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Persona #143

Karl Rahner

1904–1984
German Jesuit theologian; major peritus at the Second Vatican Council

The supernatural existential — every human being is oriented to God in the depths of their being, whether they know it or not

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where personas disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid (32 attributes) is shown.

Attribute Karl Rahner
Time · Extent Finite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Finite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Finite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Mediated
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Partial
Observer · Physicality Both
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Revelation
Observer · Theological Method Magisterial
Energy · Extent Finite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each persona's writings reveal about their stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Karl Rahner

Finite creaturely time opened to eternity through the supernatural existential.

Space

Karl Rahner

Created substantival space.

Matter

Karl Rahner

Hylomorphic creature within a sacramental cosmos.

Observer

Karl Rahner

Plural creaturely observers, each constituted by openness to absolute mystery. Personal-divine cosmic agency: the triune God self-communicating.

Energy

Karl Rahner

Standard physics within sacramental cosmos.

Information

Karl Rahner

Personal soul conserved; resurrection of the body.

Internal Tensions

Where each persona's working synthesis strains against itself.

Karl Rahner

The "anonymous Christian" thesis was attacked from the Right (as diluting the uniqueness of Christ) and from the Left and by non-Christians (as a colonizing gesture that Christianizes those who didn't consent). Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote a sharp polemic ("Cordula") against the proposal. The supernatural-existential remained the underlying Catholic instinct of Vatican II despite the polemics.