Identity and Christ: The Ecclesiological and Soteriological Implications of Raimon Panikkar's Cosmotheandric Theology

One of the most influential figures in recent theological reflection upon interreligious dialogue is Raimon Panikkar. Panikkar was an ordained Catholic priest who also practiced the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Panikkar lived a life of mystical faith in which his identity was simultaneously Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist, a phenomenon often called `multiple belonging'. However, this mystical unity is not merely an element of Panikkar's faith life, but it also essential to his theology. In fact, it is mystical unity that underlies the very concept of identity in Panikkar's thought. Identity is found through union. It is in the realization of this unity that the concept of `Christ' comes into play. Christ is the principle of this identifying unity, which is found throughout all of Reality. Panikkar's overall theological vision can best be described by his own term: `cosmotheandric', which describes this unity of all of reality in its three poles: the world (cosmos), God (Theos), and Human (Aner). In this way, the very nature of Reality itself is Trinitarian. With this in mind, this dissertation seeks to deduce the ecclesiological and soteriological implications of this theological vision. The key to understanding Panikkar's ecclesiology and soteriology is the interrelation of the concepts of `Christ' and `identity'.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Theology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Martocchio, Michael

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gerald Boodoo
• Aimee Light
• Sebastian Madathummuriyil

• Christ
• Cosmotheandric
• Ecclesiology
• Identity
• Panikkar
• Soteriology

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/886

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-1902