Hegelian Inspirations in Christian Theology

Ks. Tadeusz DOLA

Katedra Teologii Fundamentalnej i Religiologii, Wydział Teologiczny, Uniwersytet Opolski, ul. Drzymały 1A, 45-342, Opole, Poland , Poland

Abstract

In the introductory section the article describes the theological context in which the philosophy of Hegel was introduced.

In the sections that follow the theological views of his first followers are expounded. David F. Strauss, who adopted Hegelian ideas in his christology, strongly argued for the thesis that the historical Jesus of Nazareth was not the true Christ; rather—he held—the true Christ is the entire humanity. Ferdinand Ch. Baur in turn followed Hegel’s theory of dialectics in his interpretation of the beginnings of Christianity. He held that the present form of Christianity originated as a result of the synthesis of Petrinism (the thesis) and Paulinism (the antithesis).

The final section refers to the motifs in Hans U. von Balthasar’s theology in which indebtedness to Hegel’s philosophy may be traced.

Translated by Dorota Chabrajska

Keywords:

Heglism, Protestant theology, Catholic theology, Christology, ecclesiology, theo-drama, Holy Trinity