Final Paper Albert Hector

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation
A Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to the Modern World Albert Pallaya and Hector Rimando The idea of progress is the notion of mankind having advanced in the past, from barbarism and ignorance, is now advancing, and will continue to advance through the foreseeable future. Robert Nisbet 1980, pg. 4-5
Background: Fr. Gevers stressed the reason why, in his time, his generation marked the era of the absence of God1. He blamed scientific revolution and discoveries to be the main factor of the so-called attitude. People are engrossed with materialism and on the attainment of pleasure and luxuries. The notion of God is already forgotten. Man is already engrossed with his laborious desire to attain money or luxuries. He even coined his era as the post-Christian era due to this momentous turn of event. One reason to believe Fr. Gevers is that the suppressive attitude of the Church leads to the desire of man to attain industrial progress. The turn of events during the 18th to 19th century, in which science have given so much of its attention to the problem of the existence of the world and of man as biological entity, allows the scientific progress possible. When the answer to the problem of the source of all things was found in scientific theories and that the rise of robotics allows mans work a lot easier, people already began to misplace faith in religious doctrine. Materialism became the prevailing philosophy of the people. Faith was set aside by the people, since it no longer provide suitable answer to mans problem of existence.
An analysis from the essay of Fr. Francis Gevers, CICM, The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to the Modern World. St, Louis University Quarterly, Vol. 1/3, p 405-430
A Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to the Modern World Albert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
Catholic intellectuals in the modern era are now facing the prevailing issue of humanism, in which case technological advancement is the underpinning force of the society. By virtue of humanism, the religious identity of Christians is clouded with the notion of material possessions. The problem of the search for spirituality is being overcome by the humanist perspective of existence. Christianism is more likely to be set aside since man is no longer submerge in the quest spirituality but on the existentialist notion of mans existence as a creator of himself (Heideggerian concept of existence). Existentialism sees religion as something against the world. It hinders man to live life actively in the world because of the Christian teaching that man present world is not final but there is a new world after death. The emphasis on this Christian perspective and dogmas suppresses the desire of man to search and live his life to the fullest at this world. Sometimes the belief in the future world becomes an alibi of people on their failure to fulfill a certain task. Based on these realities it is indeed a great challenge to the A catholic intellectuals to rediscover what is, really a Christian Faith. alive as they offer it to people. A perspective not so much emphasizing Christianity but emphasizing the faith in Christianity. At this point it is good also to consider the coming of Christ in this world 2000 years ago. The coming of Christ is not to build Christian religion but primarily to be an example of faith and love. Thus being a Christian is to regain the original meaning of faith.
Christian faith, that considers the humanistic and historical value of faith to be
In this case, Fr. Gevers assumes that faith, in its formal definition, is not theological2. For him, to believe involves the whole man and in which case involved a confidence to something you believed to be. The intellectual definition of faith is not also similar to his notion since the intellectual definition is only for the sake of formality. Fr. Gevers suggests the necessity to have a formulation of revelation, and this formulation is what he called theology, in which case theology is the root of faith. Fr. Gevers understood faith in light of theology being understood in as much as theology explains the mystical problem of the spiritual search. Understanding theology allows people to understand the concept of God and the mystical problem of existence. Since faith is no longer understood as the blind obedience or adherence to dogmas, rather, an understanding of revealed truth, it is then the concrete and existential answer to the fundamental question of man: the final and last meaning of mans existence as such. Man for him to exist is fundamentally founded to the task of understanding the dimension of being-in-the-world and of being religious. Faith remains as a mystery and can only be understand fundamentally from the confers of theological undertakings. Its mystery is bounded to the experience and is not capable of standing from the view of definition. It is by virtue of understanding it through the light of non-rational faculties; the experience of an ordinary person explains how he understands its concept. The notion of faith as adherence therefore is negated and is rejected.
Commentary:
2
Ibid
I. The Transformation of Religion in the Contemporary World

A. The Notion of Religion
In this contemporary world, everything is situated under the sign of crisis, be it social and economic, not only that aspect but also, cultural and spiritual, this being the case, everything has become problematic. As John Nobel Wilford states, Everywhere we look there is a tension between the past and the future between a pessimism we cannot shake and an optimism we cannot believe in.3 In this era, economic and social crisis tends to rule the prevailing status of the people. Because of the problematic underpinnings of the society, culture and spirituality of people are also on the verge of turmoil. Social and economic status of the people governs a big aspect of the society. It is thus, by this state, people tend to be disinterested with the God-talk issue due to their human nature, quoting from Karl Marx, working animal4. Material possessions and luxury in life is of value, time and money are the main factor and of importance in order to exist and have existence. As Fr. Gevers puts it, the modern world is under the turmoil of disinterested appreciation on the notion of God which he term as postChristianity being describe as the absence of God era5. It is not only on the modern world, this problem also influence and affects the contemporary
3 4
The authors recall this from a certain class discussion; the real source is lost in memory.
