A Christian Understanding of Human Nature: To Hunger for God

The question of what it means to be a human being echoes through all of our lives. It is a hard topic to ignore, for it uncovers the hidden assumptions about who we are and what our lives are about. These assumptions are important. They underlie our stances on a number of issues that affect our society today. <P> Thus Professor Rashko has written To Hunger for God as a text to be used in the classroom in the areas of Christian Anthropology, Grace, and Sin, and as a work for the educated lay person who wants to explore these themes. It also serves as an introduction to aspects of the thought of Paul Tillich and Karl Rahner. On the basis of these themes, it addresses such contemporary issues as the problems with fundamentalist forms of religion and the struggle for truth in a world of relativism. <P> Above all, this text has value as a basic introduction to theological reflection. Students learn to do theology by thinking theologically about important matters, and here they are offered key theological themes that resonate throughout the major topics of theology: Christology, ecclesiology, sacraments, God, and Trinity. It is Professor Raschko s hope that this text will be the first step on a long and enjoyable theological journey. <P> This is a fascinating and engaging study for introductory theology students, as well as for all who want to explore these themes more deeply.

Michael B. Raschko has been a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Seattle since 1975, and he is Bertch Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology at Seattle University.