On the eve of his election to the papacy in 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spoke of the “dictatorship of relativism.” He spent the following eight years returning to the theme, explaining how, if nothing is acknowledged as objectively real, then competing views cannot be evaluated against the standard of truth, to judge which is valid. Instead, the only way to resolve disputes becomes an assertion of power — whether tyrannical or clothed in democratic processes — and, hence, the door to dictatorship is opened.
What, then, can liberate us from this dictatorship? The truth can set us free, and to know the fullness of truth about man and his place in the world requires faith or knowledge of those truths which need to be revealed to us.
At the end of his pontificate, Benedict XVI was working on an encyclical on faith, to complete the “trilogy” on the theological virtues, having written previous ones on love (Deus Caritas Est, 2005) and hope (Spe Salvi, 2007). After his renunciation of the papacy, he left the text to his successor, and Pope Francis, having made some minor emendations, published it as his first encyclical under the title Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith).
Lumen Fidei is clearly Benedict’s work, written in the sublime style perfected by Joseph Ratzinger over a lifetime of limpid theological work and biblical preaching. It is “Benedict’s” finest encyclical, even though it carries Francis’ name. Much has been made of Pope Francis’ humility in irrelevant things, like what shoes he wears or whether he does tasks his staff could handle for him. A more impressive mark of humility is publishing as his first encyclical the work of another man, a man whose writing and insight is singular in his generation.
Relativism’s Bleak Landscape
Lumen Fidei first sketches the bleak landscape left by the dictatorship of relativism, which regards faith with suspicion, as it sees as a threat any claim to know the truth with certainty.
“It would become evident that the light of autonomous reason is not enough to illumine the future; ultimately, the future remains shadowy and fraught with fear of the unknown,” the Holy Father writes. “As a result, humanity renounced the search for a great light, Truth itself, in order to be content with smaller lights which illumine the fleeting moment yet prove incapable of showing the way. Yet, in the absence of light, everything becomes confused; it is impossible to tell good from evil or the road to our destination from other roads which take us in endless circles, going nowhere.”
If, in the absence of truth, there can only be conflict between those wandering in confusing and contradictory directions, what can liberate us from the limits of our own reason and depredations of our will?
“There is an urgent need, then, to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim,” Lumen Fidei continues. “The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence. A light this powerful cannot come from ourselves, but from a more primordial source: In a word, it must come from God. Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see; we realize that it contains a great promise of fulfilment and that a vision of the future opens up before us. Faith, received from God as a supernatural gift, becomes a light for our way, guiding our journey through time.”
Here, the Holy Father weaves together the three theological virtues as part of one vision. Faith is born from an encounter with God, which in turn provides confidence for our journey through history. Faith is not a mere shortcut to knowledge, a quicker way to assemble dry facts. It embraces the whole person, as it arises from meeting the God who is love and, therefore, provides a future full of hope.
Reasons to Believe
Taking up a theme articulated by Blessed John Paul in his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus, that “at the heart of every culture is the attitude that man takes toward the greatest mystery: the mystery of God,” Lumen Fidei makes the observation that every person and every culture has to live by faith in something. Faith is knowledge that we accept because we trust the one passing it on to us, without the capacity to verify it entirely on our own. We cannot choose to live without faith, but we can choose in what or whom we put our faith.
“In many areas in our lives, we trust others who know more than we do,” observes Lumen Fidei. “We trust the architect who builds our home, the pharmacist who gives us medicine for healing, the lawyer who defends us in court. We also need someone trustworthy and knowledgeable where God is concerned. Jesus, the Son of God, is the one who makes God known to us.”
The specific difference of Christian faith is that we trust not because of credentials or expertise or authority, but because of the revelation of God’s love. God is love, and because he loves us — fully revealed on the cross — then we can trust him to teach us the truth. Everyone needs faith in something, but only Christian faith proceeds from a perfectly reliable love.
Faith that proposes truth without love is not reliable, which is why the world is suspicious of it, and for good reason, given the experience of recent centuries.
