Fr. Karl Rahner, S.J. Sides With The Scotists Against The Thomists

Fr. Karl Rahner, S.J.

What he called "Hypostatic Union" is, therefore, central in his thinking, for he would believe that the ultimate purpose of all theology must serve to break down the wall between God and man through the hypostatic union, that is, the union of (hypostases of) God and man. Thus, hypostatic union is not unique or special only in Jesus but it is general in the sense that it could and should happen to all the human beings. Jesus opened up this human possibility in total obedience to God. If hypostatic union which had finally happened in Christ's incarnation should be the ultimate purpose of man in general, incarnation and creation are inseparable in their purpose. And if creation without incarnation is impossible, incarnation must be a predestined necessity regardless of the Fall. In this aspect, as Robert Kress correctly pointed out,  

"Rahner sides with the Scotists against the Thomists in the dispute about the precise motive of the incarnation. For the Thomist school of theology the Word would not have become flesh had Adam not sinned. For the Scotist school the Word would have become flesh even if Adam had not sinned." 

It implies that Christ's incarnation was his destiny and necessity, not his free choice or decision due to the human fallenness and gracious love as traditional theology has believed. 

Link (here) to the full article entitled, Karl Rahner's Philosophical Understanding of the Trinity