The Eschatological Person

“This work explores the intellectual affinities of two of the master theologians of our era—Schmemann representing the East, Ratzinger representing the West. . . . Anyone interested in East-West ecumenism, Trinitarian theology, theological anthropology, and/or eschatology will find this work a treasury to be mined for creative ecumenical approaches to these subjects.”


—Tracey Rowland, University of Notre Dame (Australia)





“A splendid study of two original thinkers, Schmemann and Ratzinger. . . . It highlights the significance of eschatology for a proper understanding of Christian anthropology, and so of the relationship between time and eternity. This book marks a milestone in the study of these two thinkers as well as being a significant contribution to theological anthropology.”


—D. Vincent Twomey, SVD, Pontifical University of St. Patrick’s College, emeritus





“Schmemann and Ratzinger may both have a relational understanding of personhood, but Andrew Kaethler draws out the differences with patience and transparency. Thoroughly at home in both the Eastern and the Western side of the dialogue, he sharply delineates the two positions. Kaethler’s bold and incisive censure of Schmemann as inconsistent and dualistic is sure to lead to an animated discussion about the way forward. As such, The Eschatological Person is a model of genuine ecumenical dialogue.”


—Hans Boersma, Nashotah House Theological Seminary





“Comparing and contrasting two distinctively idiosyncratic modern theologians, Alexander Schmemann and Joseph Ratzinger, . . . we are shown how their exposition of Christian eschatology bears on the matter—in short, we are invited to recognize in this richly documented and yet very readable account what it means for us in Christian perspective to be persons in time.”


—Fergus Kerr, OP, St Albert’s Catholic Chaplaincy, University of Edinburgh





“This magnificent book challenges the nonspecialist reader and the specialists of theology, showing the need to place side by side a theology of history with the philosophies of history . . . in order to respond to the challenges of postmodernity. The relational ontology that emerges from the analysis of the two great authors here studied proves to be a fundamental and valuable tool for both cultural and ecumenical dialogue.”


—Giulio Maspero, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross