Faith and reason.

FR. LEONARD KENNEDY, C.S.B.

This September 15th, Pope John Paul issued the encyclical Fides et ratio (Faith and reason) principally to show the relations between philosophy and theology. Theology, because it is founded on divine revelation, has both a method and an object different from philosophy. Though these sciences can arrive at some truths common to them, theology goes further than philosphy; indeed, it gives answers to problems which for philosophy are insoluble, such as why innocent people suffer and what the after-life is like.

Meaning of life

Everyone, the Pope writes, searches for the meaning of life. Many people find a meaning, but others "stumble through life to the very edge of the abyss without knowing where they are going." Some fail to find the true purpose because they are proud; others because they commit other sins; still others because, though they glimpse what they are looking for, they turn away because of fear of its demands.

Some deny that there is an objective meaning which is the same for everyone, and thus logically conclude that their opinion is as good as anyone else's. In ethics this is equivalent to making conscience the author of truth, instead of its "being an act of the intellect applying a universal truth to a particular situation." And, when such a doctrine becomes widespread in society, it is impossible to obtain a basis for public morality.

The early Fathers of the Church, of whom St. Augustine (354-430) was the greatest, accepted the truths found by Greek philosphers and attempted to correct their errors. For the later medieval period, the Pope gives extremely high praise to St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-74): "The Magisterium's intention has always been to show how St. Thomas is an authentic model for all who seek the truth. In his thinking, the demands of reason and the power of faith found the most elevated synthesis ever attained by human thought, for he could defend the radical newness introduced by Revelation without ever demeaning the venture proper to reason."

Philosophy guided by theology

At the end of the Middle Ages, however, philosophy frequently dissociated itself from theology, establishing a trend which has continued down to our own day. What is needed today is Christian philosophers, that is, philosophers whose philosophy has been guided by theology. This guidance cannot be direct, of course, since it must allow philosophy to follow its own method. But, though indirect, it can be very important. For example, philosophers can become aware of problems they would otherwise not have considered, or of solutions to their own problems which they had not arrived at, because theology would have brought these things to their minds for philosophical consideration. And here the Pope praises certain thinkers for their Christian philosophy, including Cardinal Newman of the nineteenth century, and Saint Edith Stein, Jacques Maritain, and Etienne Gilson of the twentieth.

Theology needs philosophy

We can see from history that philosophy needs theology in order to be better philosphy, but we can see also that theology needs philosophy to be better theology: "Without philosophy's contribution it would in fact be impossible to discuss theological issues such as, for example, the use of language to speak about God, the personal relations within the Trinity, God's creative activity in the world, the relationship between God and man, or Christ's identity as true God and true man. This is no less true of the different themes of moral theology, which employ concepts such as the moral law, conscience, freedom, personal responsibility, and guilt, which are in part defined by philosophical ethics."

The Pope sharply rebukes the neglect of philosophy by many present-day priests and theologians and the seminaries which have produced them. He says that the Second Vatican Council emphasized the importance of philosophy for them, and mandated its study in seminaries, and that subsequent directives from recent popes, including himself, have given directives to this end, particularly stressing the importance of the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. Then he concludes: "The Magisterium's directives have not always been followed.... I cannot fail to note with surprise and displeasure that this lack of interest in the study of philosophy is shared by not a few theologians" (emphasis added).

John Paul thinks that the work of some theologians today suffers because they are not competent in philosophy. Some have philosophical ideas but do not have a unified grasp of them. Some are aware of certain doctrines of the past but do not understand that some of them are permanently true. Some accept current philosophical teachings without being able to critique them adequately.

Philosophy is necessary to theology also because "philosophical thought is often the only ground for understanding and dialogue with those who do not share our faith....Such a ground for understanding and dialogue is all the more vital nowadays since the most pressing problems facing humanity--ecology, peace, and the co-existence of different races and cultures--possibly find a solution."

Fr. Kennedy is an associate editor of Catholic Insight and a former professor of philosophy.