“Truth nowadays is often reduced to the subjective authenticity of the individual, valid only for the life of the individual,” notes Lumen Fidei, explaining why relativism might be attractive. “A common truth intimidates us, for we identify it with the intransigent demands of totalitarian systems.”
‘A Truth of Love’
Christian faith is not this threatening truth, though, as Lumen Fidei explains in perhaps the passage that is most directly addressed to a world afraid to believe and afraid of religious believers:
“But if truth is a truth of love, if it is a truth disclosed in personal encounter with the Other and with others, then it can be set free from its enclosure in individuals and become part of the common good. As a truth of love, it is not one that can be imposed by force; it is not a truth that stifles the individual. Since it is born of love, it can penetrate to the heart, to the personal core of each man and woman. Clearly, then, faith is not intransigent, but grows in respectful coexistence with others. One who believes may not be presumptuous; on the contrary, truth leads to humility, since believers know that, rather than ourselves possessing truth, it is truth which embraces and possesses us. Far from making us inflexible, the security of faith sets us on a journey; it enables witness and dialogue with all.”
Lumen Fidei makes an attractive and compelling contribution to that dialogue. Whether a world that is suspicious of faith is interested remains to be seen. Suspicion and fear are the allies of dictatorships, including the dictatorship of relativism, from which Benedict, and now Francis, wishes to free us.
Father Raymond J. de Souza is editor in chief of Convivium magazine.
He was the Register’s Rome correspondent from 1998-2003.
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Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.
Ana:
Except when the Apostle Paul wrote the churches, he often severely admonished them, not pulling any punches and not attempting to be P.C. I don’t see that in the encyclicals.
I also don’t see anyone on these comment boards besides those in the “mutual admiration society” regarding what the Holy See promulgates. While he may be correct in his views on Faith in Christ, or that he shows “brilliance”, as one commenter said above and I don’t think Francis/Benedict is covering any new territory.
I mean: it’s not a “catholic” thing.
Pablito,
If New Testament is enough, why do you need pastors to explain it
to you? What’s the point of preaching?
Papal encyclicals are just letters adressed to priests, bishops and laymen around the world, letters tha discuss
some important issue to christian lives. It’s a “catholic” thing, because Saint Paul inaugurated the style, writing several letters to several communities. Papal enclycicals follow that pattern and instruct Christian community, or the Church, better saying, about an important doctrinal topic. They are not written as substitutes to Bible itself. They explain biblical passages e deep our knowledge of our faith.
Robert Hill & Robert Rowland:
The encyclical is written about the elements of faith and what it means to believers. This has been covered so many times in the history of the Church, well, I can’t imagine how many times.
I am simply stating that we don’t need popes to help us understand what faith is a what it does for us. It is one of the clearest things in found in scripture, and it certainly doesn’t take a magisterium to de-code it for us.
I learned practicaly nothing from this encyclical, and, I would guess, that 90% of Catholics don’t read the encyclicals.
If what you guys are contending is true, all Protestants are lost unless they accept this pope’s understanding of faith. Also, you have condemned probably 75% of mass-attending Catholics and 90% of self-identivied Catholics.
I suggest you read Paul’s letter to the Romans Chapter 10
Be careful, as I am not telling you that the pope and the enyclical is wrong, but he presents nothing new or enlightening that hasn’t been taught a myriad of times before. Ask yourself if it makes more sense coming from Benedict or Francis or the Apostle Paul…...
Pablito, the Magisterium is better placed than you or I to decide what guidance is needed by the flock and when we need it. The Bible speaks to all times and peoples, but it is notoriously hard to interpret (as evidenced by the myriad protestant sects that have sprung up since Luther open the gates). Solo scriptura = multi interpretura.
†
Pablito: Why do you suppose St. John closed his Gospel with:“But there are also many other things that Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written?” Why do you suppose Jesus built a Church, if the Bible covered it thoroughly without the necessary authority provided by His Church? Without His Church, there is no salvation. Your shaky ground may be quicksand instead. You better read Lumine Fidei if you value salvation. “Those who do not believe will be condemned!”
