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Chapter3
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DivineRevelationandHumanPerception

Prologue:AdamastheImageofGod

TheillustrationonthefollowingpageshowsthefiguresofGodandAdamfromtheCreationsequenceintheexteriorarchofthenorthportalofChartrescathedral.
GodisportrayedintheformofChrist,God'svisibleexpressionAdamisshownasenvisionedinthemindofGod,beforehisphysicalfashioning.Severalbiblical
themesarepresent:ChrististheperfectimageofGodGodcreatestheworldthroughandforChrist(Col.1:1519Heb.1:13Jn.1:3,10)Adamiscreatedin
God'simage(Gen.1:2627)ChrististhenewandperfectAdam(1Cor.15:4549).TheseideasaresynthesizedinthePatristictheologicalnotion(ultimatelyderived
fromPlato'sTimaeus,2930),thatChristasGod's"Word"orWisdomcontainsthe"ideas"or"archetypes"1 ofallcreatures,andishimselftheexemplarforhumanity
inparticular.Origen'sCommentaryontheGospelofJohnprovidesanexampleofthis''exemplarism"thathadsuchprofoundeffectsonsubsequenttheologyandart:

...Wecall"principle"[or"beginning" ],andtheimageisinaccordwiththeFather,thenthemodelforChrististheFather,hisprinciple,andthemodelfor
humansisChrist,sincetheyaremadenotaccordingtotheOneofwhomChrististheimage,butaccordingtotheimage[i.e.,Christ]....

...Wemustthereforesaythataccordingtothenatureofthings,theprincipleofknowledgeisChristinsofarasheistheWisdomandpowerofGodbutforus,"the
Wordwasmadeflesh"todwellamongus,forwearenotcapableofreceivinghimatfirstexceptinthisway.

Itisperhapsforthisreasonthatheisnotonlythefirstbornofallcreatures,butisalso"Adam,"whichmeans"humanbeing"[ ].ForSt.Paulsaysthatheis
Adam:"thelastAdam[madeinto]alivingspirit"[1Cor.15:45]....

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Figure2.
GodandAdam.SculpturefromChartrescathedral.

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...Seeifwecannotinterpretthetext,"Inthebeginning( )wastheWord"accordingtoitsspiritualsense:allthingsarecreatedwithWisdom,accordingtoa
planwhoseelementsarecontainedintheWord.
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Inthesamewaythatahouseorashipisbuiltorconstructedaccordingtotheplansofanarchitect,justasthishouseorthisshiphasasitsprinciplethemodelandthe
mentalplans[ ]predeterminedbyGodinGod'sWisdomforGod'screatures,for"GodcreatedallthingsinWisdom"[Ps.103:24].

Wemustaddthatafterhavingproduced(ifImaysayit)alivingWisdom,Godgavetoherthetaskofgivingform,shape,andperhapsevenexistence,tobothbeings
andmatter,accordingtotheformscontainedwithinherself....

...Wecannotbesilentaboutthefactthathe[i.e.,Christ]isrightlytheWisdomofGod,andthatheissocalledforthisreason.ForGod'sWisdomdoesnotsubsist
onlyinthementalimagesoftheGodandFatheroftheuniverse,analogouslytothewaymentalimagesareinhumanminds.Butifonecanconceiveofanincorporeal
substance,consistingofallkindsofideas,andcontainingtherationalprinciples[ ]oftheuniverse,alivingandasitwereanimatedsubstance,thenonewillknow
theWisdomofGod,whichisaboveeverycreature,andwhichrightlysaysofitself:"GodestablishedmeasthebeginningofHiswaysforhisworks"[Prov.8:22].Itis
becauseGodthusestablishedWisdomthateverycreatureisabletoexist,foreachparticipatesinthedivineWisdom,accordingtowhichillweremade.Foraccording
totheprophetDavid,GodmadeallthingsinWisdom[Cf.Ps.103:24].ThereexistsagreatnumberofcreaturesthankstoparticipationinthisWisdom,butwithout
theirgraspingtheonebywhomtheyhavebeenestablishedinbeingveryfewunderstandWisdom,notonlyinwhatconcernsthemselves,butalsoinsofarasit
concernsotherthings,forChristiscompleteWisdom.2

GeneralEpistemologicalConsiderations

Thepurposeofthissectionistooutlinethemostbasicepistemologicalpresuppositionsofafundamentaltheologyoftheimaginationthatwouldrespondtothe
questionsraisedintheprecedingchapter.Ishallutilizeatranscendentalexaminationoftheactingsubjecttoprovidetheanthropologicalconditionsofpossibilityforthe
knowledgeofGodandthereceptionofadivinerevelation.Itwillbeshownthatamongtheseconditionsof"transcendent"knowledgearesensibilityandtheexercise
ofimagination.Thesewillbetheparticularfocusofourattention.

Afewmethodologicalconsiderationsareinorderbeforeengagingintheprojectedanalysis.MyintentionhereistheconstructionofwhatGarrettGreencallsa"natural
theologyoftheimagination."AsGreenoutlinesit,suchaprojectwouldattempttoshowthatimaginationiscrucialtotheprocessofknowing,andhenceformspartof
thereligiousapriori.ItwouldthenanalyzethestructureofHomoimaginanstoprovideananthropologicalbasewithwhichthetruthsofrev

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elationcanbecorrelated.Imaginationwouldthenbeseenasanimplicitrevelationofthedivineandapreconditionforsupernaturalfaith.3

Green,however,rejectssuchaprojectonthegroundsthat"the'positivity'ofChristianrevelationitsdependenceoncertainconcreteparadigmsprecludesthe
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possibilityofa'naturaltheologyofrevelation.'"4 IwouldsayratherthatChristianity's"positivity"excludesthedeductionofitsparticularhistoricalcontentfromanya
prioristructuresoftheexistentialhumansubject.Nevertheless,fromsuchstructuresonecanheuristically"anticipate"certaincharacteristicsthatanyrevelationtothe
humansubjectmustpossess(e.g.,historicityitself,althoughnotthecontentofhistory).

Moreover,thepositivityofChristianity(orofanyreligion)demandsexaminationofthestructureofimaginationitselfthatis,wecannotsimplyacknowledgethe
centralityof"paradigmaticimagination"inreligion(asGreendoes)wealsoneedsomekindofepistemologyofimagination.Greenseesthattheresolutionofthe1934
conflictbetweenBarthandBrunnerontheAnknpfungspunktforrevelationliesinanexaminationofhumanimaginationasour"paradigmatic"ability.5 Buthewishes
toavoidanyconnectionwithontologyor"foundationalism."Nevertheless,Ithinkthatwhathemeansbyparadigmatic''imagination"isoneformofwhatLonergancalls
"insight,"mediatedbyimages.WhatIbelievemustbeaddedtoGreen'saffirmationofthehumanparadigmaticabilityispreciselyaproperlyepistemological/ontological
dimensionthatis,anexplanationofwhythiskindofcognitionistrulyknowledge,howitreaches"being."

Greenacknowledgesthatphilosophycanbea"'descriptivegrammar,'ananalyticaltoolforinvestigatingthelogicofvarioushumanendeavorsandatherapyfor
conceptualconundrumsresultingfrom'grammatical'confusions."6 IconsiderthistaskpartofthefunctionofthecognitionaltheorythatunderlieswhatGreencallsa
"naturaltheology"oftheimagination.Iwouldadd,however,thataphilosophicaltheologymustconfrontnotmerelylogicalandgrammaticalissuesbutalsothequestion
ofthecriteriaformakingjudgmentsoftruththroughtheuseofbothimaginationandthought.Whetheronecallssuchastudya"naturaltheology"ornot(thetermis
ambiguousandeasilyleadstomisunderstanding),itislogicallyindependentofthespecificcontentoftheChristianparadigm,eventhoughitmaybeundertakenwiththe
latterinview.(However,thisdoesnotmeanthattheaccomplishmentofsuchastudyisseparablefrom"grace"orfromGod'sselfrevelation.)

Moreover,Ibelievethataphilosophicaltheologyofthiskindisnecessaryifoneistoavoidtheintellectualdangerofafideistic"positivismofrevelation."Pannenberg's
critiqueoftheuseof"speechact"theoryintheologyisrelevanttoBarthianformsoftheologyinwhichanontologicalepistemologicalcomponentiseliminated:

Thegospel,forexample,isthenpresentedasaperformativelinguisticactwhichbyitsnatureestablishesthetruthofwhatitsaysintheareathatisopeneduponlybythese
words.Inthisapproachthetruthofthepropositionsproclaimedissupposedlynotboundtoanswerthehumanquestionofverificationorfalsification.Theapologeticconcernto
rendertheproclamation

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immuneagainstcriticalreflectionisunderstandable,butthepricepaidforsuchimmunityisahighone.WearesupposedlydealingwithalinguisticactionofGod,andyetthis
evidently[offenbar]comestous[only]intheformofahumanproclamation.Ifthelatterisinterpretedasalinguisticaction,thereissimplynowayofdistinguishingitfromthe
objecttowhichitisrelatedandthen,possibly,tounderstanditasalsolegitimatedbythatobject.Asaresult,theclaimthatthewordsembodyadivinelinguisticactioncollapses
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intoananthropomorphicprojectiononthepartofalinguisticallyactivehumanbeing.7

Inshort,ifreligiousimaginativeparadigmsaretoberelatedtotruthclaims,andifthelatterarethoughttobecompatiblewith(althoughnotreducibleto)reasonable,
responsible,andcriticalhumanthought,thena"fundamentaltheology"oftheimaginationseemsnecessary.

IntellectualKnowledgeThroughtheSensibleSymbol

KarlRahnersuccinctlysummarizesthecentralityofsensibilityinhumanknowing,includingtheknowledgeofGod.ForChristiananthropology,hewrites,persons"are
beingsofanaposteriors,historical,andsensoryexperience.ThisholdsalsoforthatdimensionoftheirexistenceinwhichtheyfaceGodintheirreligion."This
insistenceistiedtotheconvictionoftheintrinsicunityofspiritandmatterinthehumanperson.RahnerpointsoutthatforSt.Thomas,forexample,thehumanbeingis
aunityofspiritand"primematter,"notofspiritandbody:thebodyistheconcreteresultofthe"informing"ofthematerialprinciple(whichisnotanexistentthing,but
anabstractintelligibility)byspirit.Inthissense,thebodyisthevisibilityofthesoul.Therefore,"Thereisnocomingtooneselfexceptbywayofexitintothebodily
realityintowhichthespiritfirstreachesoutandfindsitself,formingitselfandgoingnutofitself."8

Hence,"againstallattemptstosafeguardreligiousknowledgebydetachingitfromotherkindsofknowledge,traditionalChristiananthropologyhasalwaysclearly
insistedthatsenseknowledgeandspiritualknowledgeconstituteaunity,thatallspiritualknowledge,howeversublimeitmaybe,isinitiatedandfilledwithcontentby
senseexperience."9 ThecognitionaltheoryofAquinas,basedonAristotle'sempiricism,holdsthat"eventhemostspiritual,most'transcendental,'mostsublimeconcept
canbereachedbyhumanbeingsonthisearthonlythrougha'conversioadphantasmata,'thatis(inKantianlanguage)thateveryconceptwithoutsenseintuitionis
empty,thatis,nonexistent.Thisstatementappliesalsotoreligiousknowledge."10TheentiretyofRahner'sSpiritintheWorldisanexplanationofthetextfromSt.
Thomas'sSummaTheologiae,I,q.84,a.7,onthequestion,"Whethertheintellectcanactuallyknowanythingthroughtheintelligiblespeciesthatithas,without
turningitselftosensibleimages[phantasmata]."Thomasconcludesthat"incorporealthings,ofwhichtherearenosensibleimages,areknownbyusthrough
comparisonwithsensiblebodies,ofwhichwehaveimages....WeknowGod,asDionysiussays,ascause,andbyeminenceandnegation.Inthepresentstateof
earthlylife,wecanalsoknowotherincorporeal

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substancesonlybywayofnegationorcomparisonwithcorporealthings.Andtherefore,ifweknowanythingofthissort,wemustturntocorporealimages,although
therearenoimagesoftheseincorporealthingsthemselves."11
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Forourpurposeshereitisnotessential(orpossible)toexamineatlengththebasesoftheassertionsoftranscendentalThomisttheoryofknowledge,asfound,for
example,inthephenomenologyofknowing,cognitionaltheory,andepistemology,thatLonerganproposesinInsight,orinthemetaphysicsofknowledgecontained,
forexample,inRahner'sSpiritintheWorldorinLotz'sDieIdentittvonGeistundSein.Itwillsufficetopointoutbrieflyhowacriticallyrealistaccountof
knowledgeinsistsupontheconnectionofintellectualinsightwithsensibledataandgivesacentralplacetoimaginationasthemediatingmomentbetweenthetwo.12

Whatismeantinthiscontextby"imagination"correspondstoboththe"Phantasie"andthe"productiveEinbildungskraft"ofKant'sphilosophy."Imagination"
designatesfirstofallthefacultythroughwhichthepresentationsofthedifferentsenseswhicharedispersedovertimeandareofdifferentkinds(pictorialimages,
sounds,scents,kineticfeelings,etc.)are''represented"inthemindinasyntheticway.13Butimagination'sfieldisnotrestrictedtothesynthesisofpresent
experiencesorofpastsensations,recalledinmemory:itcanalsocreatenewconjunctionsthathaveneverbeenexperienced.

