The Word Has Been Abroad serves as a clear and reliable guide to the theological aesthetics of Hans Urs von Balthasar, one of the most original and demanding theologians of the twentieth century. In this volume, Aidan Nichols introduces readers to Balthasar’s conviction that beauty is not an optional ornament of theology but an essential dimension of divine revelation.
Nichols carefully explains the central themes of Balthasar’s theological aesthetics, showing how the “form” (Gestalt) of Christ reveals the glory of God and calls forth a response of faith. Rather than reducing theology to abstract propositions or moral imperatives, Balthasar insists that revelation must be seen before it can be understood. Nichols unfolds this vision with clarity and precision, situating Balthasar’s thought within the wider Catholic tradition while addressing its philosophical and cultural implications.
Written with both rigor and accessibility, The Word Has Been Abroad is an indispensable introduction for students, theologians, and serious readers seeking to understand Balthasar’s project as a whole. It also stands on its own as a meditation on the place of beauty, art, and perception in Christian theology.
About the Author
Aidan Nichols, O.P., is a Dominican friar and theologian who has taught theology in England, Italy, the United States, and Ethiopia. He held the John Paul II Memorial Lectureship in Roman Catholic Theology and was for many years a member of the Cambridge University Faculty of Divinity.
Fr. Nichols is the author of more than fifty books spanning fundamental, historical, and systematic theology, as well as theology’s engagement with literature and the arts. His works include No Bloodless Myth, The Shape of Catholic Theology, Lovely, Like Jerusalem, The Thought of Pope Benedict XVI, and Lost in Wonder. He is widely regarded for his ability to render complex theological systems intelligible without sacrificing depth or fidelity.
