Benedict XVI to International
Theological Commission:
'Without faith, there can be
no authentic theology'
Translated from the Italian service of
December 7, 2012
Theology is not a science like others, even if like all the sciences, it follows the scientific method and its rules, says Benedict XVI.
In fact, "faith is the genetic code of Catholic theology" that must not be confused with 'the religious sciences', in that it is both 'confessional and rational inseparably', the Pope said in an important address to the International Theological Commission on Friday morning.
Theologians "can participate in the evangelical initiatives of the Church" only by 'faithfully serving the truth of faith", he said. Central to this is the
sensum fidei, the sense of faith possessed by believers.
Such
sensum fidei, he underscored cannot be in conflict with the Magisterium (teaching) of the Church, and theologians must pay great attention to the common sense of the faithful, "which consist in the believer of a kind of supernatural instinct that has a vital co-nature with the objectives of the faith".
He said this was "a criterion for discerning whether a stated 'truth' belongs or not to the living deposit of the apostolic tradition". Which requires further criteria that would allow distinguishing between the genuine
sensum fidei and its counterfeits.
Here is my translation of the Pope's address to the ITC members:
Venerated Brothers in the Episcopate and Priesthood,
Distinguished Professors
and Dear Collegues:
I welcome you with great joy at the end of your annual plenary session. I cordially greet your new President, Mons. Gerhard Ludwig Müller, whom I thank for the words he addressed to me in your behalf, as well as your new Secretary-General, Fr. Serge-Thomas Bonino.
Your plenary session took place in the context of the Year of Faith, and I am profoundly happy that the International Theological Commission has decided to manifest its adherence to this ecclesial event with a pilgrimage to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in order to entrust to Mary, praesidium fidei, the work of your Commission, and to pray for all those who, in medio Ecclesiae dedicate themselves to fructify the intelligence of the faith for the benefit and spiritual joy of all believers. Thank you for this extraordinary gesture.
I also express my appreciation for the message that you issued on the occasion of this Year of Faith. It highlights very well the way by which theologians, faithfully serving the truth of the faith, can participate in the evangelizing initiative of the Church.
This message takes up the themes that you developed more amply in the document "Theology today: Perspectives, principles and criteria", published at the start of this year. Taking note of the vitality and variety of theology after the Second Vatican Council, this document intends to present, so to speak, 'the genetic code of Catholic theology', namely the principles that define her very identity, and consequently, guarantee her unity in the diversity of her initiatives.
With that purpose, the document clarifies the criteria for a theology that is authentically Catholic and therefore capable of contributing to the mission of the Church, the announcement of the Gospel to all men.
In a cultural context where some are tempted either to deprive theology of academic standing because of its intrinsic bond to faith, or of doing away with the believing and confessional dimension of theology, thus risking its confusion with and reduction to the religious sciences, your document opportunely recalls that theology is inseparably confessional and rational, and that its presence within a university institution guarantees - or should guarantee - an ample and integral view of human reason itself.
Among the criteria of Catholic theology, the document mentions the attention that theologians must give to the sensum fidelium - the sense of the faithful. It is very useful that your Commission has focused on this topic which is of particular importance for reflecting on faith and for the life of the Church.
The Second Vatican Council, reiterating the specific and irreplaceable role that falls to the Magisterium, underscored nonetheless that all the People of God together take part in the prophetic function of Christ, thus realizing the inspired desire expressed by Moses: "If only all the people of the LORD were prophets! If only the LORD would bestow his spirit on them!" (Nm 11,29).
The dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium teaches us in this respect: "The totality of the faithful, having the unction coming from the holy (cfr 1 Jn 2,20.27), cannot be mistaken in their belief, and manifest its propriety through the supernatural sense of faith in all the people, when from the bishops down to the last faithful, they demonstrate their universal consensus in matters of faith and morals (n. 12).
This gift, the sensus fidei - the sense of faith - constitutes in the believer a kind of supernatural instinct which has a vital co-nature with the purpose of the faith. We observe that it is precisely the simple faithful who carry with them this certainty, this sureness, about the sense of their faith.
The sensus fidei is a criterion to discern whether a truth belongs or not to the living deposit of apostolic tradition. It also presents a propositive value because the Holy Spirit does not cease to speak to the Churches and to guide them towards the entire truth.
Today, nonetheless, it is particularly important to identify the criteria that allow us to distinguish the authentic sensus fidelium from its counterfeits. In fact, it is not a kind of ecclesial public opinion, and it is unthinkable to mention it in order to contest the teachings of the Magisterium, since the sensus fidei cannot develop authentically in the believer if not to the degree that he participates fully in the life of the Church, and this demands responsible adherence to her Magisterium, to the deposit of faith.
Today, this supernatural sense of faith that believers have leads to reacting vigorously against the prejudice according to which religions - particularly the monotheistic religions - are thought to be bearers of violence, especially because of their claim to advocating the existence of a universal truth.
Some maintain that only the 'polytheism of values' would guarantee tolerance and civilian peace, and would conform to the spirit of a pluralistic democratic society.
In this direction, your study on "God Trinity, the unity of men: Christianity and monotheism", is of actual relevance. On the one hand, it is essential to recall that faith in the one God, Creator of heaven and earth, meets the rational demands of metaphysical reflection, which is not weakened but reinforced by the Revelation of the mystery of the God Trinity.
On the other hand, it must be emphasized that the definitive Revelation of the mystery of the one God took shape in the life and death of Jesus Christ, who went towards the Cross like "a lamb led to slaughter" (Is 53,7).
The Lord attests to a radical rejection of every form of hate and violence in favor of the absolute primacy of agape - love of our fellowmen. Therefore, if in history there have been forms of violence carried out in the name of God, they are not to be attributed to monotheism, but to historical causes, principally to the errors of men.
Rather it is forgetting God that immerses human societies in a form of relativism, which inevitably generates violences. When the possibility is denied for everyone to refer to an objective truth, dialog is made impossible, and violence, declared or hidden, becomes the rule of human relationships.
Without being open to the transcendent, which allows finding responses to the questions on the meaning of life and how to live in a moral way, man becomes incapable of acting with justice and to be committed to peace.
Since the rupture of man's relationship with God carries with it a profound disequilibrium in the relations among men themselves, reconciliation with God, which Christ effected on the Cross, 'our peace'/G][ (Eph 2,14), is the fundamental source of unity and brotherhood.
This perspective is also that of your reflection on the third subject, the social doctrine of the Church within the ensemble of the doctrine of the faith. It confirms that social doctrine is not an extrinsic addition, but, without ignoring the contribution of a social philosophy, it draws its fundamental principles from the sources of the faith itself.
This doctrine seeks to make effective, in the great diversity of social situations, the new commandment that the Lord Jesus left us: "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another" (Jn 13,34).
Let us pray to the Immaculate, model of one who listens and meditates on the Word of God, that she may obtain you the grace of always serving joyfully the intelligence of the faith for the good of the whole Church.
Renewing my expression of profound gratitude for your service to the Church, I assure you of my constant closeness in prayer, and from the heart, I impart the Apostolic Blessing on all of you.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 10/12/2012 15:16]