Thinking About Faith: Speculative Theology : Love

Why did the early Christians follow Jesus Christ? Why did they write books, have councils, celebrate the eucharist and other sacramental rites? Tibor Horvath proposes that love for Jesus Christ is at the origin of the Christian faith. In the first volume of a trilogy on "Thinking about Faith", love is shown to be the hermeneutic principle in a systematic exploration and interpretation of Christian dogma and sacramental theology. Horvath explores love for God, human beings, and the universe in the gospel, pre-gospel, pre-Pauline theologies, the 21 Ecumenical Councils, and the liturgy of the sacrament of the Eucharist. He also analyses the historical and systematic foundation of the other sacraments, such as marriage, ministry, forgiveness, serving the sick, baptism, and confirmation. Following the classic form of a summa, each chapter begins with a question and offers answers in the context of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. "Eternity and Eternal Life", the third volume in the series, which deals with hope, was published in 1993; the second volume, on faith, is forthcoming.