Karl Rahner Consultation 2025: “One Baptism”
The theme of the 79th Annual Convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America at the Portland Marriott Waterfront Hotel from June 12-15, 2025 was “One Baptism: Evolving Visions of Catholicity from Nicaea to Vatican II and Beyond.” The Karl Rahner Consultation, which took place within the CTSA Convention on June 13, focused on the oneness of Baptism and its consequences of the being of the baptized.
Youngpa Kwon spoke about Rahner and Whitehead.
Youngpa Kwon (Senior Researcher, Sogang Institute for Theology, Seoul) presented a paper, “Bridging Bei-sich-sein and Prehension: Toward a Metaphysical Theology of Evolution.” She started from two premises: “Contemporary evolutionary theory claims to be a meta-metaphysical framework” and “theology is increasingly called upon to offer a deeper spiritual understanding that engages with evolutionary phenomena.” Dr. Youngpa connected Rahner’s epistemology with evolutionary theory. Her starting point was Rahner’s Spirit in the World. There Rahner discussed “Being and Knowing as Original Unity in Being-Present-to-Self” or Bei-sich-sein. Rahner’s discussion can be found on p. 68 of the Dych translation (Part One, Chapter Two, Section III). Rahner emphasized the “factual unity of being and knowing.”
Rahner’s Bei-sich-sein is related, Dr. Youngpa proposed, to the thought of Alfred North Whitehead. In Process and Reality, Whitehead discussed the concept of “Prehension.” Sentient beings “prehend” (grasp or take account of) their environment as they respond to it. By coordinating Bei-sich-sein and Prehension, Dr. Youngpa integrated metaphysics and epistemology. The integration, she argued, helps to explain “how all beings, through self-determination and creative decisions, relate to God.” As a contribution to Catholic theology, her study challenged what she called materialistic understandings of evolution. It also affirmed, in a qualified way, both divine immutability and the role of God as savior in history.
Michael Rubbelke (St. John’s University, Collegeville) served as Respondent. Madeleine Jarrette (Ph.D. Candidate, Boston College) was the Moderator.
To read titles of previously published “Rahner Papers” click here.