Lonergandescribesatlengthhow"insight,"ortheactofunderstanding,arisesoutofimaginativeconstructsbasedonsensibledata.Itsoccurrenceisdependentupon
theprocessofabstraction,whichLonergandescribesthus:

[a]bstractioninallitsessentialmomentsisenriching.Itsfirstmomentisanenrichinganticipationofinintelligibilitytobeaddedtosensiblepresentationsthereissomethingtobe
knownbyinsight.Itssecondmomentistheerectionofheuristicstructuresandtheattainmentofinsighttorevealinthedatawhatisvariouslynamedasthesignificant,the
relevant,theimportant,theessential,theidea,theform.Itsthirdmomentistheformulationoftheintelligibilitythatinsighthasrevealed.14

Abstractionisthereforealsoan"illumination"ofsensibledatabythemind15thatis,itisthemind'sexplicationofthecoherencebetweenitsownintrinsically
"intelligible"natureandtheworld.16ThelaststepinthisprocessiswhatLonergancalls"formulation"thatis,thesymbolic(or"linguistic,"inthewidesense)
embodimentofinsight,throughwhichtheknownispresentfortheknower.

Inthelightofcontemporarylinguisticconsciousness,itshouldbenotedthatnormallyneitherperceptionnortheconstructionofthesensible"image"thatpermits
understandingnorthenecessarysymbolic"formulation"ofunderstandingispurelydependentoneachindividualsubject'smind:allareconditionedbythesubject's
socialandlinguisticsituation.17(Hence,asGmezCaffarenaremarks,theconsiderationoflanguagebecomesthepointofinsertionofaestheticsintometaphysics.)18
The"image"thatmediatessensibledataforintelligencemaybeaword,alinguisticconstruct,oraconventionalizedsymbolandthesearenormallynotinvented,but
learned.Pannenbergsummarizesnicely:

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Reasondoesnotproducetheuniversalonlythroughabstractionorinthenominalistexplanationthroughthegeneralizationeffectedbylinguisticlabeling.Sincerational
reflectionpresupposesboththesensorimotorlifeofperceptionandthelifeoflanguage[Sprache]andimagination[Phantasie],italreadyoperatesateverypointwithinthe
tensionofGestaltandfield,partandwhole,particularanduniversal.Itistrue,ofcourse,thatbothsidesacquiretheirclearcontoursonlyinrational[vernnftige]reflection....
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ErnstCassirercorrectlyemphasizedthepointthat"theoriginalanddecisiveachievementoftheconcept[Begriff]"isnottocompareandgrouprepresentations[Vorstellungen]
alreadyathandbut,rather,"toformimpressions[Eindrcke]intorepresentations[Vorstellungen]."Thisoperationisonethatateverypointhasalreadybeencarriedoutby
language,whichidentifiesrepresentationsbymeansofwords,thusrenderingthemrepeatableandthereforeavailableinanidenticalformandalsomakingitpossibletoraisethe
questionoftheirinterrelationships,thedistinctionsbetweenthem,andthetraitstheyhaveincommon.19

Pannenberg'sstatementshouldbeunderstoodwiththequalificationthattheoperationofformingimpressionsintorepresentationshasnormallybeencarriedout
alreadybyourlanguage:thecaseofapersonwhoisonlylearningalanguage(theyoungchild,forexample)isdifferent(Pannenberg'sreferencestoPiagetshowthat
heisawareofthis).Eveninthecaseofonewhoalreadyhasalanguage,theremaybeinstancesinwhichalinguisticrepresentationforaparticularnewexperienceis
notavailable(thismaybethecasewiththecreativeartistorscientist,forexample).Itispossibleforustoexperience"more"inaparticularcircumstancethanour
wordsareadequateto:wemayexperiencesomethingasbeing(thusfar)withoutaname,asaquestion,asafeelingofwonderment.Moreover,althoughitisprobably
truetosaythatindiscursive,conceptualthinkingtheimagethatnormallymediatesinsightistheword,intheintellectualprocessasawholeonemustunderstandthe
notionof"language"inawidesenseonethatincludesalsononverbalsymbols.

TheacknowledgmentoftheplaceoflanguageintheformationofconceptsrevealsthenaivetoftheidentificationofBegriffwithuniversalreason(whichiscontrasted
withthe"positivity"ofreligiononthelevelofVorstellung).AsPannenbergremarks,thecontemporaryphilosophyoflanguagereverseswhatPlatosaysattheendof
theCratylus(438dg)abouttheknowledgeofessencesbeingindependentoftheambiguitiesofwords.20Itmustberecognizedthatthelanguageofaparticular
cultureimpliesaviewoftheworld(Weltansicht)andbothopensupandlimitsthehorizonsofthoughtandbeing.21AsRahnerwrites:

Ourwordismorethanathought:itisthoughtbecomeincarnate....[T]hewordismorethanamereexternalizationinsound,asignalingofathoughtwhichcouldequallywell
existwithouttheaccompanimentofthisanimalnoise....No,thewordisratherthecorporealstateinwhichwhatwenowexperienceandthinkfirstbeginstoexistbyfashioning
itselfintothisitswordbody....Forthisreasonnolanguagecansubstituteforanother....

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Menspeakingdifferentlanguagescanunderstandoneanotherandonelanguagecanbetranslatedintoanother,justasthemostdiversemencanlivetogetherandevenbeborn
fromoneanother.Butthisdoesnotmakelanguagesintoarowofexternalfaades,behindallofwhichdwellssimplyoneandthesamethought.ThenocheofaJohnoftheCross
andtheNachtofaNovalisoraNietzschearenotthesametheagapeofthehymninthethirteenthchapteroftheFirstLettertotheCorinthiansandthe"love"ofEuropean
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peoplesdiffernotmerelyintheir"application."22

Indeed,languageinasensemediatesand"constitutes"theworldofhumanmeaning.23Ontheotherhand,thisinsightneednotleadtolinguisticdeterminismor
linguisticrelativism,"accordingtowhichthedifferentlanguagesaresomanydifferentimagesoftheworldandperspectivesontheworld,andnonecanescapethat
particularimageandthatparticularschematizationwithinwhichheisimprisoned."24Theprocessesofthemindarenotseparablefromtheneedforsymbolicmediation
ofsomekindbuttheyareseparablefromanyparticularlanguageinheritedbythesubject.AsPannenbergsays,

Themothertongueofindividualsdoesnotimposeacertaindirectionontheirthinkinginthesenseofchannelingit,althoughitmustbeadmittedthatthestructureandvocabulary
ofalanguagedoembodycertainemphasesinthelinguisticcommunity'sexperienceoftheworldandthatthesesuggestcertainmodesofrepresentationratherthanotherstothe
individualsusingthelanguage.Butamuchgreaterinfluencealongtheselinesisexertedbytheconvictionsthatdominateincertainphasesofaculture'sdevelopment.These
convictionsarenotexplicableinthelightofthestructureandvocabularyofthelanguagetheydo,however,themselvesleadtoshiftsinthemeaningsofwordsandthusinthe
associationslinkedwithsuchwords.Thelinguisticrelativistsgreatlyunderestimatethisinfluenceofideasonthedevelopmentoflanguage.25

Morefundamentally,evenwhileaffirmingthenecessityofsymbolicmediationforthought,wemayneverthelessrecognizethattheactivityofintellectionisinacertain
radicalsense"prior"tolanguage.26Languageisthe"primordial"inventionofthehumanminditthereforehasprioritynotoverintellectitselfbutoverallother
intellectualexercises.27

PannenbergcitesChomsky'sviewsthatthereareuniversalstructuresofintellectthatdeterminealllanguagesandthatwecanthinkwithoutwords.(Cf.ST,I,q.93,a.
7.,whereAquinasspeaksofthe"interiorword"thatbelongstonospokenlanguage.)PannenbergalsoquotestheconclusionofEricH.Lenneberg'sstudyofthe
biologicalbasesoflanguagenamely,"thatcognitivefunctionisamorebasicandprimaryprocessthanlanguage,andthatthedependencerelationshipoflanguageon
cognitionisincomparablystrongerthanviceversa."28PannenbergalsoappealstoPiaget'sstudiesoftheontogeneticconditionsforachild'slearningalanguage,as
wellastoKonradLorenz'swritingsonthephylogeneticconditionsforhumanlanguagetocomeintoexistence,asevidenceagainstlinguisticbehaviorism(likethatof
thelaterWittgenstein)andrelativism.29

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Gadamer,likePannenberg,recognizesthatwhenweuseaparticularlanguage,wearefixedinadirectionofthoughtthatcomesfrombeyondourselves.Nevertheless,
heinsiststhat"ourspecifichumanpossibilitiesdonotsubsistsolelyinlanguage"andthat"thereisaprelinguisticexperienceoftheworld,asHabermas,drawingon
Piaget'sresearches,remindsus."
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Tracylikewiseacknowledgesthat"Traditionisinevitablypresentthroughthelanguageweuse,"whoseeffectsonusandourunderstandingcanneverbefullybrought
toawareness.Buttherecognitionofourlinguisticandculturalconditioning"canalsooccasionarecognitionthateverytraditionisbothpluralisticandambiguous(i.e.,
enriching,liberating,anddistorting)."Hencethereisboththepossibilityandtheneedoftherationalcritiqueofourinheritedlanguagetouncoveritsdistortions.30

Becauseofthe"linguisticvirtuality"ofreason,suchacritiqueispossible.Therelativityimposedbylanguage"isnotonewhichholdsusinunbreakableshackles,as
thoseofuswhocanthinktosomeextentindifferentlanguagesknowverywell."31NeurologistAntonioDamasiopointsoutthatcontemporarystudiesofthebrain
leadtotheconclusionthatknowledge,"whichexistsinmemoryunderdispositionalrepresentationform,canbemadeaccessibletoconsciousness...virtually
simultaneously''inbothverbalandnonverbalversions.32Hencethecoexistenceinindividualmindsofdifferentkindsofsymbolicmediationsofthoughtheuristicand
conceptual,pictorialandverbal,feltandformulatedallowsforcomparisonanddialecticbetweenourvarioussymbolic"languages,"sothatnooneofthemcanbe
absolutelydeterminativeofourinterpretationofexperience.

