Rahner was an amateur

Karl Rahner was a giant of Catholic theology in the 20th century (A lot of his writing was published in the 1960's and 70's). He engaged with the Wittgensteinian idea of language in multiple levels of meaning - i.e. that language doesn't stand still but shifts in its meaning all the time. He was also very quick on the uptake that 'Systematic' theology was over: as a late modernist ("pre-post-modern"?), he was already setting about writing theology in a different form. He called it 'Investigations'.

Rahner, as a Catholic, was from a tradition that holds continuity in absolute importance: For a Catholic, evolution isn't an option. Somehow though, Rahner was able at the same time to be faithful to his tradition, while being completely engaged with the culture and changing ideas of the period in which he lived, and developing and re-expressing theological ideas in forms that rendered them meaningful within their context. (Although, it must be said, he's not an easy read! When his brother embarked upon an English translation, someone encouraged him, saying "It would be so good to see Karl's work translated into English!" The brother wryly commented, "It would be good to see it translated into German!")

Rahner described himself as an 'Amateur'. He wanted the freedom of NOT being a professional theologian - with all the baggage that brings - so he placed his emphasis on being a priest, thus gaining the space to do theology, to some extent at least, on his own terms. But mostly, he described himself as an 'Amateur' in the original meaning of the word - someone who does something not through obligation, but simply for the love of it.

I like the description of doing theology that says its like "a little boy playing in the mud". I think, like mine, Rahner's eyes would have twinkled at that idea too.