Discovering Truth

Currently, I am reading An Introduction to Christianity by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI); in the opening pages of his book, Ratzinger explores three approaches to understanding truth. In reflecting on these three approaches, I realized that they offer a means for understanding our world today. By considering what distinguishes each of these approaches, I believe that we become more aware about how one’s perception of truth might impact his or her perceptions regarding our culture at-large. For the sake of this essay, I am going to explore the three approaches in reverse order from how Ratzinger discusses them in his book.

Perhaps the dictum presented by Ratzinger that best describes our culture is verum quia faciendum, finding truth in the “makeable.” In our world today, it seems as if this approach to truth has overwhelmed the language of political, social, and economic discussions. Consider for instance political debates related to whether man can “create” life or questions related to our ability to “forge” peace. In our world today, both sides of the political divide present their own views as if they are absolute fact. Sadly, they fail to realize that these “facts” are merely the products of our minds rather than truth in the absolute sense. As a world, we seem focused on questions of the future and creating a new tomorrow, however, in solely focusing on the makeable nature of a particular issue, we deny God being the beginning and the end. In ascribing to a definition of truth that emphasizes man’s ability “to create,” we forget that we are in fact a manifestation of creation itself (Ratzinger 1969).

A second approach, which Ratzinger explores, is verum quia factum. He explains that with this approach, we can only “truly know what we have made ourselves” (Ratzinger 1969). In other words, humanity embraces a view of truth that finds its definition in history. In the case of verum quia factum, it intrigues me to think how willingly humanity accepts the discoveries of science, but often questions faith. A mere 132 years ago, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, an invention that today is accepted as fact without question. Yet if we truly examine the light bulb, we are surely left with countless questions and perhaps even left doubting how precisely it was invented. Still though in absolute darkness, we flick a switch and are able to clearly see the room around us. We accept the relationship between the switch and light-filled room without question, because we recognize the truth behind its relationship as being “firmly” established. Perhaps when we examine the relationship at closer detail, we realize how weird it is. Although as humans we are willing to accept the “truth” behind a switch, a few wires, and a bulb bringing light to a room, many of us still doubt Christ being the light of the world. Is it because Christ does not require a switch for him to be “turned on” that we doubt his existence and in turn truth itself?

The final approach discussed by Ratzinger is verum est ens, being is truth (Ratzinger 1969). It is in recognizing the beauty of our own existence that we come to understand the creative force of truth itself. In essence, it is in ascribing to this dictum that we come to understand how being embraces both the past and the makeable future in a way that enhances our understanding of not only truth, but also the world around us. Christ came not only as love incarnate, but also as a living example of truth. In his living ministry, Christ exhibited the meaning of truth in the past, in the future and above all in the eternal.

Consider the scene in the New Testament where Christ appears before the eleven disciples at Galilee. It is here that many of the disciples recognized Christ, but the Gospel makes clear that “some doubted” (MT 28:16-18). In response, Christ declares:

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world. (MT 28:18-20)

In this powerful moment, Christ embraced the truth of the past, the truth of the future, and the truth found in the eternal. In accepting this commission, the disciples embraced the value of all three approaches to discovering the meaning of truth, but recognized the absolute nature of verum est ens. In today’s world, it will again be through looking to the heavens that we awaken to the deception of contemporary culture. Truth is not merely found in either what we have made in the past or intend to create in the future, but rather truth is found in the confines of our own hearts in a way that allows us to live and pray for a better tomorrow. One can only hope that policymakers entrusted with safeguarding the common good, will recognize that they are not charged merely with learning from the past and with building a “makeable” future, but rather they are charged with embracing the peace and love that Christ revealed to humanity. In this revelation, Christ revealed an absolute truth to the world: truth is in the eternal.

A Christian Understanding of Freedom

In beginning this blog, I had hoped to explore questions regarding the intersection of politics and theology. Wait, politics and theology? Yes and here is the first entry seeking to explore this intersection. One need only review modern political history to understand the role that theology plays in not only American, but also global politics. Although one could easily launch a blog that dissected the “theological” arguments in favor of or in opposition to a particular political issue, I would argue that such discussions are better left to the conscience of each individual rather than to one man’s convictions. I do believe though that it is important for us to understand how theology informs key principles, theories, and policies arising from the political realm and vice versa. With this first entry in this new series I hope to shed light on how theology informs the principle of freedom.

Merriam Webster defines freedom as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” If this is the definition that we are to ascribe to freedom, it begs the question as to whether freedom really exists in a tangible form in our modern culture. In fact, I would argue that Merriam Webster’s definition falls short of accurately describing what freedom is as it fails to ascribe the responsibilities that are inherent in the honest exercise of freedom.

How can an exploration of theology deepen our understanding of freedom? It’s quite simple – let’s start by opening the Bible. In Galatians 5, St. Paul provides a beautiful letter to the people of Galatia that includes a discussion on the nature of Christian freedom. In Galatians 5:13 he writes “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another;” that sounds nothing like Merriam Webster’s definition – or does it? Of this Christian understanding of freedom, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, wrote that the People of God “belong to the ‘Israel of God’ (Gal. 6:16) with unrestricted civil rights” (Ratzinger, 1987, p. 188).  He continues his discussion by explaining that “this freedom is not without its demands; neither is it arbitrary. It constrains to such an extent that it can be called a ‘crucifixion’,” (p. 188).

In an article from a 1886 edition of The Catholic World, a journal exploring the intersection of faith and culture, Servant of God Fr. Isaac Thomas Hecker, CSP, wrote:

“Just as in the civil order the man who cannot subject his private interests to the common good is not fit to enjoy American liberty, so in the spiritual order the man who cannot obey the Church is proved unworthy of the spiritual freedom wherewith Christ has made us free” (an excerpt from “The Human Environments of the Catholic Faith,” July 1886, Catholic World, 466).

We learn here that the responsibilities associated with civil freedom command the same degree of commitment to the common good as demanded by the spiritual freedom granted in and through Christ. The People of God are called not only to embrace this spiritual freedom for themselves, but also to share it by acts of charity with others for the betterment of God’s kingdom.

In writing about his community’s spirituality Fr. Hecker explains that, “Great fidelity in action, with a great and large freedom of action, should be the spirit of our Community [The Paulist Fathers]” (excerpt from “Personal Santification of the Paulist and His Standard of Perfection,” The Paulist Vocation, p. 126). Similar to Hecker and if we were to extend his statement to apply to society at large, Cardinal Ratzinger stresses that “[Freedom] is participation, and not just participation in a given social structure, but participation in being itself. It means to possess being oneself and not to be subject to being” (Ratzinger, 1998, p. 188).  Still though, although there is this freedom in being human, we must exercise this freedom in ways that benefit the greater society.

In this way, love will emanate from freedom and will spread an understanding of liberty that embraces both the definition ascribed by Merriam Webster (and that of countless political theorists) while also appreciating the Christian view of freedom.  By applying this Christian understanding of freedom, it extends the meaning of such so as to become aware that we each have a responsibility to ensure that our liberties are exercised in service to the common good.

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i. Taken from Isaac Hecker for Every Day, Ronald A. Franco, CSP (ed).
ii. Ibid