Karl Rahner: Eternity is the Fruit of Time

Karl Rahner, that most difficult of 20th century theologians, believes that every person's eternity is the fruit of time.

"It becomes clear in Johannine theology that eternity is seen as existing within time, and that therefore eternity comes to be from out of time, and is not just a reward which is given after time and added to it," he states.

"Wherever a free and lonely act of decision has taken place in absolute obedience to a higher law, or in a radical affirmation of love for another person, something eternal has taken place . . . "

(Theology quote: Karl Rahner, Foundations of Christian Faith 440-441, 439).

I understand this to mean that what we have loved in life, people or places, are internalized. During our life we can revisit them within ourselves, and we will carry them with us through death. So in Eternity we will be with the people whom we have loved, in our loved places. For me this is a very comforting thought.