ThePreapprehensionoftheTotalHorizon

Theultimatereasonforthe"priority"ofintellectionoverlanguageisthattheconditionsofhumanknowingincludenotonlytheacquiredapriorioflanguageandthe
innateaprioriofsensibility(spatiotemporality),butalsoanaprioriofbeingcorrespondingtotheactofjudgment.

Inhisphenomenologicaldescriptionoftheworkingofimagination,Pannenbergshowshowitsinspirationsemergeinthesettingofsomeparticular,momentaryfieldof
attention,whichisinturnrelatedtoone'slifeprojectasawhole.Thelatterisexperiencedinafeeling(Gefhl)thatexpressesananticipation(Vorgriff]ofthewhole
oflife.33Theidentificationofanyparticularobjectpresupposesourabilitytoreflectonthefieldinwhichitappearsasthisparticularthingsuchahorizonisalways
present,atleastunthematically.Hence"theuniversalisalsoateverypointsimplygiventoreflectionassymbioticunityoflifeandasfieldofmovement,objectivespace,
andworld.Itthusformstheunexpressed,unthematichorizonwithinwhichphenomena,whetherofperceptionorofimagination,maketheirappearance."34

PannenbergexplicitlystatesthatthisdescriptionisamorephenomenologicaltreatmentofthetheoryRahnerpresentsinSpiritintheWorld.35ThelatterisThomistic
initsmoreexplicitlyintellectualistfocus.InthelanguageofThomism,thereisintheprocessofknowinganimplicit,unthematic"excessus."Whenthemindgraspsan
objectthroughunderstandingandjudgment,intheveryprocess

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ittranscendsthatgrasp:itistacitlyawarethattheobjectismorethanwhatisgrasped,andatthesametimeitrecognizestheprovisionalcharacterofitsowninsights.
36Thisexcessuspointstotheaprioriconditionofpossibilityforthemind'sknowingsensibleobjectsasobjectsandofdifferentiatingthemfromitselfnamely,the
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preapprehension(Vorgriff)of"being"assuch:thetotalhorizonofknowledgeanditsdynamism37(whichistied,asPannenbergsays,totheentiretyofourlife
project).(Rahnernotesthatthe"transcendentaldeduction"oftheVorgriffovercomesbothKant'sseparationoftheintellectualfromthesensibleandhisexclusionof
genuineontologicalknowledge.ForKantthetranscendenceofunderstandingandofitsformalapriori"doesnotinprincipleextendbeyondthebasisprovidedbythe
poweroftheimagination,ofsensoryperception"theformalobjectofthehumanspiritisensmateriale,ensprincipiumnumeri.IntheThomisticunderstanding,on
theotherhand,the"transcendencewhichistheenablingconditionofjudgmentsupon,andaprioriknowledgeof,objectsoftheworldofperceptionmustnecessarily
beatranscendenceextendingbeyondtheworld,andhenceisacceptedtobesuchineverykindofknowledgebelongingtothisworld.Oncethistranscendental
deductioniscarriedthrough,thenthatconditionisfulfilledunderwhichevenKantispreparedtorecognizeametaphysicasvalid.")38

Thetotalhorizonandgoal(Woraufhin)ofthemind'sandperson'sdynamismisnormallypresenttousnotasanobjectbutastheunthematicallyknownconditionof
possibilityforknowingorlovinganyother."Itcanneverbeapproacheddirectlyorexperiencedimmediately.Itisthereonlybyreferringustosomethingelse,
somethingfinite,whichistheobjectofdirectregard."39Henceitis"preapprehended"astranscendingeverycontentofmind,andthusasa"mystery":"becausewe
possessaprimordialreferencetotheincomprehensiblemystery,thereforeweareabletosetourselvesatacriticaldistancefromeveryindividualobjectanditemof
knowledge:wecandistinguishandarrangeparticularobjectsofexperiencewearecapableofrecognizingeachindividualpieceofknowledgeasprovisional,
ideologicallysuspectoropentoimprovement."40Likewise,becauseofthishorizontheimaginationisnotcompletelydeterminedbytheprevioussymbolicpatternsand
linguisticformsinwhichtheindividualhasbeeninculturatedandsocialized,butisinprinciplefreetorespondtonewquestionsleadingtonewimages,insights,
judgments,andselfdeterminations.

Insummary,theapplicationoftranscendentalmethodtohumanknowingarrivesattheconclusionthat,ontheonehand,theknowledgeofsensiblerealitytakesplace
withinthehorizonofanonobjectivepreapprehensionofbeingontheotherhand,thatanyknowledgeof"spiritual"realities(includingtheknowledgeoftheselfas
spiritthatisthebasisforontology)41isnecessarilymediated,bothinitsarisingandinitsformulation,bysymbolsthatariseinconnectionwithsensibleexperience,
synthesizedbyimagination.

ThinkinginConceptsandImages

Onthebasisoftheforegoingschema,onemustrejecttherationalistandpositivistpresentationoftherelationbetweenconceptualthoughtandimagination.Rationalism
oftheHegeliantype,aswehaveseen,considerstherealmofimagination

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(Vorstellung)tobealower(althoughlegitimate)levelthatcomestofullnessoftruthonlythroughsublation(Aufhebung)intotheconcept(Begriff).Positivismgoes
further:itlimitstherangeofvalid"thought"totheworldofmesocosmicempiricalobjectsandrelegatesdiscourseaboutthenonempiricalthemetaphysicalaswellas
theartisticandreligioustotherealmofthemerelyimaginary.
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AlthoughitisperhapsoverlyoptimistictospeakwithGarrettGreenofthe"demise"ofpositivism,42itisclearlythecasethatcontemporaryscienceandphilosophy
revealthepresuppositionsofpositivisticthoughttobeepistemologicallynaive.Greennotesthattheadvancesofcontemporaryscienceallowustorecognizethe
limitationsandrelativityof"thatmiddlesizedworldthatmodernsciencehadtaughtustocall'reality.'"Sciencenowrecognizesthatthereare"realities"subatomic
particles,forexamplethatcannotbeseenorpictured.Henceourideaof"knowing"isexpandedbeyondthelimitationsimposedbypositivism.
Oneofthemostdebilitatingconsequencesofthebondageofthemodernimaginationtothemesocosmicparadigmsofmodernsciencehasbeenanarrowingofattentiontothose
aspectsofrealitythatcanbevisualizedintermsofNewtonianspaceandtime,andthecorrespondingillusionthatanythingrequiringimaginationmustbeimaginary....Assoon
asoneprobesbeyondthemiddlesizedworldoffamiliarobjects,whetherinnaturalscience,inpoetry,orintheology,imaginationbecomesincreasinglyindispensable.43

QuantumtheoryandpostEinsteinianastrophysicsteachusthattherearethingsthatare"real"thatcannotbeseenorsensedorpictured.Contemporaryscience
supportstheepistemologicalpositionthat"thereal"isnotidenticalwiththebodiesweencounterintheworldofsensibleexperiencewhatLonergancallsthe"already
outtherenowreal."44Rather,"thereal"istheverified:45whatisknownbyinsightintodataandjudgmentbasedonsufficientevidence.Sciencecannotjustifyeitherits
conclusionsor(moresignificantly)itspurposesandmethodswithoutappealtocriteriathatgobeyondthesensibleandthatarerootedinthemind'sexperienceofitself
asadynamismtowardtheintelligible.Inthisperspectivethereisnointrinsicconflict,butratheracomplementaritybetweenscientificthoughtandthepursuitofan
ontologicalleveloftruth.

Atthesametime,contemporaryscienceandphilosophyevincearenewedappreciationoftheplaceofimagination,notasa"lower"leveltobereplacedbyconceptual
thinking,butasbothanintrinsiccomponentinthelatterandacomplimentaryapproachtoreality.46Wemaydistinguishthreewaysinwhichimaginationfunctionsin
thought:first,asanecessarystageinthedevelopmentanduseofabstracttheoreticalconceptssecond,asanindependentwayofknowingthedimensionof"meaning"
third,asanecessarymeansofpersonalintegrationofthedifferentrealmsofknowingandanintrinsicelementwithinallconceptualthoughtthatisnotpurelyabstract.

First,imaginationhasadistinctandlimitedbutcrucialfunctioninthegenerativeprocessofallthinking,includingtheabstract/conceptualthoughtofwhichscienceand
mathematicsaretheprimeexamples.Theobjectsofquantumphysics,forexample,canbeexpresseddirectlyonlythroughtheoreticalexplanatorycategoriesand
mathematicalrelationsthat,asLonergansays,offernofootholdfor

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sensibleimages.47(Tothisextentthereisaparallelbetweentheobjectsandmethodsofthenaturalsciencesandthoseofmetaphysicsandtheology.)48Thisfact
revealsthedifferencebetweentwowaysofthinking.For,asLonerganmakesclear,theimpossibilityof"picturing"theobjectsoftheoreticalreasondoesnotapply
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onlytophysicallyinvisiblerealities,buttoanythingwhatsoeverwhenconsidered"initself":
nothingitself,nothingasexplained,canbeimagined....Onceoneentersuponthewayofexplanationbyrelatingthingstooneanother,onehassteppedoutofthepaththat
yieldsvalidrepresentativeimages...ifI...prescindfromallobservers,thenIalsoprescindfromallobservables.Astheelectron,soalsothetree,insofarasitisconsidereda
thingitself,standswithinapatternofintelligiblerelationsandoffersnofootholdforimagination.Thedifferencebetweenthetreeandtheelectronissimplythatthetree,besides
beingexplained,alsocanbeobservedanddescribed,whiletheelectron,thoughitcanbeexplained,cannotbedirectlyobservedandcanbedescribedadequatelyonlyintermsof
observablesthatinvolveotherthingsaswell.49

However,theimpossibilityofvalidrepresentationalordescriptiveimagesforthecontentoftheoretical,explanatorycategoriesdoesnotimplytheexclusionorthe
devaluationof"imagination,"evenonthislevelofthinking.Foreventhemostabstractthoughtarisesfrom"phantasms"orimages.Contemporaryneurologyseemsto
confirmthisobservationofScholasticcognitionaltheory.AccordingtoneurologistAntonioDamasio,"thought"includesbothwordsandarbitrarysymbols.Theseare
basedontopographicallyorganizedrepresentationsinthebrain,whichgiverisetoimages:"Mostofthewordsweuseinourinnerspeech,beforespeakingorwritinga
sentence,existasauditoryorvisualimagesinourconsciousness.Iftheydidnotbecomeimages,howeverfleetingly,theywouldnotbeanythingwecouldknow."50

Second,thereisalsoawidersenseoftheterm"imagination."Itsfunctioninthissenseisnotrestrictedtothereproductionofabsentsensationsbutincludesthe
insightfuldiscoveryandconstructionofanalogies,metaphors,andparadigmsitcanemployverbalaswellassensibleandabstractsymbols.51AlbertEinstein,
describinghisownthinkingprocess,attributedthemajorroletovisualimagery,andconsideredthatwordshadtobesoughtonlyatalaterstage.52Damasioalso
quotesphysicistandbiologistLeoSzilard:"Thecreativescientisthasmuchincommonwiththeartistandthepoet.Logicalthinkingandananalyticalabilityare
necessaryattributestoascientist,buttheyarefarfromsufficientforcreativework.Thoseinsightsinsciencethathaveledtoabreakthroughwerenotlogicallyderived
frompreexistingknowledge."53GarrettGreencallsimaginationinthissense"theparadigmaticfaculty,theabilityofhumanbeingstorecognizeinaccessibleexemplars
theconstitutiveorganizingpatternsofother,lessaccessibleandmorecomplexobjectsofcognition."54AsGreenpointsout,contemporaryphilosophyofscience
accordsaprimaryroleto"imaginative"thinkingnotonlyintheoriginofscientificthoughtbutalsoinitsexercise.55Theuseofmodelsandparadigmsbecomes
increasinglyimportantpreciselybecausetheobjectsofcontemporarysciencetranscendwhatcanbevisualizedintermsofNewtonianspaceand

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time56(as,forexample,theimaginativemodelsof"particle"and"wave"areusedtogenerateinsightsaboutsubatomicparticlesthatareneithertheonenortheother).

