オットー・ヘルマン・ペッシュの恩恵 : 義認論における「創造展望」(二)

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Continuing from the last issue, this article examines what a kind of momentum of the creation-perspective is found out in Pesch's doctrine ofgrace-justification and how it is integrated into his entire theology. First, the doctrine of justification, an important branch of the doctrine of grace, is taken up. This subject is understood by Pesch as the summation of God's merciful acts just under the viewpoint of the overcoming of sin. The doctrine of justification has double focuses like an ellipse, namely a negative accentuation in the event of salvation (i. e. God's anger, curse and punishment against man's sin) on the one hand and on the other hand a positive profile of the Christian belief (i. e, man's freedom). These two aspects form the genius of Pesch's theology itself. That is to say, he bases his theology on two somewhat contradictory elements : a harmonious estimate of the unity between creation and salvation from the Catholic tradition, based mainly on Thomas Aquinas, and a sharp appeal to the fact of sin, which is the essential concern of the Lutheran heritage. However Pesch opts for a positive creation-centered way of thinking finally, when he interprets in modern language the significance of the original occurrence of the justification. He sees it now as the unconditional acceptance by God of the sinner "as he is". According to Pesch the message of justification today should not any longer lay emphasis on the accusation or condemnation of the sinner by the law as in former days, but should emphasize God's primary affirmation of the sinner. Pesch takes this fundamental option for a creation-optimism mainly from Thomas, but also from Luther's special image of God and the concept of "belief" which also show a creation-centered perspective. According to Pesch Luther's image of God ("A1leinwirksamkeit", i. e. God alone works out everything) and the idea of "belief" ("Gott Gott sein zu lassen", i. e. to let God be God) bring us a sense of God's living presence. The chief source of his option for a creation-centered perspective comes however from his understanding of grace as "qualitas" in Thomas, which expresses the actuality that "God's love works in us always and is necessarily creative". This article concludes that Pesch's theology of grace and justification does not take sides with any freezingly pessimistic sincentered standpoint at all, in spite of its first statement. It lays stress rather on the side of man's salvation, and there also creation will be affirmatively accepted. Grace then gives creation a proper orientation to its goal. The limitation of Pesch's theology must be pointed out. This is found in its initial intention itself, that is in his motif of contributing to ecumenical dialog between the Catholic and the Lutheran church. The range of Pesch's theological sight is consequently restricted within this Western issue, in the very doctrine of grace and justification. It does not take account of any other Christian tradition, much less of other religions. Its theological dynamic stays within the dimension of the Incarnation, which consists in the relation between the Father and the Son. Because of this feature of his theology Pesch pays scarcely any attention to the role of the Trinity or of the Spirit in his doctrine of grace-justification and consequently to the concrete penetration of God's love into the reality of creation. Learning from Pesch's efforts in his own tradition, but also considering Eastern spirituality, which underlines man's unity with nature (creation) through a negation of ego, one gains a new inspiration to develop a doctrine of grace in our Japanese context.
2003-08-01

オットー・ヘルマン・ペッシュの恩恵 : 義認論における「創造展望」(二)

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