God and Arts in Theological Aesthetics

Theological aesthetics is a movement which arises as a reaction to the speculative and rational theology in the first period of twentieth-century. It is generally accepted as the practice of theology. Karl Barth, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Gerardus van der Leeuw and Karl Rahner are the main representatives of this movement. Barth, Balthasar and van der Leeuw make their theological aesthetics depend on the theory of imago del, and base the possibility of all arts and theology on the doctrine of Christian incarnation (image). Rahner also tries to find a dialogue between theology and arts; however he, especially being influenced by Paul Tillich, separates from the other theologians by asserting that all art is religious and sacred. Therefore, while theological aesthetics of Barth, Balthasar, and van der Leeuw excludes the authenticity of the other religious tradition s sacred arts by depending all arts on the Christian norm, Rahner adopts an inclusive and comprehensive attitude by insisting that not only religious arts but profane arts also the expression of the sacred. In this article, two basic paradigms will be evaluated and discussed in terms of theological aesthetic approach.