Third,imaginationinboththe"representational"andanalogical/paradigmaticsensesiscrucialtothekindofknowledgethatdealsnotmerelywithobjectsbutalsowith
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theworldmediatedandconstitutedbymeaning,theworldofpersonsandhistoricalevents.Philosophy,religion,art,music,andpoetry,includingverbalimagesand
metaphors,canembodythislevelofmeaning:first,byevokingthefundamentalsenseofadmirationor"wonder"thatinspiresthesearchformeaninginallitsrealmsand
thatpermitstheattainmentofthatintensificationofconsciousnessessentialtoone'sontologicalselfappropriation57second,bymediatingaformofintelligencethat
eludes(butalsocomplements)discursive,conceptualrationalitythird,byprovidingameansofsymbolizingtruthsthattranscendtheobjective/empiricallevel.

Theimportanceofimagination(inallitssenses)forthinkingisparticularlyevidentwhenweconsiderothermodesofintelligencethantherational/conceptual/
discursive.Itisfrequentlypointedoutthattherationalistconceptionofreason,concentratingalmostexclusivelyonidea(Begriff)andtheconnectionofideasby
thematiclogic,isoverlyrestricted.Anumberofcontemporaryphilosophersandtheologianshaverevindicatedtheplaceofthedimensionvariouslycalled
"feeling"(Gefhl)or"affect"or"theheart"(dasGemt)inhumanintentionality(or"rationality,"inthewidestsenseoftheterm).58Thehigherfeelingsoraffects(as
distinguishedfrommerelybiologicallydetermineddispositions)aretheembodiment)(intheliteralsense)59ofalatent,habitualactualizationofintentionality(i.e.,the
subject'sunitywiththeotherinknowledgeandlove)the''attunement"ofthepractical,actingselftotruthsandvalues.60Assuch,theyrepresentagenuineformof
rationality(insight,evaluation,affirmation,responsibleselfdisposition),butonethatdoesnotproceedthroughtheconceptualizationandreflexivelogicaloperation
generallyassociatedwith"reasoning."InScholasticterminology,theyareaformofknowingby"connaturality"a"feltresonanceofthebeing(nature)oftheagent,a
natureattunedbyresponsibleaction."61

Affectperseisnonconceptualandnonrepresentational(i.e.,ofobjects)62butitisintimatelyrelatedtoimaginationinseveralways.Likeallmodesofhumancognition,
itdependsforitsorigin(atleastultimately)onrepresentationsofsensibleexperience.Moreover,imagesandimaginativeconstructsspeaktoaffect,asthesynthesisof
one'spersonalbeing,inanimmediateway,evokingahabitualorconnaturalknowledge63theycanbeusedassymbolsofaffect,asitslanguageormodeof
communication64andtheycanmediateparadigmaticassociationsamongaffects(aswellasbetweenaffectsandconceptual,discursivethought).Suchanimaginative
and"aesthetic"65modeofrationalityisfamiliarinoureverydayintellectualoperationanddecisionmakingthematicallyreflexive,discursivethoughtistheexceptional
modeofrationalityonetowhichwereferwhendoubtisintroduced,whencriticalcontrolisneeded,orwhensystemisdesired.InTallon'swords:

affectiveconnaturalityisthenormal...waythegoodperson...existsandacts.Connaturalknowingandlovingarenottheexceptions,thebackup

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system,asitwere,forwhendiscursive,conceptualknowledgeanddeliberativefreedomfail...butjusttheopposite:itiswhendiscernmentofspiritsbyaffectiveconnaturalityin
one'spersonalsituationfails...thatyouthenmustfallbackbydefaultonreasoningdiscursivelyfromgeneralprinciples.66
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Althoughafulltreatmentofthesubjectisimpossiblehere,afewwordsmaybesaidatthispointontheconnectionofbetweenourmoregeneralepistemological
principlesandtheobjectsofthenarrower"aesthetics,"artandthebeautiful.Artmaybeseenasaspecializationintheaesthetickindofintellectionthatoccursthrough
feeling.Asamediumofcommunication,artreproducesinintensifiedformtheexperiencesoflifeexpressedinaction,symbol,image,gesture,andtext,67andinvitesus
toaperceptionoftruthperceivedintheaffective/intellectualmode68asaquestforbeauty,artpresentstheobjectofpositiveaffectandreinforcesourdynamism
towardit.

PaulTillichseesthecognitiveandtheaestheticastwopolesofreason's"grasping"orreceptiveside(asdistinguishedfromits"shaping"function).69"Theoria"for
Tillichistheactoflookingattheencounteredworldtotakesomethingofitinto"thecenteredself''asa"meaningful,structuredwhole."70"Everyaestheticimageor
cognitiveconceptissuchastructuredwhole."71Althoughbothkindsoftheoriaarerationalandbothhaveanemotionalcomponent,intheaestheticmodethe
emotionalelementismoredecisive.Moreover,withineachpolethereisacontinuum:"Musicisfurtherremovedfromthecognitivefunctionthanthenovel,and
technicalscienceisfurtherremovedfromtheaestheticrealmthanbiographyorontology."72Eachmode,moreover,hasitsownrationalstructures.ThisforTillichis
themeaningofPascal'sfamousphraseabout"reasonsoftheheartwhichreasoncannotcomprehend"(Penses,277):"Here'reason'isusedinadoublesense.The
'reasonsoftheheart'arethestructuresofaestheticandcommunalexperience(beautyandlove)thereason'whichcannotcomprehendthem'istechnicalreason."73

Gadameralsoarguesthat"artisknowledge[Erkenntnis]andtheexperienceofartisasharingofthisknowledge."74Theexperienceofartcontainsaclaimtotruth

whichiscertainlydifferentfromthatofscience,butequallycertainlyisnotinferiortoit....[A]rtisticexperienceisamodeofknowledgeofauniquekind,certainlydifferentfrom
thesensoryknowledgewhichprovidessciencewiththedatafromwhichitconstructsknowledgeifnature,andcertainlydifferentfromallmoralrationalknowledgeandindeed
fromallconceptualknowledge,butstillknowledge,i.e.thetransmissionoftruth...75

As"representation,"theworkofart(liketheword)isanontologicalevent:itisthe"beingthere[Dasein]ofwhatisrepresented."

Tracyseesthefunctionofartinasimilarway:"whenanyoneofusiscaughtunawaresbyagenuineworkofart,wefindourselvesinthegripofanevent,ahappening,
adisclosure,aclaimtotruthwhichwecannotdenyandcanonly

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eliminatebyourlatercontrolledreflection."76The"classic"workofartisonethatmediatessuchdisclosures:77
Wefindourselves"caughtup"initsworld.Weareshocked,surprised,challengedbyitsstartlingbeautyanditsrecognizabletruth,itsinstinctfortheessential.Intheactual
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experienceofartwedonotexperiencetheartistbehindtheworkofart.Ratherwerecognizethetruthofthework'sdisclosureofaworldofrealitytransforming,ifonlyofa
moment,ourselves:ourlives,oursenseforpossibilities,andactuality,ourdestiny.78

ForGadamer,philosophy,art,andhistory(towhichwemustaddreligionandtheology)"areallmodesofexperienceinwhichatruthiscommunicatedthatcannotbe
verifiedbythemethodologicalmeanspropertoscience"79preciselybecausethelattermethodicallyprescindsfromthesubjectiveandtransempiricalelement
involvedinsuchtruth.80Subjectiveandintersubjectivemeaninginvolvesrealitiesthatcannotbeexpressed"literally"incategoriestakenfromtheempiricalworld.
Sincethelatterarebasictothoughtandlanguage,81theymustinevitablybeemployedtoembodynonempiricalinsightbutinananalogicaland/ormetaphorical
way.82Hence,incontrasttotheclassicalviewthatseesmetaphorasamererhetoricalorartisticflourish,83wemustrecognizethatthereareaspectsofthehuman
encounterwithrealitythatcannotbeexpressedwithoutit.84

Thefacultyofimaginationisthereforeinvolvedintheperceptionofmeaningonmultiplelevels:intherepresentationofsensationsand/orfeelingsthatevokeorembody
insights(whichmayormaynotalsobeexpressedconceptually)inthemetaphoricaluseofwordsintheparadigmaticuseofhistoricaleventsasmodels85andinthe
analogousapplicationofconcepts.

Moreover,theuseofanalogicalimagination,incombinationwithinverseinsight,86allowsustousethemodeofunderstandingpropertoonerealmtoattaininsightin
another.Lonerganmakesacriticaldistinctionbetweendifferentkindsor"realms"ofunderstanding(allofwhicharevalid):"commonsense"describesthingsasthey
relatetooursensiblemodeofperception"theory''attemptstoexplainthings"inthemselves"orasrelatedtootherthings,prescindingfromthewayweperceivethem
"interiority"relatesthesetwopriorrealmstoeachotherbyrelatingthemandtheirobjectstothesubject'sconditionsandmodesofknowing.AsLonergan's
phenomenologyofmindinInsightshows,"imagination"inthewidersenseiscrucialtotheattainmentofunderstandingineachoftheserealms.Itisalsocrucialinthe
abilitytomovefromonerealmtoanotherthatdistinguishesexplicitlydifferentiatedconsciousness.

Weknowandcommunicateaspersons,notpurelyasscientistsorpeopleofcommonsenseorcognitionaltheoristsandanalogousimaginationisnecessarytothe
personalintegration(whilepreservingthedistinction)ofthedifferentrealmsofknowledge.87Explanatorycategoriesthemselvesmustbeexplainedandimagination
occupiesacriticalroleinthelearningevenoftechnicaltheoreticallanguage.88(Naturally,whenimagessimplyreplaceabstractions,therearisesthedangerofthesort
ofmisunderstandingLonergansovehementlywarnsagainstthegenerationofabstractinsightfromimagesinvolvesaninverseaswellasapositive

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insight,insofaras,ingraspinganabstractintelligibility,onealsograspstheirrelevanceofwhatbelongstothe"empiricalresidue.")89

Inshort,thereisbothaninterpenetrationandacomplementaritybetweenabstractconceptualthoughtandimaginativethinking.AsGreensays,"Theclearestwayto
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representtherelationofimagetoconcept...isnotasadichotomybut[as]aspectrum,extendingfromthepregnantimage,fullofimplicitorpotentialapplication,to
thedevelopedconcept,inwhichtheunderlyinganalogyhasbeenarticulatedanddelimited."90

Attheextremesofthespectrumaremutuallyexclusive,complementaryspecializationsofknowing:purelybiologicalinteractionwithenvironmentasthe"alreadyout
therenowreal"andpurelytheoreticalexplanatoryorheuristicconcepts(Lonergan'srealmof"theory").91Butmosthumanthinkingtakesplaceinacomplexinteraction
betweenthevariousdifferentiationsofconsciousness.Alreadyinperceptionandsensibleimaginationthereisadegreeofabstractionpresentbecauseofthecultural
andlinguisticapriorithatdirectsorevenconstitutesoursensiblerepresentationsandexplanatorytheory,evenofthemostabstractkind,arisesoutofimaginationand
hashumancontentandconnectionwiththeworldofexperienceonlythroughimagination'sparadigmaticandanalogicalfunctioning.

Themostexplicitmediationbetweenthesensible/imaginativeandthetheoreticalrealmstakesplaceinphilosophy,whichmayexpressitselfinbothrealms.
Consciousnessofthevariousdifferentiationsofknowledgeandtheneedtorelatethemtooneanotherleadstoaphilosophythattakesitsmethodologicalstancenot
fromtherealmofscientifictheory,norfromcommonsense,butfromhumaninteriority.Itfindsitsdatainintentionalconsciousnessandrelatesthedifferentrealmsof
meaningtooneanotherthroughthesubject'sselfappropriationasaknower."92Suchatranscendentalphilosophy(andbyextensionthefundamentaltheologyderived
fromit)seesbothimaginationandconceptinthedualcontextof(1)thepreapprehendedbutincomprehensiblefinalobjectofthemind'sdynamism,and(2)the
conditionsofknowinginherentinafinite,material,historical,andsocialbeing.Inthisperspectivetherelationofimaginationtoconceptisnotthatoffalsetotruenor
lowertohigher,butoneofmutualinterpenetrationandcomplementarityinthepolymorphismofhumanknowingofthetranscendent"real."

Finally,theaboveshouldshedsomelightontheconflictandthesimilaritybetweenwordandimagethatissocentraltoSchoenberg'sMosesundAron.Hereagain,
wearefacedwithaspectrumandanoverlappingoffunctionsratherthanatotaldisjunction.Words(asAaronpointsout)canform"pictures"and,ontheotherhand,
pictures,gestures,andothersensibleimagescanserveashieroglyphsorideogramsthatsymbolizeabstractideas,93andcanconstitutea"language"tocommunicate
complexnonempiricalmeanings.Moreover,aswehaveseen,theprocessofintellection("reasoning,"initswidesense)cantakeplacethroughsymbolicstructures
otherthanverballanguage.Furthermore,wordandimagealikearerootedinsensation.Againstanyfundamentalismoridolatryofthewordwemustrecognizethat
words,likeimages,areincapableofgraspingthetranscendent.

Thishavingbeensaid,itmustberecognizedthatspokenandwrittenlanguagenotonlyistheprimarymeansofhumancommunicationbutalsohasa

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particularaptitudefortheexpressionoftheworldmediatedandconstitutedbymeaning.AsRicoeursays,"thewordhastheadmirablepropertyofmakingitssonority
transparent,offadingawaybodilyingivingrisetotheactthatconfersthesense."94Thewordcangenerallyrepresentabsentrealities,abstractideas,analogies,and
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judgmentsinamoreclearanddirectwaythanspatialimages.Whileitssymbolicqualityextendsitsrangetopoetry,thecapacityofwordtoexpressjudgmentsof
beingandofdoingmakeitthenormal(althoughnotexclusive)mediumofontologicalandethicalthought.Aboveall,word'suniqueabilitytoexpressnegationdirectly
makesitcapableofexpressinginverseinsightandtranscendence.Itispossibleforphysicalimagestoevokethesedimensionsofthoughtonemightthink,for
example,ofZenpaintingorChristianicons,whichuseconventionalizedstylestotelltheviewerthatthemeaningoftheimageisnottobefoundsimplyintheactof
seeing.Butthereisadirectnessandeconomyintheword"not"thatimagescannotapproach.Moreover,whilethephysicalimagemaysymbolicallyrepresentwhatis
immaterial,italwayscontainsthedangerofbeingreducedtoitsmaterialcontent.Althoughspokenwordsarealsomaterial,theirmaterialformis(generally)not
identicalwithwhattheyrepresent,butisaconventionalsignhencetheformcannotbemistakenforthemeaning.Andthespokenword'sinvisibilityandlackof
extendedphysicaldurationgiveitasimilaritytotheactofthought(sothatScholasticrationalpsychologyreferredtotheactofunderstandingasaverbuminternum,
eventhoughthiswasnotidentifiedwiththelinguisticword,whichwasconceivedasbeinglogicallyalthoughnotnecessarilychronologicallysubsequenttoit).

Furthermore,althoughspokenandwrittenlanguagearenottheonlymediaofrationality,thewordhasanirreplaceablepositioninthespecificallyexplanatory,
systematic,andcriticalfunctionsofreason.Rahnerpointsoutthat"Rationalityassuchisnotdirectedinthefirstinstancetotheparticularcontentofaproposition:
rather,itisordered,inaconstantlynewway,tothemethodsandvalidityoftheconnectionofpropositionstooneanother."95Thatis,"rationality"aimsnotmerelyat
understandingbutalsoatbuilding"systems."Imagesmayindeedbeusedtoformasystematiccontextbuttheeconomy,universalavailabilityand"portability"ofthe
worlditsabilitytocommunicateovervastreachesofspaceandtimewithminimaleffortmakeitthenormalmediumofreasonthatseekssystematiccontrolover
meaningsandposesthequestionofverification.

Atthesametime,itshouldnotbeforgottenthatalllanguageandnotmerelylanguageinitsartisticandmythicusesisinherently"anthropomorphic"andcarriesan
unconscious"projection"oftheacquiredandinbornaprioristructuresofthemindintoourperceptionofreality.Thisisnottosaythatsuchapriorispreventour
reachingrealityonthecontrary,theyaretheconditionforourdoingso.Butitmeansthatallhumanknowledgeis"relative"toourwayofknowing.

ConceivingandImaginingtheDivineSelfRevelation

Onthebasisoftheforegoinggeneralepistemologicalprinciples,wemaynowundertaketoconstructtheoutlineofthefirstpartofa"fundamental"theological

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aestheticsthatis,thediscernmentoftheconditionsofpossibilityforthecommunicationandperceptionofrevelationinsensibleform.Thecentralconcernisto
examinehowwordsandimagescanbeusedtomediatetheknowledgeofGod'sselfrevelation.Aswehaveseenabove,thiswillinvolveconfrontingtwoothermore
basicissues:howGodisknowabletoamindintrinsicallytiedtosenseperception,andhowGodcanberevealedthroughhumanhistory.
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HumanityasGod's"Image"

Theessenceoftheanswertothecentralquestioncanbeformulatedinatheologicalthesisthatcorrespondstowhatisexpressedsymbolicallyinthe"prologue"tothis
chapter:Godisknowablethroughwordandimagebecauseandinsofarasthehumanbeingisitselfthe"image"ofGod.96Ofcourse,tospeakofhumanityasGod's
"image"isitselftouseanimage.Hencetheexaminationoftheconditionsforthevalidityofusingthisimagethatofthe"imageofGod"itselfshouldprovidea
paradigmaticcaseforunderstandingthetheologicaluseofwordsandimagesingeneral.

Thestatementthatthehumanbeingis"inGod'simage"tellsusthattherelationbetweenGodandhumanityissomethinglikewhatoccurswhenweseeareflectionina
mirrororarepresentationinapaintingorasculpture:97theformandbeingoftheoriginalrealityaremanifestedorrevealedinanother.Pannenberg,following
contemporaryexegesis,notesthattheaffirmationofhumanity'screation"intheimageandlikenessofGod"inGen.1:26f.servesasthejustificationofhumanity's
functioninsharingGod'screativityand"rule"overtheearth.ButwhatthelikenesstoGodreallyconsistsof,"Gen.1:26f.doesnottellusanddoesnotneedtotellus,
sincethepointofthestatementistoprovideabasisforthefunction."98Itislefttosubsequenttheologicalreflectiontoexplainmorepreciselythenatureofthe
similarityofhumanitytoGodimpliedbytheimageofGod's"image.''99

Althoughthephilosophicalcontextsandtheologicalemphasesofsuchexplanationsvary,whatisconstantistherecognitionthatourlikenesstoGodconsistsaboveall
inwhatwemaytodaycallour"personal"nature:our"openness"tobeing,ourcapacityfordialoguewithGodandwithothersintheepitomizingcategoriesof
traditionalphilosophicallanguage,ourabilitytoknowandlove.St.ThomasAquinas,forexample,statesthatfinitethingscanbesaidtobe"like"Godinseveralways
andatdifferentlevels:first,insofarastheyexistsecond,insofarastheyarealivethird,insofarastheyarerational,thatis,canknoworunderstand.Thelastiswhat
constitutesforThomasthe"specific"humansimilaritytoGodthatmakesusGod's"image."100

ThehumancapacitytoknowandloveconstitutesanimageofGodbecauseitparticipatesinbeingonthelevelofselfconsciousness,selfconstitution,andfreedom.
Thisinturnmeansthatitshorizonisinprincipleunrestricted:wecanaffirmandvaluetheselfasselfandtheotherasotheronlyinthelightofthepreapprehensionof
beingandgoodnessasatotality.Inthis,thestructureofthemindisopentoandreflectsthedivine.Theprimary"object"ofGod'sknowledgeandloveisthedivine
beingitself:GodknowsandlovesallthingsinGod'sself,

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andasparticipationsofGod'sbeing.ThisstatementofcoursedependsuponthenotionofGodasaninfiniteandperfectactofconsciousness,orwhatLonergancalls
the"IdeaofBeing."101
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ThisconceptionofGodunderliestheTrinitarianapplicationoftheideaofthehumanmindasGod'simage,ananalogyformulatedclassicallybySt.Augustineandgiven
furtherprecisionbySt.Thomas.Withoutgoingintoeitherthehistoryofthe"psychologicalanalogy"oritscontemporaryinterpretations,wemayexpressitscentral
insightinthefollowingformulation:becauseitisofGod'sverynaturethatGodcananddoesexpressandknowGod'sselfinwhatisotherthanGod(thatis,because
Godis"Word"),andbecauseGodislovingunitywiththatother(thatis,becauseGodis"Spirit"or"proceeding''love),thereforeGodisrevealedorimagedinthe
humanmindthatcomestoselfactualizationthroughunderstandingandlove.(Inthisformulation,the"immanent"Trinityisseenastheconditionofpossibilityforthe
"economic"Trinityofhistory.)

AnotherformulationofthesameinsightmightbeginwiththefactthatGodisnotsimply"a"beingalongsideothers(whichwouldmakeGodfinite),but"includes"all
beingswithinGod'sselfconsciousself.HencethedistinctionbetweenGodandGod'screationcannotbeconceivedonthemodelofdistinctionsbetweenfinitebeings,
butis,asRahnersays,adistinction"within"Godor,asRahneralsoputsit,GodisthedistinctionoftheworldfromGod'sself.102Thatis,God'screative"act,"by
whichGodcreates,knows,andlovesthefinite"other,"isidenticalwithGod,asisalsoGod'sselfcommunicationby"grace."BecauseGodis,inshort,aconscious
unitythatincludeswhatisdifferentiatedfromitself(bycreativeandselfrevealingknowledgeandlove),thereforehumanknowingandloving,whichaimataunityin
difference,aretheimageofGod.

Forthehumanmindtobe"like"God'suniversalknowledgeandlove,itmustbeopentoallthatcanbeknownandloved,includingGod.103Indeed,sincethe
knowledgeandloveofGodmustincludeallthatis"in"Godthatis,allthatGodknowsandloveswemaysaywithSt.Thomasthatthehumanpersonisthe
"image"ofGodin(1)thecapacityforand(2)theaccomplishmentoftheknowledgeandloveofGod104understanding,however,thatthelattertakesplaceonlyin
andthroughtheworld,especiallytheworldconstitutedbyhumanmeaning,sothatthe"image"ofGodisnotmerely"spiritual"andpersonalbutalsointerpersonaland
historicalincharacter.

