Zusammenfassung / Abstract
“‘Mi pare un genio-matto’. The Holy Office and the von Balthasar enigma” – This article investigates the relationship between the Holy Office and the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar during the pontificate of Pius XII. Drawing on newly accessible archival documents, it reconstructs the inquiries made by Roman authorities into Balthasar’s works, particularly Der Laie und der Ordensstand (1948) and Theologie der Geschichte (1950). The study reveals both the unease and the limitations of the Holy Office in confronting a theologian whose originality eluded traditional doctrinal assessments. Ultimately, while no formal condemnation was issued, Balthasar remained under suspicion and was excluded from official roles, such as participation in the Second Vatican Council. The case exemplifies the broader tensions between doctrinal authority and theological innovation in mid-20th-century Catholicism.