Natya Sastra of Bharat Muni speaks of the Natya Veda, the revelation as drama. Von Balthasar wrote almost the same in his Theo-Drama: Theological Dramatic Theory with Dramatis Personae: Man in God, the Christ. Balthasar chooses to study the poetry of Dante, St John of the Cross, Hopkins – all poets and writers of power and beauty. “Beauty… dances as an uncontained splendour around the double constellation of the true and the good and their inseparable relation to one another.” The beauty of God revealed in ‘the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ In nature there is revelation of the beauty of the Divine.

Pope Francis in Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Querida Amazonia wrote, “For the Church has a varied face, not only in terms of space… but also of time”… “Here we see the authentic tradition of the Church, which is not a static deposit or a museum piece, but the root of a constantly growing tree. This millennial Tradition bears witness to God’s work in the midst of His people and is called to keep the flame alive rather than to guard its ashes” (no.66)… “The history of the Church shows that Christianity does not have simply one cultural expression.” Christianity is not monocultural and monotonous, let us not clip the wings of the Holy Spirit. The Pope further stated: “Let us not be quick to describe as superstition or paganism certain religious practices that arise spontaneously from the life of peoples. Rather, we ought to know how to distinguish the wheat growing alongside the tares, for popular piety can enable us to see how the faith, once received, becomes embodied in a culture and is constantly passed on” (no. 78)… “We attempt to do something similar with the sacred texts of other religions and religious communities, which contain precepts and doctrines that… often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men and women” (no.107).

Although Von Balthasar carefully disclaimed any specialized competence as regards Asia, his references to Asian traditions became increasingly frequent as the years passed, reflecting his respect for and not inconsiderable knowledge of the human achievements of Asia. He places “the Bhagavad Gita alongside Homer and Dante as pure gold in value, comparing them favourably to contemporary base metals.” Balthasar certainly does not deny the notion of a “logos spermatikos,” seeing traces of knowledge of God throughout humanity. It is in the Christian dispensation that these Words come “openly to light”: man is “graced” not only since the time of Christ, but “in a hidden, but effective, way ‘before the foundation of the world’ (Eph. 1:4).” That which came to light in Christ was hidden “in myths and conjectures concerning the beginning, end, and meaning of life.” Paul found the Areopagus as the classical place to “begin with the altar to the Unknown God.” He speaks to the pagans of the God of Heaven and Earth who “has caused the entire human race to proceed from one person: “They should seek God, to see if they could touch and perhaps find Him, the One who is indeed not far from each one of us (Acts 17:23ff).” Writing about pneuma spermatikon, Balthasser said that the effects of the Incarnation are scattered throughout the world. Moreover, humanity, never entirely bereft of God, has now had some exposure to at least bits and pieces of the Gospel, throughout the world.

Beauty speaks in silence, beauty in nature, beauty in music, beauty in human love. And all this beauty is pointing beyond itself, to the source of all beauty in the love that alone is true and abiding. One can speak of humanity without revelation—and certainly Balthasar does speak of humanity without the knowledge of Jesus Christ, without “historical revelation.” But there are three characteristics of humanity that are prominent and call for exploration. They are: Longing, Guilt, and Death. That seeking is universal. The history of humanity’s existential quest is carried through the literature of the world. All human religions, says Balthasar, are weary of the word. Asia especially has opted for silence, and “has, more than others, turned its face towards this single fascinosum.” Yet, Asia is not some alien world, for “the great European religions and world views are also rooted in the religious longing of Asia.” The “thirst for the absolute,” a divinely implanted thirst that “has been set in us by Thee. The accent falls not on human creativity, but on “seeing the form” of Christ who is Himself the analogy of being made concrete in human history. “The analogy with beauty or art can only be pressed so far, since the ‘glory’ of revelation is not simply an ‘object’ of aesthetic contemplation and appreciation, but also a dramatic encounter with a sovereign and infinite freedom.”