TheTheologyofRevelation

Thejustificationandexplicationoftheseaffirmationsinvolvesananthropologicallybasedtheoryofrevelation.Thisinturnwillexplainwhy,how,andtowhatextentthe
"image"ofGod,asunderstoodabove,groundstheuseofwordsandimagestorepresentthedivinebeing.IshallreferprimarilytoRahner'stranscendentaltheologyas
thebasisfortheoutlineofsuchatheory.

TheunderlyingpremiseofRahner'stheologyofrevelationistheinseparableconnectionoftheknowledgeandloveofGodwithourengagementwiththeworld.Itis
becauseourknowledgeandloveofGodandoftheworldareintrinsicallylinkedthathumanhistoryisthepossiblelocusandmediumforGod'sself

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revealingaction.Thatis,itisbecauseouraccesstoGodisalwaysmediatedbytheworld,andbecauseourrelationstotheworldalwaystakeplacewithinthehorizon
ofadynamismtowardGod,thatevents,persons,thoughts,words,andimagesareabletoserveasGod'srevelation.
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TheprimalpresenceofGodtothehumanspiritthenotitiaDeiinsita105isnotinthemodeofanobjectoranidea,butoccursasthecoaffirmedconditionof
possibilityfortheknowingandlovingofobjects.106Thispresenceisatthesametimetheimplicit"goal"(Woraufhin)ofandreasonforthedynamismtoknowand
love.Aswehaveseen,thismeansthatGodisknowninauniquemanner,asthetranscendent"mystery"thatcanneverbeadequately"grasped"orconceptually
delimited,becauseitisitselftheconditionofpossibilityforalldelimitationsinceitisthehorizonwithinwhichalldistinctiontakesplace,itcanneveritselfbedefined.
EveryattempttonameorunderstandGodmustagainresorttothepreapprehensionoftheinfinite:''107
TheWhither[Woraufhin]oftranscendentalexperienceisalwaysthereasthenameless,theindefinable,theunattainable.Foranamedistinguishesanddemarcates,pinsdown
somethingbygivingitanamechosenamongmanyothernames.Buttheinfinitehorizon,theWhitheroftranscendencecannotbesodefined.Wemayreflectuponit,objectivate
it,conceiveofitsotospeakasoneobjectamongothers,delimititconceptually:thissetofconceptsisonlytrue,andacorrectandintelligibleexpressionofthecontent,whenthis
expressionanddescriptionisoncemoreconditionedbyatranscendentactdirectedtotheWhitherofthistranscendence.108

ThemysteryofbeingthatispreapprehendedinthiswayisidentifiedwithGodonlybysubsequentreflectiononreligiousexperience.Oncethisidentificationismade,
thenonobjectivepreapprehensionwhicharisesonlyinconnectionwiththeknowledgeoffiniteobjectsandisonlysubsequentlythematizedasadistinctaspectof
experiencebecomesthepointofreferenceandthehermeneuticalkeytoallthematicknowledgeofGod.Toknowwhat"God"means,wemustcontinuallyreturnto
theexperienceoftheunlimitedhorizonofourfinitespiritualacts:"sincemerelytoremovethelimitsoffinitudeassuchisnotenoughtobringaboutanunderstandingof
whattheabsolutelyandpositivelyinfinitemeans."109Thereis,then,apositiveaswellasanegativeaspecttoourmostfundamentalandnonconceptualknowledgeof
God.Itconsists,notinagraspofthedivineessence,butinthegraspofourownmovementtowarditinthe"excess"thatweexperienceinknowingthebeing110of
finiteobjects.111

ThepreapprehensionofGodthatconstitutesthehumanopennesstobeingistheconditionofpossibilityforGod'sselfrevelation.Existentially,thepreapprehensionof
thetotalityisnotadequatelydistinguishablefromGod'sselfofferandselfgiftontheleveloftranscendentalreflection,thedistinctionbetweenthetwowhich
correspondstotheclassicaldistinctionbetween"natural"and"supernatural"revelationistheologicallyneededforthesakeofexplainingthe"pointof
insertion"(Anknpfungspunkt)andthegratuityofgrace.ForRahner,revelationisessentiallypersonalandrelationalratherthanmerelypropositionalthatis,it
consistsessentially,notinthereceptionofcertain"information"con

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cerningGod,butinGod'scommunicatingGod'sownself.112RevelationdoesnoteliminateGod'sessentialmystery,butinvitesusintoit.113God'sself
communication"isandremainstheimmediatecomingintothepresenceofGod'sincomprehensibility"114butinsuchawaythat(1)weareinvitedtointimate
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communionwiththatmysteryasourultimatebeatitude:"Thisradicalprocess[ofourtransformationbygrace]nolongerleavesGodatadistance,approachedbut
neverattained,thefaroffmoveroftheimpulsesofthehumanspiritactingthroughknowledgeandfreedomitmakesGodinhimselfanattainablegoal,thoughhestill
remainsanabidingmystery,eveninthebeatificvision"115and(2)weareenabledtoacceptthatmysteryinlove:"Theactinwhichmancanallowforandaccept
God'sincomprehensibility...withoutbeingbrokenbyit...istheactofselfsurrenderinglovetrustingentirelyinthisveryincomprehensibility."116

Onceagain,thekeytoRahner'stheologyofrevelationliesinunderstandingmaterialandinterpersonalexistenceastheintrinsicconditionforhumanspiritualbeing.117
Quidquidrecipitur,secundummodumrecipientisrecipitur:118God'sselfgift,inordertocometousashumans(whichalsomeanstocreateusashumansona
newlevel),mustbefreelyacceptedbyusinthemannerthathumanknowledgeandfreedomoperate119thatis,mediatedbytheworld,120beginningwithour
biologically,socially,andlinguisticallyformedsubjectivity.Thereisforhumanbeingsnopurelytranscendentalexperience:thetranscendentiscoexperiencedasthe
transcendentalconditionofpossibilityofspatiotemporalthingsandevents,and(bythesametoken)asimmanentandoperativewithinthem.God'spersonalself
revelation,therefore,cannotbeapurelyinternalandtranscendentaleventitstranscendental"aspect"isrealizedonlythroughcategoricalmediation.Revelationmust
therefore"also"haveexternalform,121throughGod's"words"and"acts"ofselfmanifestationinhistory.

Itistruethatonemightsay,inRahner'stheology,thattheinteriorpresenceof"grace"isalreadyGod's"word."But
iftheverbalcommunicationofGodwasalreadycompleteintheinnerwordofgrace,inthe"illumination"byinteriorgracealone,thenmanwouldalwaysandessentially
accomplishhissalvationonlyinthenonreflective,unobjectivatedtranscendenceofhisbeing,whilethedimensionofworldlyobjectsandcategoriesremainedoutsidethescope
ofsalutaryacts,andmanwouldbeclaimedbyGodonlyinthe"finepoint"ofhissoul,inhissecretprofundities,butnotinthewholewidthofhisbeingwithallitsdimensions....
Further,ifthingsweresomanwouldnotbeclaimedbytheeventofsalvationinhissocialdimension.Butifmanisessentiallyandprimordiallyabeinginacommunity,eveninthe
dimensionoftheindividualsalutarydecision,thenknowledgeofhisgracecannotbeadequatelygivenbyhisinnerexperienceofgracealone:itmustalsocometohimfrom
without,thoughnotexclusively,fromtheworld,fromthecommunity,fromthehistoryofsalvationwhichisasocialeventhistoricallytransmitted.Butthismeansthatthe
proclamationofthewordofGod,thatis,thewordinsofarasitisconveyedbythehistorical,externalsalvificactofGodasanintrinsicmomentofthisactandbythecommunity
ofbelievers,belongsnecessarilytotheinner

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momentsofGod'ssalvificactiononman.Atthesametime,theexternalrevelationmustdependtheinternal"word"(i.e.,theexperienced"excess"resultingfromGod's
ungraspableimmediatepresenceasthegoalofourspiritualdynamism)inorderforittobearevelationofGod.122
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Theimmanence/transcendenceofGod,123asknownfromGod'sprimalselfrevelationasthehorizonoftotality,preventsusfromthinking(i.e.,onthetheoreticallevel)
ofGod'swordsandactsasdistinct"divine"eventsoccurringalongsideworldlyhistoryorinsertedintoit"fromwithout"(althoughtheimageofdivine"intervention"may
yetremainalegitimateonetodescribetheirgratuitousandsupernaturalcharacter).124RahnerenunciatestheprinciplethatGod'scausalityisindirectandnotinverse
proportiontoinnerworldlycausality.HencethehighestlevelofGod'scausality125occursinandthroughhumanrationalityandresponsibilityandrevelation,while
alwaysGod'sfreeandsupernaturalgift,isalsothehumanaccomplishmentoffreelyacceptingthatgift,126beingcreatedandformedbyit,andactualizingitthrough
embodimentinperformanceandformulation:
[The]historyofrevelationisthehistoryofhumanrationality,inasmuchasthroughtheHolySpirit....[R]ationalityislaidopeninitsinherentbeingtotheimmediaterealityofthe
incomprehensiblemysteryandcomestofullselfrealizationthroughhistory.Thehistoryofrevelationisthehistoryofrationalityundertheinfluenceofgrace.127

Thereforesomeeventsandpersonsaremorerevelatorythanothersthemoretheactionsandthoughtsofacreaturereflectsitsgroundednessintheabsolutesource
andgoalofexistencethatis,themorehumanactsandrelationsarefree,intelligible,loving,goodthemoreGodcanbesaidtoactandtocommunicateGod'sself
inthem.128

RevelationisthecommunicationofthelivingmysteryofGod'sself,ofGod'swayofbeing.ThegratuitoussharingofGod'sbeingwithhumanityisanactoflove.
ThereforetherevelationofGod'sselftousisnecessarilyatthesametimetheconstitutionandrevelationofGod'srelationshiptous:whatwearebecauseofGod's
loveandwhatthatloveisinhistory(theserealitiesarereferredtobysuchcategoriesas"salvation,""divinization,"and"revelation"itself).Revelationthereforeconsists
notmerelyinknowingaboutthatwayofbeingbutalsoinourassimilationtoit.Hencerevelationisgiftandaccomplishmentitsprimarymoment,onourpart,isinthe
actsthroughwhichhumansareassimilatedtoGod'swayofbeing,andthatmaythereforebesaidtobethe"symbol"orimageofGod.Thistakesplaceonboththe
individualandthesociallevels:insofarashumanbeingsandtheirinterrelationshipsare"converted,''theybecometheembodimentor"expression"ofGod'slifeshared
withhumanityand"paradigms"or"images"ofhowGodactsandwhatGodisforus.129

Buthumanactivity,preciselyasspiritualactivity,necessarilyinvolvesafurtherdegreeofsymbolization,throughlanguage(initswidestsense,includinggesture,word,
andimage),forhumanslivenotmerelyinthematerialworldbutalsointheworldmediatedandconstitutedbymeaning.Wemaythereforespeakof

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revelationasGod's"Word,"insofarasGod'sselfcommunicationrequireslinguisticorsymbolicforminordertobehumanlyrealizedandcommunicated.130Godis
"speakable"throughsuchsymbolsbecauseofthecorrespondencewithGod'sbeingthatGod'sactsofcreationandselfgivingestablishinus131(presupposing,of
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course,thatGod'sactsareconcretelyrealizedthroughhuman"reception'').SymbolsthatinthemselvescanreferonlytotheworldcanbeusedinspeakingofGod
becauseGodconstitutesa"realsymbol"ofGod'sselfinthematerial/spiritualhistoryofpeopleandthishistoryismediatedandconstitutedonthelevelofmeaningby
linguisticsigns.

