Autor: Crowe, Frederich E., S.J.

Buch: Theology of the Christian Word

Titel: Theology of the Christian Word

Stichwort: Geschichte: Wort Gottes -> Jean Pierre de Caussade; Gottes Wirken in jedem Ereignis

Kurzinhalt: the events of the world are the obscure language of this same hidden and unknown God; parallel between scripture and history; You speak also to each individual soul by the circumstances occurring at every moment of life

Textausschnitt: 113b It is remarkable that the inhibitions felt by professional theologians in regard to history as the word of God have been largely ignored by the spiritual writers, who have gone their own quite radical way without, however, falling into the absurd exaggerations of the old allegorizers. Among these spiritual writers Jean Pierre de Caussade, who died at Toulouse in 1751, merits special mention for the clarity of his expression, the really radical nature of his views, and their pertinence to our question. His ideas were not put into book form during his life, but after his death his "treatise" on abandonment to divine providence was put together from his letters of spiritual direction. The context, then, is ascetical practice, and the relevance to the present question lies in his doctrine that the divine will is made known to us in the events of daily life, which speak to us, which are God's word to us, just as really as the words of scripture. (Fs)

113c One can recognize the Thomist background of his thought in his two declarations, "The divine action [...] is everywhere, and always present," and, "Things, in fact, proceed from the mouth of God like words." But Pere de Caussade, the spiritual writer, is far less inhibited in applying the second of these two principles than Saint Thomas, the theologian. For de Caussade, "All has meaning. [...] Not a comma is missing." Thus, (Fs)

The written word of God is full of mystery; and no less so His word fulfilled in the events of the world. These are two sealed books, and of both it can be said "the letter killeth". [...] The sacred Scripture is the mysterious utterance of a God yet more mysterious; and the events of the world are the obscure language of this same hidden and unknown God. [...] They are what He has revealed! He has dictated them! And the effect of these terrible mysteries which will continue till the end of time is still the living word, teaching us His wisdom, power, and goodness. (Fs)

114a Further, the parallel between scripture and history is carried out thoroughly: (Fs)
The Holy Spirit [...] writes His own Gospel in the hearts of the just. [...] The souls of the saints are the paper, the sufferings and actions the ink. The Holy Spirit with the pen of His power writes a living Gospel, but a Gospel that cannot be read until it has left the press of this life, and has been published on the day of eternity. (Fs)

114b So emphatic is de Caussade that he almost seems to make the scriptures inferior as a word to the word of history: (Fs)
[...] it seems as if Your wonders were finished and nothing remained but to copy Your ancient works, and to quote Your past discourses! And no one sees that Your inexhaustible activity is a source of new thoughts. [...] Is not all time a succession of the effects of the divine operation, working at every instant [...]? [...] May the divine operation of my God be my book, my doctrine, my science. (Fs)

114c And, again: (Fs)
You speak also to each individual soul by the circumstances occurring at every moment of life. Instead, however, of hearing Your voice in these events . . . men see in them only the outward aspect. . . and censure everything. They would like to add, or diminish, or reform . . . they respect the holy Scriptures, however, and will not permit the addition of even a single comma. "It is the word of God" say they. [...] All this is perfectly true, but when you read God's word from moment to moment, not written with ink on paper, but on your soul with suffering, and the daily actions that you have to perform, does it not merit some attention on your part? (Fs)

115a In the context in which Pere de Caussade was working it was right that the doctrine be applied to each individual person: The events of one's personal life are God's word to that person. But it is not so limited in principle: "You speak, Lord, to the generality of men by great public events. [...] You speak also to each individual soul by the circumstances occurring at every moment of life." (Fs) (notabene)
115b The positive side of this remarkable doctrine is surely clear enough by now. It remains that it does not satisfy the theologian's demands for a theology of the word. For one thing it concentrates almost exclusively on the will of God, whereas a theology must say a great deal on the being of God and his work of creation. Again, though it supplies the personal element that Luther and modern Protestant exegetes so earnestly seek, a word of God for me, still it lacks the present surety of public revelation: "The divine action continues to write in the hearts of men the work begun by the Holy Scriptures, but the characters made use of in this writing will not be visible till the day of judgment." Only faith enables us to recognize in history what the apostles recognized on the shore of Galilee after the resurrection: "It is the Lord." From the viewpoint of the ascetic, this deficiency is of little moment; it is enough to know that this moment is from the Lord. Particularly is this true from the viewpoint of de Caussade's favorite doctrine of abandonment to the divine will. It is otherwise for those who have to interpret that divine will as directing us to a specific action. Nevertheless, this doctrine remains an extremely interesting and significant stage in the ongoing history of the theology of the word. I do not know whether its history has been fully investigated in its origins19 and its subsequent development, but I do think there is need to bring it into relation with that work of professional theologians which forms the bulk of material for our study. (Fs)