Borrowing from the idea of Karl Marx, the human nature is directed to work. Man is does in its essence is a working animal. The Social conflict of Marx is not attributed as the main focus of this paper and we are not blaming Marx for the materialistic attitude of the era. It is only the manifestation of mans unsatiable desire for possession.
5
society since history in its aspect is dialectic, it is thus possible that whatever problems that was left hanging during the previous era also causes the preceding era to adopt with that similar dilemma. In this prevailing situation of the contemporary world, one among the focus of Fr. Gevers on his essay is the situation of faith and religion especially Christianity6, the definition of religion is hard to define during this era, though for people, it is possible for them to claim that they have a notion of religion but to define it in its essence, there is no adequate term to coin it. For ordinary people to say that they dont know religion in its definition is possible and allowing them to practice makes a difference. In ordinary language, a person already has an idea and understanding of what is religion, it is no longer important to define it in formality since it would only obstruct the notion of it. Realizing that since Christians are members of the society, they share in the destiny of the world and the responsibility towards it, as discussed by Fr. Gevers on his essay on the part of existentialism and the modern world, man for him to exist must act on the world.7 The Heideggerian notion of existence entails responsibility towards the world, Man as Being-in-the-World. What now is the nature of religion? Is it an entity that can command social responses and provide an alternative to secular ideologies and institutions? In this regard, does religion became an ideology? What is our contemporary notion of it? Tracing back the definition of religion in its secular order or secularism, this term is not often used by Christians not until before the period of Enlightenment secular-religious distinction, in which case it was used as justification and basis of moral standard and social order. The religious
6 7
Ibid Ibid
historian, Wilfred Cantwell Smith in one among his essay, points out that faith and tradition was often interconnected with the term religion. The term itself has its own difficulty to define since its origin as a word is not clear, tracing it back on the medieval era of St. Augustine and St. Aquinas, thus we can never have a clear understanding of it. On the other hand, it is being used in the modern era as an ideological construct of beliefs joined with an institutionalized community. In this case, it makes sense only in coincidence with secularism. It is used to distinguish the ideas, practices, beliefs, and institutions that are related to a particular faith and tradition that has a name, such as Christianity, and can be labeled as a religion in this sense. In the essay of Sunao Taira, Reexamination of Religion in a Contemporary Society, he states that in defining religion we must establish a framework, in which case he thus accepts the three academic framework of religion in which case, we would like to stress on the two frameworks which is deemed necessary for this paper. First, that religion is a form or objective reality. Emile Durkheims position is that humans are innately religious being and religion is an immutable aspect of human nature.8 Speaking about religion as an objective reality creates an idea that it is in human capacity to establish it on the basis of a need, thus allowing human beings to be innately religious. Karl Marx in his idea of religion as an opium is an explanation of religion as an inclination of man to find comfort from their anguish and a scapegoat from the call of reality.
Taira, Sunao, Reexamination of Religion in a Contemporary Society, Journal of Oriental Studies, Vol. 17, 2007
The second framework according to S. Taira, is that religion is either an essentially subjective mode of existence that is inherently irreducible (and therefore transcendental) or a basic emotional reaction to the wholly other. 9 Thus, religion can be seen in the human body in the clearly different reaction to wholly other and the sacred. It could be explained as innately found in the human consciousness. As Cardinal Ratzinger put it, religion is centered on the problem of man in his search for life meaning, he creates a super natural being as a representation of the self, and this Being is situated only on his consciousness and thus inspires him to move forward10. framework, religious experiences transcend time and Under this and are space
immutable, since the relationship of man to his religion is personal and bounded only to the self. This framework then is an explanation of the religious construct allowing religion to be a creation of the heart which is a vital aspect of a society, though we can never say that religious construct as such is essential to the development of a religious definition as a whole.
B. Transformation of Religion
Discussing the aforementioned framework, we can now establish the Christian notion of religion or Christianity in the contemporary world. Religion in the context of Christian in this era, is no longer the religion that the medieval fathers had perceived, it became an organizational sect aimed to provide identity to the people. Humans in their nature as sociable animal feels to belong to a group in order to socialize, one way to do it is by joining a religious community. The real essence of religion therefore is being tattered. The church in which Christian community used as a place of fellowship and
9
Ibid Found on the Biography of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, we can no longer remember the author of the book but to recognize him/her we dont own this idea. We are just borrowing this idea from that author.