The"speechevent"throughwhichGod'srelationtousisestablishedandcommunicatedhistorically132isalsoahumanproductandachievement,atvariouslevelsof
success.WeattaintoassimilationtoGod'swayofbeing(the"image"ofGod)todifferentdegrees,andknowitwithinavailablesymbolsystemsthathavediverse
degreesofdevelopmentandexpressivepotentialities.AsWhiteheadremarks,"Alanguageisnotauniversalmodeofexpressingallideaswhatsoever.Itisalimited
modeofexpressingsuchideasashavebeenfrequentlyentertained,andurgentlyneeded,bythegroupofbeingswhodevelopedthatmodeofspeech."133Atthesame
time,theencounterwithGodasthesourceofthe"excess"beyondeverycontentofthoughtalsoimpliesbreakthroughsinwhichtheavailablelanguagesareexpanded
ortransformedorreinterpretedandourwayoflifeisopenedtofurtherconversion.134

Rahner'sexplanationofrevelationasa"mediatedimmediacy"toGod,135consistingofinseparablyunitedtranscendentalandcategoricalaspects,allowsusto
formulateatheologicalunderstandingofMosesundAron'sresolutionoftheproblemofhistoricalrevelationasGod's"deeds"and"word."Inthethesisenunciatedat
thebeginningofthissection,Godisknowablethroughhistory(includinghumandeeds,words,andimages)notonlybecausebutalso(andonly)insofarasthehuman
beingisitselfthe"image"ofGod.136ButhumanassimilationtoGodisincomplete,subjecttobothdevelopmentanddecline,andisconditionedandproduced(onthe
categoricallevel)byfactorsthatareextrinsictograceorevenopposedtoit.ThefailuresofhumanacceptanceofGod'sselfgiftcandistorttherevelationofGod,
transformingimagesintoidolsbasedupontheprojectionoftheselfanditsneeds:quiaipsinoluntconvertiinmelius,Deumconvertuntinpeius.137

Hence"salvationhistory"initsgeneralformisambiguous:itistherevelationbutalsotheveilingofGod,thesignofsalvationandanantisign:
Thehistoryofreligionisatthesametimethemostexplicitpartofthehistoryofrevelationandtheintellectualregioninwhichhistoricalmisinterpretationsofthetranscendental
experienceofGodoccurmostplainlyandwiththemostseriousconsequences,andwheresuperstitionmostclearlyflourishes.Butitisalwaysacaseofboth,andalwaysinan
ambiguitywhichisforusinextricable.138

Thisambiguitynaturallyextendsaswelltothewordsandimagesthatmediatereligiousmeaning.ToparaphrasePannenberg,Godcan"speak"tousthroughwords
andimagestotheextentthatourheartsareconvertedandopentothe"totality,"thegroundandgoalofexistencebuttotheextentthatourlivesare

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occupiedwithselforwithobjectsinsuchawaythatthesemakeatotalclaimonus,ourwordsandimages,whichalwaysreferinthefirstinstancetotheworld,arein
dangerofbecomingdistorted,mythological,oridolatrous.139
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TheChristianconvictionisthatinJesus,God'sselfgifthasbeenfreelyappropriated,realized,and(therefore)incarnatedinanabsolute,victorious,eschatologicalway.
ThisimpliesthatinJesus'historicalpersonandmission,adefinitive"sign"or"word"or"image"ofGodhasoccurred.140ThereforeJesus'lifeandteachingsprovidea
paradigmforspeechaboutGod,aboutourrelationtoGod,andaboutthehumancommunitycalledintobeingbyGod'slove.

However,thisdoesnotentirelyremovetheproblemofthinkingandimaginingGod.Aproblemremains,first,because,asPannenberginsists,JesusisGod'sdefinitive
revelationonlyinthelightoftheresurrection,whichisaprolepticpresenceofGod'seschatologicaltriumph.141Jesus'lifeandteachingsarerevelatory,notbyescaping
fromhistoricalconditioningandlimitation(includingthelimitationsofJesus'availablelanguageandculture),butbecauseoftheiropennesstothattranscendencethat
becomesradicallypresentintheEasterevent.142HencethefinalmeaningofJesusasrevelationtranscends(althoughitalsodependsupon)thecontentofhisearthly
existenceandteachings.

Second,aswehaveseenabove,thereistheproblemoftheverbalandimaginativetransmissionofthehistoryofJesusanditsmeaning,bothintheiroriginatingcontext
andinrelationtosubsequent"worlds"ofmeaning.HenceforthosewhoreceivefaithinChrist"byhearing"andinChrist'sSpirit,thereremainsthetaskofcorrelating
thereceivedwordofthemessage:withthetranscendentWordwiththeincarnatewordinthehistoricalJesus,sofarashecanbeknowntouswiththevariouswords
andimagesthathaveinterpretedandmediatedthemeaningofJesustootherculturesandgenerations,beginningwiththeNewTestamentitselfandwithmultiple
wordsinwhichGod'sselfgiftisembodiedinotherreligionsandcultures.143

Ifwesummarizetheconclusionsofthispresentationinaschemabeginning"fromabove,"wewillseeaparalleltothethemesofBalthasarandVanderLeeuw,for
whomtheologicalaestheticsmustbeginwithChristastheimageofGodintheworld.144

God'sessentialabilitytoexpressGod'sselfadextraiswhatismeantbysayingthatGodiseternallyLogosandSpirit.145InJesus,theincarnateWordandthemanof
theSpirit,God"speaks"ormanifeststhedivinebeinginhistoryinadefinitiveway:Christisthe"image"oftheinvisibleGod(Col.1:152Cor.4:4Phil.2:5ff.cf.Gen.
1:2627)inRahner'slanguage,God's"realsymbol"146or"sacrament.''InJesus,the"form"ofGodismademanifestinhumanform.BecauseJesussharesthenature
ofhumanity,thatnatureiscapableofbecomingandactuallybecomesthemediumforincarnatingtheformofGod.Hencehumanityassuchhasthepotentialfor
imagingGodandwedosototheextentthatweliveaccordingtotheparadigmofJesus'lifeandinthesameSpirit.Thushumanwaysoflife,thoughts,words,and
imaginationcangivesensible/spiritualformtoGod'spresenceinhistory,orbecomeimagesofGod,insofarastheyreflectorreflectuponGod'sprimalwordand
imagerevealedinChrist,oraretheontologicalpreconditionfordoingso.147

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WaysofThinkingandImaginingGod

Ihaveconceivedthetaskofthefirstpartofafundamentaltheologicalaestheticsastheformulationofatheoryoftheanthropologicalconditionsforthereceptionof
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revelationthroughsensibleperception.Suchatheoryinvolvesdiscerningtheconditionsofpossibilityfor:knowingGodthroughamindintrinsicallytiedtosensibility
receivingarevelationfromGodinpersonalandsymbolicformusingsymbolsandimagestocommunicatetheknowledgeofGodandofhistoricalrevelation.

ThediscussionoftheseissueshasbeenframedintermsofGod's"image"inhumanity.Forthesakeoftheoreticalclarity,wemaymakeanabstractdivisionbetween
twodimensionsofthis"image:"(1)thepermanent"structural"qualitiesofhumanbeing(human''nature")thatmakepossible,and(2)theactualreceptionofGod'sself
revelationandassimilationtoGod'swayofbeing.Theformeristheabstract"conditionofpossibility"forthelatter.148Eachofthesehasbeentreatedschematicallyin
theprevioussection.InwhatfollowsIshalloutlinewithnopretenseatcompletenessortotalsystematizationsomeoftheimplicationsofthistheoryfortheconcrete
useofthoughtandimaginationintherealmofreligionandtheology.

The"structural"imageofGodconsistsoftheintrinsicopennessofthemindtotheabsolutethatistothemysteryofGodassuch.Thisopennessisseeninthepre
apprehensionofthetotalitythatunthematicallyaccompanieseveryactofobjectiveknowingandloving.Intheinterestsofperceivingandexplainingtheintrinsic
rationalityofreligiousconsciousness,wemayalsothematizethisdimensionofexperiencebysubsequentreflection(aswehavedoneinspeakingofthepre
apprehensionofthetotalityandthe"excess"experiencedinknowingandlovingthings).

Thisthematizationservesseveralfunctions.First,itisthebasisforaddressingtwoofthethreeconcernsnamedabove.Themind'sintrinsicopennesstothe
transcendentconstitutesourabilitytoknowGodandourpotencyforreceivingasupernaturalrevelation.Moreover,byadvertingtothe"excess"experiencedasthe
conditionofpossibilityforunderstanding,judgment,andlove,itnotifiesusofthetranscendentqualityofbeingandindicatesthelimitationsofourpositiveknowledgeof
Godastranscendent.Inthissense,itisthebasisofthe"negative"knowledgeofGod:ourabilitytosaywhatisnotGod,149todistinguishGod(but,aswehaveseen,
byauniquedifferentiation)fromfiniteobjectsofknowledgeandfromourwayofknowingthem.Atthesametime,andbythesametoken,itprovidesabasisforthe
heuristicandanalogicalknowledgeofGod.

Whatismeantby"analogy"isessentially,inTracy'sphrase,"alanguageoforderedrelationshipsarticulatingsimilarityindifference."150Initstheologicaluse,it
constitutesthe"grammar"fortheapplicationoflanguagewhosefirstpointofreferenceiswhatisknownthroughthemediationofsensation151tothetranscendent.
Aswehaveseen,intheThomistictheoryofcognition,eventhemostabstractconceptsremainalwaysinseparablefromsensibleexperience,fromwhichtheyare
derived.152Nosuchconceptcancontainor"represent"God'sessence.Nevertheless,thereisarelationbetweenGodandcreatures153andbyvirtueof

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thisrelationcreatures(atvariouslevels)participateinGod'sbeing,andaresimilar"toGod.154Moreover,inthehumanthereisapresenceandlikenessofGodinthe
mind'sopennesstotheinfinite,itspreapprehensionofthetotality,whichisthebasisforitsabilitytomakejudgmentsofbeingandvalue.Inthepositivenonobjective
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presenceandnonthematicknowledgeofGodintheunlimitedintentionalityofmind,theuniquedistinctionofGodfromcreationthatis,God's"immanence"and
"transcendence,"andthecreated''participation"ofbeingsinGodisimplicit.WearethereforeabletodiscernthesimilarityindifferencebetweenGodandcreatures.
AnalogyisthesystematicseriesofjudgmentsinwhichweaffirmtherealrelationofthecreaturetoGod,whileatthesametimedenyingthelimitationsofthecreature
whenitsqualitiesareaffirmed(inan"eminent"way)ofthecreator.155

St.ThomasdistinguishesbetweentermsthatcanbeanalogouslypredicatedofGodinse(like"being"and"goodness")andthosethatrefertoGod'srelationtousand
thecreatedsimilaritiesthatarisefromit.Thelatterare"metaphors"termsthatareappliedtoGodasthecreatorandparadigmofqualitiesorrelationshipsthatare
strictlyspeakingfoundonlyincreatures.156Thisdistinction,NicholasLashobserves,"stemsfrom[the]recognitionthat,ifwearetoapprehendthetruthwhich
metaphorexpresses,wemustfirstdenyitsliteraltruth.Thereare,however,someexpressionsofwhichthisdenialisunnecessary,becausewedonotknowand
cannotspecifythelimitsoftheirliteralapplicability."157Thatis,therearecertaintermsthat,althoughtheyariseoutofsensibleexperience,donotrefertoparticular
objects,butratherthematizethedynamismofourminditself.Suchtermsanticipatethetotalhorizonofknowledgeandlove.Inthissensetheycanbesaidto"intend"
Godbutonlyinaheuristicmanner,asthemysteryofbeing,theknownunknown.

