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On the Relationship Bet. Faith/Reason (United States Catholic Conference Publication)

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The purported dichotomy between faith and reason, or its latter-day incarnation as the conflict between religion and science, is actually of a very recent origin. Throughout most of the history, however, different ways of assessing and interpreting the world have all been thought of as belonging to a continuum of human thought and intellectual engagement. Only starting with the rabidly anti-religious movements of the eighteenth and the nineteenth century did the idea that religion is completely alien and antagonistic to the rational investigation gain traction in certain intellectual circles. To this day we are beholden to many of the mistaken or downright slanderous concepts and characterizations (such as the whole concept of the "Dark Ages") that became increasingly promulgated in this period.

Pope John Paul II's encyclical "Faith and Reason" ("Fides et ratio") is set out to correct and refute many of these misconceptions, and to reiterate Church's continuing commitment to the fullness of truth. It emphasizes the fact that rational inquiry is a natural complement to the revelation, and the two readily support and balance each other. The pope posits that for the proper appreciation of the claims that the faith makes, it is important to ground oneself in philosophy. Historically, philosophy has had a significant and profound effect on Christian theology, but this encyclical emphasizes the fact that the two lines of inquiry are essentially independent of each other. It is not Church's desire to promote any particular school of philosophy, but it has to refute those philosophical claims and positions that can lead to a serious error.

One issue that I have with this encyclical is that it defines reason almost exclusively as the subject matter of "good" philosophy. The fact is that in academic and intellectual circles we have for quite some time been moving away from the primacy that the philosophy once enjoyed. One may lament this state of affairs, but it is an unavoidable fact of the modern intellectual life. In the light of that, it may seem that "Fides et ratio" has somewhat missed its target, or at very least may not have had as much of an impact as I think it ought to have had. Nonetheless, those inquisitive and fair-minded secular intellectuals who appreciate the philosophical inquiry will definitely find a lot of material in this encyclical that will be well worth their time and consideration.