Abstract
For those who fear or suspect that the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar may represent a version of Hegelianism for Catholics, or high-powered intellectual play-acting, or sheer mystification, this article offers an alternative interpretation. By differentiating among the various levels of language — metaphysical, analogical, and metaphorical — that he deploys, the author attempts to show how Balthasar, while conscious of the traps that ensnare the less wary, has striven nevertheless to breathe new life into the seemingly intractable problem of how to relate the world to God.
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