Mostofourlanguage,however,namesobjectsandrelationsintheworldthatareintrinsicallylimitedtheydonotreferdirectlytothetotality(being)assuch,butto
someinstanceorqualityofbeing.TheycanthereforebeappliedtoGodonlymetaphorically,throughthe(atleastimplicit)denialoftheirlimitations.Nevertheless,such
metaphorsandimages,totheextentthattheydesignatepositivequalitiesorrelations,cangiveusgenuineknowledgeofGod.Theirabilitytodosohasthesamebasis
asthatofabstracttranscendentalconcepts:158
Thepossibilityofsuchreligiouslanguage[scl.theuseofmetaphorsandimages]isultimatelybasedontheanalogyofbeing,meaningthatallrealitieshaveaninnerconnection,
refertoeachother,areinsomewayrelated,andcaninthefinalanalysisbeunderstoodonlywhenwetranscendthem,asindividualthings,inthedirectionofthewholeof
reality.159

Whenwespeakofthe"actual"imageofGodrevealedinthehistoricalexistenceofhumanity,weareprimarilyinthelinguisticsphereofimagesandmetaphors.The
humanperson,becauseitparticipatesinGod'sbeing,canmanifestsimilaritytoGodnotmerelyinitsstructurebutalsoinitsconcreteachievementsandrelations
whenandtotheextentthattheseembodyinsomeparticularformGod'screativityand/orselfcommunicationtous.Theseembodimentsarenotoriginallyconceptual,
butlivedandtheirprimarymentalexpressionisin"feeling"

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andinwhatOttocalled"ideograms":"illustrativesubstitutesforconcepts."160Hence,asBalthasaremphasizes,theymustbegraspedasaGestalt,inthe''form"
manifestedbywaysofliving,acting,feeling,andrelatingandtheymustbeunderstoodandcommunicatedprimarilybymeansofnarrativeimagesandparadigms,
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"pictures"ofhumanlifetransformedbyGod.InthisperspectivewemayconcurwithSierig'sdesignationoftheBibleasa"bookofpictures,"161andwithGreen's
statementthatitsunityliesinitsabilityto"renderacoherentGestalt,anormativepatternforthefaithfulimagination."162(WemayfurtheragreewithGreenaslongas
thestatementsarenottakenreductivelythatChrististhe"image"ofGodthroughthenarrativeshapeofhislife,163andthatthe"restored"imageofGodinhumanity
isthenarrativeshapeoflifeconformedtothe"image"ofChrist,thatis,thepatternofhisstory.164)

Inthecommunicationofhistoricalrevelationanalogyagaincomesintoplay,ontwolevels,fornotonlycanweunderstandhumanhistoryastherevelatoryactand
humanthoughtastherevelatory"word"ofGodonlybyanalogy,butwecanunderstandhistoryitselfonlybyanalogy."Eachofusunderstandseachotherthrough
analogiestoourownexperienceornotatall."165Whensuchanalogiesareperceived,religiousclassicsareabletoevokeandshapeourownprimaryreligions
experiencesoftrust,wonder,giftedness,andsoon.166Bythesametoken,however,thereisanintrinsicambiguityinhistoricalrevelation,bothinthelimitationsofthe
revelatoryeventsthemselvesandintheirinterpretivetransmission.Thematerialconditionsthatunderlietheproductionandreceptionofreligiousclassicsmayintroduce
ideologicalfactorsthatconflictwiththeirtheologicalintent167everylanguagebearspreconsciousvaluesandbiases168theimaginativetransferofclassicalsymbols
intonewsituationsandlanguagescanbringaboutdistortionaswellisexpansionofmeaningandthepluralityofreligiousclassicsthemselveschallengestheadequacy
ofeach.169

Hence,inplaceoftherationalistcontrastbetweenVorstellungandBegriff,orLessing's"greatditch"betweentheparticularityofhistoryandtheuniversalityof
reason,thereisacomplexandmultileveleddialecticandcomplementarityoperativebetweenthevariousformsofreligiousthoughtandimagination.First,thereisthe
interplaybetweenthetranscendentalandcategoricalaspectsofrevelation.Second,withinthelatter,thereisthecomplementaritybetweenthepersonalachievementof
convertedexistenceanditsformulationinvarioussymbolicmediabetweenhistoricalevents(insofarastheycanbeknowntous)andtheirreligiousinterpretations
withinthelatterbetweenconceptual,narrativeandpoeticpresentationsandbetweendifferentsystemsofconceptsandfamiliesofimages.170

Withintheology,Ihavesuggestedacomplementaritybetween"aesthetic"andconceptualforms.Thelatter'staskisnottoreplaceeithertheaestheticformor
prereflexivesacredsymbols,buttodevelop"aproperlyreflectivelanguageofcritiqueandparticipationbymeansofthearticulationoftheologicalconceptsthatare
neithermerecategoriesnorsimplereplacementsoftheoriginatingtensivereligionslanguage."171Theologyformulatesthetheoryofanalogythatunderliesdiscourse
aboutGodingeneral:thisallowsthe"retrieval"ofreligiousexperienceina"secondlevel"languageofreflection,forthesakeofreturningtothesymbolinanenriched
way.172

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Fundamentaltheologyinparticularhasthetaskofdiscerningtheimplicationsofthe"primordial"revelationinthepreapprehensionofGodasungraspablemystery.
Fromthethematizationofthelatterarederivedthebasic"attributes"ofGod,which,asSt.Thomassaw,arefundamentallyexpressionsofwhatGodisnot.173That
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is,theyessentiallyfunctionasalinguisticruleforunderstandingthelimitsofallpositiveaffirmations,analogies,andimages.Thislimitationbynegative"theology(which,
aswehaveseen,iscorrelativetothepositivepresenceofGodas"excess"ofmeaning)assuresthatitisGodthatisspokenofinouranalogies,metaphors,andimages
astheoriginofparadigmaticpersonsandevents,andnotamereprojectionofournatureordesires.174ItpreventsouranalogicalreferencestoGodfrombecoming
''merecategoriesofeasylikenessslippingquietlyfromtheirstatusassimilaritiesindifferencetomerelikenesses."175

Thischapterhasattemptedtocometotermswiththeproblemofthinking,imagining,andspeakingoftheincomprehensibleGod.Onthebasisoftheepistemological
andtheologicalpremisessetforth,thissectionhasdealtbrieflywithsomeoftheformsinwhichtherevelationofGodtakesplace.ThepreapprehensionofGod,in
conjunctionwithconcretereligiousexperience,servesasabasisforformulatingabasicnotionof"divinity"andforjustifyingtheanalogoususeofwordsandconcepts.
Historicalpersonsandevents,intheachievementoftranscendence(byGod'sgift)embodyasimilaritytoGod'swayofbeingculminating,forChristianfaith,inthe
personofJesusasthe"incarnation"ofGod'sword.Theeventsofsalvationhistoryserveasparadigmsforhumanimagination.Transmittedinvariousforms,fromthe
factualtothemythical,theyprovide"images"ofGod'swayofactingwithandinhumanity,andhenceofGod'swayofbeing.Byamovementfromtheactiontothe
actor,representativeimagesofGod'slifeinhumansorinhistoricaleventsmaythenbeextendedtobecomemetaphoricalimagesofGod'sselfthenwehavethe
anthropomorphismoftheBibleandofothersacredscriptures.176

Finally,toconcludethepresentdiscussion,wemayreturnbrieflytothesubjectofthe"icon,"thevisualimageofGod.177Lonergandiscernsthreelevelsonwhich
imagescanfunction.Theycancorrespondtoasensiblecontentortheycanbesigns,correspondingtoanactivityontheintellectuallevelthatexplainstheimportof
theimageorprovideditisrecognizedthat"thereal"istheobjectofjudgmentandnotmerelywhatisknownthroughsensationtheycanbesymbolslinkedtoa
knownunknown,havingaheuristicratherthanarepresentationalvalue.178Religiousimagescanfunctiononallthreelevels.Theymayrepresentativelyportraythe
personsoreventsofsalvationhistory.(Inthiscase,likenarrative"pictures,"theymayhaveanambiguousrelationtohistory.)Theymayalsoserveassignsor
ideograms,linkedbyconventiontoacertainmeaning.Ortheymaybesymbolsofwhatisinitselfnotpicturable.(Thisfunctionmaybecombinedwiththefirst,asin
iconsofChristastheincarnateGod.)

The"picturing"oftheinvisibleGodorofChristasGodisingeneralakindofmetaphoricaluseofimagination.Forexample,thepositivequalitiesofahumanruler
canbeseenasreflecting(orembodying,inthecaseofanactuallyorputatively"good"rulere.g.,David)aqualityofGodorofGod'srelationtous.Byextension,
wemaymetaphoricallyspeakofGodasking.Tophysically

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portrayGodintheformofakingorashepherd,oramotherisameansofconveyingthemetaphorinnonverbalform.Ofcourse,suchimagesintheirvisual
concretenessareastepremovedfromverbalmetaphors:theyare,asitwere,imagesofanimage.Obviously,"pictures,"astheyareusedinreligion,arenotgenerally
tobeunderstoodasintendingtobe"representational."Theirlegitimacywilldependupontheirabilitytopartakeofthequalityof''word"179inthattheyincorporatea
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momentofnegation,"enablingthem...totranscendbeyondthefiniteobjecttowardtheabsoluteGod."180Aswesawinthefirstchapter,inmostart(afortioriin
religiousart)thepurposeofapictureisnottoshowwhatathing"lookslike"buttorepresentitsbeingand/ortotella"story"aboutit.Picturescommunicatewhat
God"is"byshowingwhatGodis"like"(or,moreaccurately,whatis"like"God).Religiousartmustbeunderstoodtheologicallyasanalogical,notas"mimetic"inthe
usualsense.Inthisway,picturesareaspecialcaseofwhatGreencallsimaginative"paradigms."181

Picturescanbeofdifferentkinds,andhavedifferentfunctions.Oneimportantformofreligiousartisrepresentationpreciselyofthereligiousstoriesthatembody
imaginativeparadigms.Anotherformissymbolic.Thelatterdogivephysicalformtononsensiblerealitiesinthisway,theyareastepremovedfromparadigmstaken
directlyfromhumanrelations.Picturesare,astheGreekFatherssaid,representationsoftheimagination:imagesofwhatisimaginedparadigmatically.Thedefenseof
iconswas,ofcourse,basedonthissymbolicunderstanding.Apicturewhencomprehendedbythemindisnotsimplyphysical:itbecomesintelligible.Inthespiritual
minditbecomesspiritual."Forthosegiventocontemplation,visibleobjectstakeonadeepersignificanceasdisclosuresofinvisiblerealities.Forthesymbolic
contemplationofintelligiblerealitiesthroughthemediumofsensibleobjectsisnothingmorethanthecomprehensionofthespiritualthoughtofvisibleobjectsbymeans
oftheinvisible.182

Thenextchapterwillexaminethebasisofthisabilityofsensibleobjectsandsymbolstoevokethetranscendentdirectly,apartfromtheportrayalofhistorical
revelation.Inchapter5,wewillturntoamorespecificexaminationofartasmediatingrevealedreligion.Finally,chapter6willreturntoarecurrentsetofproblems
posedforChristianitybytheaestheticrealm.Wehavealreadyadvertedseveraltimestothepotentialtensionsbetweenwordandpicture,conceptualthoughtand
imagination.Notonlythe"icon"butalsoeveryexerciseofparadigmaticimaginationisindangerof"idolatry"whenitsanalogicalnatureisforgottenanditbecomes
mythologicalorwhenitsaestheticfunctionofpleasingtakesprecedenceoveritstheologicalfunctionofmediatinghigherrealitiesandvalues.Ourconclusionwill
attempttofacetheseproblemsandsuggestaresolution.First,however,weturntothefoundationsofthepositiverelationoftheaesthetictoreligion:thenatureofGod
astranscendentBeauty.

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