In "Symbolism," Johann Adam Möhler explores the importance of symbols in religion and theology. Möhler argues that symbols help to communicate deeper truths and insights that go beyond language and rationality. He delves into the historical and theological significance of symbols, tracing their use from ancient times to the present day.
Möhler's writing is both scholarly and accessible, making complex theological concepts understandable to the lay reader. He uses a combination of historical examples, literary analysis, and philosophical insights to illuminate the role of symbols in religious thought.
One of the strengths of Möhler's book is his ability to show the reader how symbols can make the ineffable aspects of faith more tangible and relatable. He demonstrates how symbols can bridge the gap between the material and the spiritual, helping individuals to connect with their beliefs on a deeper level.
Overall, "Symbolism" is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the power of symbols in religion. Möhler's thorough research and engaging writing style make this book a valuable resource for anyone interested in theology, philosophy, or the intersection of faith and culture.
Book Description:
Johann Adam Möhler was professor theology at the Tübingen University where both Catholics and Protestants taught and studied. In 1832 he published Symbolism; a work that examined the doctrines of original sin, grace and free will as held by the different Christian confessions. It caused a storm of controversy in the Protestant nations of Europe. In it he turned the weapons furnished by Hegel, the “Protestant Aquinas”, against Protestantism. His method and style were supported by the use of facts, texts, and documents. By 1838 Symbolism had been translated to 8 languages and its author had died before he completed its 5th edition.
In an age when the Catholic Church found itself divided into two camps, the “German” and the “Roman”, Döllinger, a former pupil of Möhler’s, when addressing a group of scholars at Munich in 1863 once famously quipped that the former were defending Catholicism with rifles while the latter were still using bows and arrows. The “Romans”, however, would succeed in silencing thier “German” brethren at the First Vatican Council and cut off a branch bearing good fruit. A rediscovery of the “German” school is long overdue and there is no better place to start than Möhler’s Symbolism.
