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Church and Revelation in Heinrich Fries: A Systematic-Theological Study

My dissertation examines how Heinrich Fries’ understanding of revelation can contribute to a deeper understanding of the Church in its present and future. Starting from the conviction that revelation does not merely mean the transmission of doctrinal statements but is a living, personal self-communication of God, it shows how Fries understands the Church as a reality shaped and sustained by this revelation.

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that Fries not only engages in theological reflection but also points to concrete ways in which revelation remains tangible in the life of the Church—through liturgy, sacraments, teaching, witness, and pastoral care. Today, as the Church seeks credibility, renewal, and a deeper grasp of its mission, his thought opens new perspectives: for theology, for the Church’s self-understanding, and for the question of how faith can be passed on today in a way that is credible, comprehensible, and alive.

The motivation for my work arises from the desire to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between revelation and the Church, and to show how the Church preserves, interprets, and passes on the self-communication of God that has taken place in history. Especially in a time of theological challenges and interconfessional dialogue, it is essential to rethink the Church as a living bearer of revelation.

Another motivation is to recall the theologian Heinrich Fries and to highlight his work, which still offers valuable insights for understanding the Church and for ecumenical dialogue.

Research Objective

My dissertation examines how Heinrich Fries understands the Church in relation to revelation. It presents how the Church arises from revelation, remains united with it, and carries it forward.

The aim of the study is to show that, for Fries, the Church does not appear merely as a historical or organizational entity, but as the bearer, guardian, and mediator of divine revelation. The investigation considers the theological profile of Heinrich Fries as a whole – marked by a deep rootedness in tradition, a clear openness to the present, and a strong ecumenical sensitivity.

Through his work, Fries made an important contribution to the renewal of Catholic ecclesiology in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. His view of the church as a living place of revelation unites dogmatic depth with spiritual breadth and pastoral closeness.

My dissertation seeks to bring out Fries’ understanding of the Church and revelation and to demonstrate its relevance for contemporary theology and ecclesial practice.

Research Questions

• Which biographical and theological influences shaped the theological profile of Heinrich Fries, particularly regarding the development of his ecclesiology in an ecumenical context?
• How does Heinrich Fries unfold his understanding of revelation as the personal self-communication of God in word, history, and person – and what is the significance of this understanding in contrast to the doctrinal model of the First Vatican Council and with a view to deepening the perspectives of the Second Vatican Council?
• What impulses does Heinrich Fries’ understanding of the Church as a place of living revelation offer for contemporary reflection on tradition, teaching authority, and the credible transmission of the faith?
• What impulses does the theological thought of Heinrich Fries provide for a contemporary understanding of the Church and revelation with a view to their renewal?
• How does contemporary theology engage with Fries’ understanding of revelation and the Church, and what significance does it attribute to it?

Research Methods

For my dissertation, a combination of different methodological approaches is appropriate in order to grasp Heinrich Fries’ theology as comprehensively as possible and to situate it in relation to contemporary questions. The historical-systematic method helps to trace the development of his understanding of revelation and the Church. This involves analysing both the biographical and church-historical background as well as his central theological ideas and placing them within the broader context of Catholic and ecumenical theology.

This approach is complemented by a hermeneutical method, that is, by the interpretation of central texts by Fries. Key concepts such as Revelation, Church, Sacrament, and Tradition will be examined and explained within their theological context.

A comparative approach also plays a role: Fries’ theology will be set in relation to other significant theologians – for example, Karl Rahner, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Joseph Ratzinger, as well as voices from the ecumenical dialogue such as Wolfhart Pannenberg. In this way, similarities and differences can be identified, along with possible impulses for today’s ecumenical conversation.

In addition, a contextualising perspective will be included to highlight the relevance of Fries’ theology for contemporary church practice and ecumenical exchange.

Literature

• Heinrich Fries, Fundamentaltheologie (Handbuch), 2nd ed., Styria, Graz–Wien–Köln 1986.
• Heinrich Fries, Die Kirche als Träger und Vermittler der Offenbarung, in: Mysterium Kirche in der Sicht der theologischen Disziplinen, ed. by F. Holböck – Th. Sartory, Salzburg 1962, 1-36.
• Heinrich Fries, Glaube und Kirche im ausgehenden 20. Jahrhundert, München 1979.
• Heinrich Fries, Die Kirche als Anwalt des Menschen. Ein Beitrag zum Thema: Die Kirche und der Mensch der Gegenwart, Stuttgart 1954.
• Heinrich Fries, Mut zur Ökumene. Erfahrungen – Hoffnungen – Visionen; zum 100. Geburtstag von Heinrich Fries, Ostfildern 2011.
• Heinrich Fries / Karl Rahner, Einigung der Kirchen. Reale Möglichkeit (Quaestiones Disputatae, 100), Freiburg–Basel–Wien 1983.
• Norbert Göttler, Heinrich Fries – Brückenbauer zwischen Kirche und Welt, in: Stephan Pauly (ed.), Theologen unserer Zeit, Stuttgart 1997.
• Peter Neuner, Heinrich Fries 1911-1998. Ein Leben im Dienst der Ökumene, Weißenhorn 1999.

Supervisor

Univ.-Prof. (ret.) Dr. Roman Anton Siebenrock
Institute of Systematic Theology

Doctoral Candidate

Father Mag. Lic. theol. Jan Walentek CSsR