Stephen Barkley
Logic looks for a place where it can pull everything together. That place can not be found in creation—even in the creation of humans. It can only be found in the revelation of God. The center of God’s revelation is love: the only thing that is credible. This is the foundation of von Balthasar’s dense little book.
This book is brilliant. Almost every page has some striking insight that makes you want to put the book down and meditate. If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know that I’ve posted a number of quotes from this book as Weekend Wisdom:
I’ll be the first to admit that there were times when I felt like I was barely keeping my head above the water. Von Balthasar’s a highly gifted philosopher as well as a theologian. Thankfully, there is a recapitulation at the end of the book: four pages that summarize the flow of his argument. You would do well to read that first, then keep referring back to it as you read through the book to constantly situate yourself in his logic.
This book will stand up to many readings. It’s a treasure well worth the effort.
Balthasar, Hans Urs Von. Love Alone is Credible. Translated by D. C. Schindler, Ignatius, 2004.
