Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is.
Lovers are the ones who know most about God; the theologian must listen to them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that lovers possess a deep understanding of divine love and spirituality that theologians can learn from.
Hans Urs Von Balthasar emphasizes that the experiences and insights gained from love are profound and valuable in the understanding of God. He argues that lovers, through their emotional and spiritual connections, have a unique perspective that transcends academic theological study, suggesting that personal relationships and love can reveal deeper truths about the divine.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a wedding speech, one might say, 'Lovers are the ones who know most about God; the theologian must listen to them.' to highlight the importance of love in understanding spirituality.
More from Hans Urs Von Balthasar
All quotes βIt is to the Cross that the Christian is challenged to follow his Master: no path of redemption can make a detour around it.
A truth that is merely handed on, without being thought anew from its very foundations, has lost its vital power.
The Holy Spirit knows what a particular age's most pressing need is far better than men with their programs.
The first attempt at a response: there must have been a fall, a decline, and the road to salvation can only be the return of the sensible finite into the intelligible infinite.
But the saints are never the kind of killjoy spinster aunts who go in for faultfinding and lack all sense of humor. (Nor should the Karl Barth who so loved and understood Mozart be regarded as such.)For humor is a mysterious but unmistakable charism inseparable from Catholic faith, and neither the "progressives" nor the "integralists" seem to possess it - the latter even less than the former.
Similar quotes
True love is when both people think they have the better half of the deal.
The old man looked at him with his sun-burned, confident loving eyes.
O my heart! Love God as the chatrik loves the rain drops, Who even when fountains are full and the land green, Is not satisfied as long as it cannot get a drop of rain.
The battle for our hearts is fought on the pages of our calendar.
Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age. And let the chips fall where they may.
The betrothed and accepted lover has lost the wildest charms of his maiden by her acceptance. She was heaven while he pursued her, but she cannot be heaven if she stoops to one such as he!