Pope Benedict’s writings, as with Pope John Paul II, give me great comfort and they validate the truth. After centuries of assaults on our faith and on reality, such publications are a welcome necessity as they clarify the applications of our faith. Since the media tends to confound and misinterpret the messages and the common sense of the Catholic faith, I hope to see more publications. It is these communication outlets that help Catholics remain true against the onslaught of popular insanity, inherent negativity, and lack of common sense. Thank you Holy Father.
THE ENCYCLICALS REINFORCES MY CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN FAITH - IN UNITY WITH THE POPE - RATHER THAN THE DIVISIVENESS- OF THE PURELY BIBLE BASED BORN AGAIN EVANGELICAL CHURCHES, BEREFT OF TRADITIONS, BEWILDERED BIBLICAL INTERPRETATIONS! THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHOSE FAITH IS SUPPORTED WITH SUBLIME REASON!
This encyclical confuses me: all of this “Faith” business is covered VERY well in the New Testament. Well, let me qualify that: it is covered thoroughly.
It would be sufficient to read the New Testament, rather than a “digest” version written by two recent popes. Besides, which do you think is more accessible to people in the world and read by more people, the New Testament or encyclicals?
I often see these types of encyclicals as simply publishing for the sake of publishing and serves no purpose.
And to quote His Holiness’ predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, as stated on his first trip back to Poland after becoming pope, “Praise be Jesus Christ”! Yes, praise be Jesus Christ for giving us the sublime brilliance of Pope Benedict XVI, the humility of Pope Francis, and a saint in Pope John Paul II!!!
Pope Benedict defines true humility and brilliance in the service of the Lord. Probably, one of the greatest philosopher/theologians/teachers since Aquinas. He possesses the ability to explain the sublime in language understandable to the erudite and the person in the pew. Already miss the reverence and beauty of his pontifical liturgies. I suspect he will have had a far more positive influence on the Church then any of us can imagine at this time. They will be unloading and studying his library for many years to come. Very few can stand with Pope Benedict. God Bless Him.
Praise God for giving us Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. I feel that is truly ways leading us to the transformation of our Church, clergy, religious and laity. At least in my lifetime I will witness this church teachings and the inspiration lived out by our Holy Fathers.
I could hardly wait to read the book.
Outstanding summation of Obummer people.
Lead, Kindly Light,
amidst th’encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark,
and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet;
I do not ask to see
The distant scene;
one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus,
nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path;
but now lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day,
and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will.
Remember not past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me,
sure it still will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen,
o’er crag and torrent,till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!
Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Savior, lead me home in childlike faith,
home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.
—Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman
God bless Pope Benedict! I miss him terribly!
About half of chapters 5-7 is Pope Francis. A few lines of chapters 50-55 are by Pope Francis, but most is by Benedict. From chapter 55-58, almost all is by Francis, although there are a few sparkling lines that are clearly by Benedict. Chapter 58-60 is Benedict. Chapter 60 is Pope Francis.
Thank you so much Father de Souza. One does not need to be a learned theologian or philosopher to discern The clear and lucid intellectual capacity of Benedict XVI. I was captivated by this article from the first paragraph that will not abate until I read the entire encyclical. We are indebted to Pope Francis for completing what must indeed be Benedict’s best encyclical. It is the mark of a great theologian that can make such an exalted intelligence level accessible to even the average reader.
Chapters 1-3 are Pope Benedict; Chapter 4 is Pope Francis.
In many of his earlier writings, Pope Benedict refers to the “Light” and now with this encyclical he has focused on this gift with much clarity. Truly, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit through both Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. In the middle of all the present world’s turmoils, we are witnesses to great Graces!
Thanks be to God.
Great review Father - makes me want to go and get the book immediately!
Truth which makes you stop for awhile, think and ponder….
It is very beautiful, can’t wait to read it in book form; but reading it on the computer is okay; sometimes hard to focus. Thank you for writing this post.
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