagans. Strange, Daniel, The Possibility of Salvation Among the Unevangelized. (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2002), p. 167Google Scholar.
78 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations, p. 35.
79 Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 18
80 ibid.
81 ibid., p. 10, quoting Augustine De catech. rud., 3.
82 ibid., p. 10–11. However, it is important to recognise that Augustine was not referring to Pagan religions here, but was referring to the covenantal people of the Old Testament.
83 Veliath, Theological Approach and Understanding of Religions, p. 57.
84 See for example, Daniélou, Holy Pagans, p. 12: “The notion of the berith[covenant] characteristic of the biblical God, does not appear for the first time with the Mosaic covenant but in the covenant made with Noe [Noah].”
85 ibid., p. 6
86 Daniélou, Salvation of the Nations., p. 7.
87 I recognise Daniélou qualifies these distinctions (see above). However, for the purposes of this summary I am merely stating the prevailing strands to his theology.
88 See above for discussion of Islam.
89 Rahner, Karl, “Observations on the Problem of the Anonymous Christian”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 14 (London: DLT, 1976), pp. 282–3Google Scholar.
90 Rahner, Karl, “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”Theological Investigations, Vol. 5, (London: DLT, 1966), pp. 127–9Google Scholar
91 See particularly: “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 5, (London: DLT, 1966), pp. 115–134Google Scholar; “Anonymous Christians”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 6, (London: DLT, 1969), pp. 390–398Google Scholar; “Church, Churches and Religions”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 10 (London: DLT, 1973), pp. 30–49Google Scholar; “Anonymous Christianity and the Missionary Task of the Church”. Theological Investigations, Vol. 12, (London: DLT, 1974), pp. 161–178Google Scholar; “Observations on the Problem of the Anonymous Christian”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 14, (London: DLT, 1976), pp. 280–294Google Scholar; “Anonymous and Explicit Faith”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 16 (London: DLT, 1979), pp. 52–59Google Scholar; “Jesus Christ in the Non−Christian Religions”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 17, (London: DLT, 1981), pp. 39–50Google Scholar; “On the Importance of the Non−Christian Religions for Salvation”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 18, (London: DLT, 1984), pp. 288–95Google Scholar.
92 Rahner, “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, p. 119.
93 ibid., p. 120.
94 D'Costa, Gavin, Theology and Religious Pluralism. (Oxford, Blackwell, 1986), p. 84Google Scholar.
95 Rahner, Karl, Foundations of the Christian Faith. (London: DLT, 1978), p. 144ffGoogle Scholar.
96 Rahner, “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, p. 121.
97 ibid., p. 126.
98 ibid., p. 125 (Emphasis added).
99 ibid., p. 130
100 ibid., pp. 130–1. Rahner contends that the Old Testament salvation-history is “insignificantly brief in comparison with the general salvation-history which counts perhaps a million years – for the former can be known with any certainty only from the time of Abraham or Moses.” (p. 131).
101 D'Costa, Gavin, Theology and Religious Pluralism, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1986) p. 86Google Scholar
102 Rahner, “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, pp. 131ff.
103 Rahner, Karl, “Anonymous Christians”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 6, (London: DLT, 1969), pp. 390–398Google Scholar.Theological Investigations Vol. 6 (London: DLT, 1969), p. 392Google Scholar.
104 Rahner “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, pp. 121, 130.
105 Dupuis, Jacques. Towards a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism. (Maryknoll, Orbis, 1997)Google Scholar.
106 ibid., p. 1.
107 ibid.
108 ibid., p. 211
109 ibid.
110 ibid.
111 ibid., p. 212.
112 ibid., pp. 215–6.
113 ibid., p. 217.
114 ibid., p. 226.
115 ibid., p. 218.
116 ibid., p. 219.
117 ibid.
118 ibid., pp. 219–220, 229.
119 ibid., p. 233.
120 Dupuis, Jacques, Christianity and the Religions: From Confrontation to Dialogue. (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2001)Google Scholar. See especially pp. 87–95.
121 Jacques Dupuis, “Inclusivist Pluralism as a Paradigm for the Theology of Religions” (Paper prepared for Leuven Conference, 2003. http://www.theo.kuleuven.ac.be/ogtpc/lest4/ppseniors/dupuis.pdf), p. 4.
122 Dupuis, Toward, p. 237.
123 ibid., p. 259.
124 Jacques Dupuis, “Renewal of Christianity through Interreligious Dialogue.” (http://www.luce.nl/publicatiies/sd704-dupuis, 2003).
125 To avoid extensive repetition, I refer the reader back to the relevant sections above, for elaboration of points raised in this comparison, and for associated sources.
126 Dupuis, Toward, p. 132.
127 Dupuis, Toward, p. 132.
128 He also includes John Farquhar, Henri de Lubac and Hans Urs von Balthasar here. See Dupuis, Towards. pp. 137–142.
129 ibid., pp. 132. See also, his exposition of this approach, pp. 143ff.
130 ibid., p. 143.
131 ibid.
132 ibid., p. 132. It is important to note that within this approach there are divergent views concerning the precise nature of the continuing validity of non-Christian religions, after historical and existential encounter with Christianity. This matter will be taken up below.
133 ibid. pp. 143ff. He also groups Raimondo Panikkar, Hans Küng and Gustave Thils here.
134 Hedges, Paul, Preparation and Fulfilment: A History and Study of Fulfilment Theology in Modern British Thought in the Indian Context. (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2001), pp. 29, 33Google Scholar.
135 Veliath notes that Daniélou expressed his satisfaction that the final draft of Nostra Aetate eliminated a phrase included in earlier versions, that Daniélou had found “ambiguous”. The eliminated phrase described non-Christian religions as “economies of salvation.”Theological Approach and Understanding, p. 70.
136 Rahner, , “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 5, p. 128Google Scholar.
137 Fredericks, James, “The Catholic Church and the Other Religious Paths: Rejecting Nothing that is True and Holy.”Theological Studies, Volume 64. Issue 2, 2003, p. 230CrossRefGoogle Scholar, referring to Rahner, “Concerning the Relationship Between Nature and Grace” in Theological Investigations, Vol. 1 (Baltimore: Helicon, 1961), pp. 297–317, esp. 302Google Scholar.
138 Barnes, Christian Identity, p. 60.
139 Dupuis, Toward, p. 216.
140 Rahner, , “Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions”, Theological Investigations, Vol. 5, p. 122Google Scholar.
141 Dupuis, Toward, p. 132.
142 Karl, Rahner “Church, Churches and Religions,”Theological Investigations, Vol. 10, (New York: Herder & Herder, 1973), p. 46Google Scholar
143 ibid.
144 ibid., p. 48.
145 ibid., p. 47.
146 Dupuis, Toward, p. 314.