Hans Kung
Daniel T. Spotswood

Of the various interests pursued by Hans Küng, all his ideas are essentially interconnected because he is, first and foremost, an ecumenical theologian. With his primary focus on ecclesiology, Küng explores the concept of Christian ecumenism, but this concentration expands to include the possibilities of a more global ecumenism. He is very concerned with internal Church reform, but he also emphasizes the need to improve relations with those members outside of the official Church. Küng opens the door to a new global theology, which he says may only be advanced through interreligious dialogue. Küng's reputation is controversial because he seems to be radical, but he is one of the most widely read theologians of contemporary times.

In 1957, with his first book, Justification: The Doctrine of Karl Barth and a Catholic Reflection, Küng promoted fresh inner-Christian conversation on a central aspect of Christianity that has divided Protestants and Catholics for centuries. “Küng's study concluded that on the whole there exists a fundamental theological conformity between what Barth and the Roman Catholic Church teach on justification” (Jeanrond, 164). Küng proceeded to challenge Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches to realize that their common nature is simply divided by bureaucratic structures. Küng received his doctorate with this dissertation and established his career as an ecumenical theologian at the early age of twenty-nine. The ecclesiological nature of his work on ecumenism profoundly prepared him to make significant contributions to the upcoming Second Vatican Council.

During the early 1960's, Küng actively participated in the Second Vatican Council as a consultant theologian. Due to his interests in ecclesiology and ecumenism, Küng heavily influenced such documents as the Constitution on the Church and the Decree on Ecumenism. At this time, Küng was primarily interested in the nature and structure of the Church. He wrote, “one should speak of a charismatic structure of the Church which embraces and goes beyond the structure of its government” (Vorgrimler, 165). Küng challenged the traditional, hierarchy of the Church by stressing the interdependent relationship of the whole community. “Hans Küng in The Church adopted a thoroughgoing theology of the primary role of the people of God as a community endowed with diverse charisms of the Spirit, among which the charisms of leadership, at each level, had a significant place, but in service to the whole and responsible to the whole” (Laishley 223). Not only did Küng seek to reform the hierarchical structure of the Church, but he directly confronted its authoritative nature. Such progressive statements placed him in conflict with the traditional theologians at the Council. Even among the progressive, liberal theologians, Küng was considered to be quite radical. Despite his reputation, Küng continued to voice his opinion on several subjects.

The most controversial issue related to Hans Küng is his attack on papal infallibility in 1970, when, as a professor of theology at the University of Tubingen, Küng published the book, Infallible? An Inquiry. “It has been mainly this book and Küng's refusal to revoke the challenge to the Roman Catholic Church expressed in this book which, after nine years of controversy, led to the withdrawal of Küng's Roman Catholic missio canonica (Jeanrond 163).

The withdrawal of Küng's permission to teach in the Theology Department forced him to establish the independent Institute for Ecumenical Research at the University of Tubingen. Since the 1970s, Küng's career has been characterized by an even greater ecumenical emphasis.

Works Cited
Aloys Grillmeier. Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II. Vol. 1., ed. H. Vorgrimler. New York: Herder and Herder, 1967
F.J. Laishley. Modem Catholicism. Adrian Hastings, ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991
Wemer G. Jeanrond. The Modem Theologians. David F. Ford, ed. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 1997


Hans Kung, Global Responsibility
New York: Crossroad, 1991
Abstract by Daniel T. Spotswood

In this book, Küng breaks through the traditional theological method and promotes a new global theology. He recognizes the pluralistic religious situation of today and seeks to develop a new world ethic based on global ecumenism. The concept of global ecumenism is quite different from inner-Christian ecumenism. While Christianity attempts to unify its separated denominations, global ecumenism does not entail the integration of the world's religions. Küng acknowledges the value of religious pluralism and promotes interreligious dialogue in order to develop global theology. Küng writes that “there can be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There can be no peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions. There can be no dialogue between the religions without research into theological foundations” (105).

In order to survive, Hans Küng demands the world establish a new world ethic to develop a new world order. He uses the already present ethical values common to all great religious traditions as the foundation to promote world peace. The starting point for interreligious dialogue is self-criticism. Ethics is the key concern; therefore, those without religious affiliation are also included in the conversation. The new world ethic seeks to transform the economy, politics, ecological concerns, etc. Like the Second Vatican Council, the global ethic transcends external laws and regulations; it is an inner oriented paradigm breakthrough.


A Hans Kung Bibliography
Justification: The Doctrine of Karl Barth and a Catholic Reflection. New York: Nelson, 1964
The Church. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967
Apostolic Succession: Rethinking a Barrier to Unity. New York: Paulist Press, 1968
Structures of the Church. Indiana: Notre Dame, 1968
Infallible? An Inquiry. New York: Doubleday, 1971
On Being a Christian. New York: Doubleday, 1976
Signposts for the Future: Contemporary Issues Facing the Church. New York: Doubleday, 1978
Does God Exist? New York: Doubleday, 1980
Church Maintained in Truth: A Theological Meditation. New York: Crossroad, 1980
Freud and the Problem of God. Yale University Press, 1980
Structures of the Church. New York: Crossroad, 1982
Church and Change: The Irish Experience. Gill & Macmillan Ltd, 1986
Why I Am Still a Christian. Abingdon Press, 1987
Theology for the Third Millennium: An Ecumenical View. New York: Doubleday, 1988
Credo. New York: Doubleday, 1993
Great Christian Thinkers. Continuum, 1994
Christianity: Essence, History, and Future. Continuum, 1995
Judaism: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow. Continuum, 1995
A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics. Oxford Univ. Press, 1998
The Incarnation of God: An Introduction to Hegel's Theological Thought As Prolegomena to a Future Christology. New York: Crossroad, 1999
Reforming the Church Today: Keeping Hope Alive. T&T Clark Ltd, 2000
The Catholic Church: A Short History. Modern Library, 2001
Tracing the Way: Spiritual Dimensions of the World Religions. Continuum, 2002
Women in Christianity. Continuum, 2002
Eternal Life?: Life After Death as a Medical, Philosophical, and Theological Problem. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2003
My Struggle for Freedom: Memoirs. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2003