Jesus Christ, the Savior of Men Joseph Ratzinger’s Theology of Mediation

Abstract

One of the fundamental concerns of Joseph Ratzinger, as a theologian, has been (and still is for Benedict XVI) the presentation of Christ, the incarnated Word, as the only personal answer to the question of the meaning of life and of salvation. That is why his reflection, taking place in an environment of post-conciliar christology maimed by the crisis, puts emphasis on finding the evangelical Christ, by being both a critical and trusting christology. For Ratzinger, the Saviour of men is an epistemological key to the cognition of the eternal Logos, as well as the role of Mary in His incarnation and mission. The aim of this article is to present basic elements of understanding the person and works of Logos, incarnated as the Mediator of our salvation. The reflection consists of three stages. The first one is the presentation of the identity of Christ, the incarnated Logos. It is the christology of unity (the reflection on the unity in Christ), which has a number of dimensions. The second stage is the issue of Mary's role in the cognition of the identity of the only Saviour (the vision and role of mariology in the whole of Ratzinger's theological scheme; the nature of maternal mediation). Finally, we shall look into the mystery of the only Saviour of men as the foundation of discovering and building men's own identity and the Marian dimension of our salvation. Ratzinger's christology appears to centre on the cognition of God and on Christ as the central point of Revelation. Salvation equates to „being filled with Christ's countenance”, which we shall experience in the resurrection. A Christian heads for this fulfillment by looking at the cross and contemplating Jesus Christ, with the maternal presence of His and our Mother.