10
gathering becomes a socialization theater, people attends the religious activities in such a way that they attending a party or they just attend in conformity to tradition or worst is to attend due to peer-pressure. Religion caries a shallow impact in the totality mans life, it is being exercise always in relation with others but forgetting that it should involve the totality of the person as Fr. Gevers give emphasis on the understanding of faith. Man understands religion based on the influence coming outside him and neglecting his personal longing to understand religion in relation to himself. As a result people experience meaninglessness, unhappiness, dissatisfaction. These experiences of people lead them the longing of something else to overcome it. Some others give up anymore being with a certain religion, others try to cling to other religions and the worst is transferring from one religion to the other. These are alarming realities which is rooted on misunderstanding of religion as institution, dogmas, traditions and being passive on it without being critical on these matters. These boils down to Fr. Gevers are saying on christianism. Christianism presents man with a set of dogmas and absolute truths and hence kills in man the search for knowledge of truth. moral and ethical values which are absolute and unchangeable. (The catholic intellectual- An Asset. 418) However for Fr. Gevers this is not supposed to be but as Christian one must continually seek for truth. Christians must not be passive to the Christian teaching but to be critical on them. Thus he is challenging the catholic intellectual to bring into light the understanding of religion beyond the given moral system which becomes the foundation for growth. David Bailey in his article, claims that religion, Christianity, is in a linear or progressive history, for him, the world had a string point in the past, and
8
we can look forward to a future epoch when the misfortunes, injustices and evil of this world will be set straight, claiming form the Genesis account of the creation, in the promise to Abraham and others (Bailey 2012). The acceptance of scientific research and findings allowing technological progress is a way, a form of blessing, be considered to be the progress also in religions, progress is not only essential to science but also to religions, religious leaders accepts that this advancement offers new hope and better understand of the world. Optimism is now the prevailing attitude of religions; it allows them to be open in the advancement of science in order to find its contributions to religious teachings. Since the contemporary religion feels responsible for allowing the science to progress, it is in this notion that religion should also transform and to embrace a new way of existence. Religion, Christianity, can co-exist with scientific development. It may be different from the writing of Fr. Gevers in which these transitions is against the idea that materialism is encroaching man. Materialism may influence mans life but by the transformative development of religion would open man to accept that the world is changing and religions is transforming from the call of progress. The reason why it seems to us scientific development is negative is that we never tried to see the big picture. Our concentration is the negative influences by which science brings. The contemporary society is so fascinated by sensationalized news which brought about negative understanding of scientific improvement. Its only by being optimist that man can see the big picture and understand the societys changes and development, it is also similar to religious transformation.
9
II. The Stand of Christianity in the Changing Times and the Transformation of Faith A. Christianity in the Contemporary World As accepted by Fr. Gevers, the modern era is considered to be the revolutionary age and in conjunction, the contemporary era is also similar to it. Time may change, Christian doctrines stay the same. People are connected from the old dilemma of falling away from faith. This is the classical problem of Christianity, it is always found on the human side. Everything situated outside Christianity are connected within it, the prevailing Christian perspective is situated from this notion, thus, the Christian identity is rooted from this point of view. Since this era is considered to be a revolutionary period, spirituality also transform. Spirituality is thus, in its essence, anarchic. Due to the call of time, man live in anguish or angst more than ever before. Christianity became an ordinary institution, considered to be as a just simple organization. Contemporary beings have lost their trust and faith to such religious affiliations. Since beings are bombarded with the fear of trust from progress, and are conscious of the injustice of the new society, human beings turn to create a new kind of faith, a new form of religion. A religion that is selfcentered. The most prevailing notion is to accept faith as an aide to the end of reason. It is going back from the notion of Sren Kierkegaard, leap of faith. His teaching on angst expresses the contemporary situation of the world, the position of man. Man, being tired of the search of spiritual freedom is
10
prepared to renounce it in exchange of power in order to create order in his life. Being tired, man has grown tired of himself, of man, has lost the confidence in man and wants to leap off to the supra-human as Nietzsche would said, even though this supra-human be a social collective identity as presented by Heidegger in his notion of Dasein. In this condition, Christianity therefore has lost its essence. The book or Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, is no longer the talk of the town for contemporary people; it is the innate response of man to search for his own purpose. Christianity is no longer powerful institution to bring back people to an organized gatherings and fellowships. The question; why would I attend the Church meeting and the likes would be the prevailing question of the people since they have already found a new way of Spiritual search. Christianity is slowly diminishing its influence to the people. The notion of Sren Kierkegaards leap of faith is taken personally. Spirituality and Faith is no longer found in Christianity itself but on the outside of it. Man is shaken by the might of technology, of machines and as times flourish, man is unable to find his faith and believed into this. The problem is that the contemporary man have created this, it is the product of his search for the Ultimate. His reason, inventiveness and his impulse to succeed the Ultimate causes him to unlock the hidden secrets of nature and uses them for their consumption. As Fr. Gevers puts it, man is not satisfied by this innovation, they still cling to the search and satisfaction of justice and truth, happiness and peace. Because of mans work, technology has come to overpower man and take control of it. The only source of faith for contemporary man is found in technology, technology seems to answer mans entire problem, it enslave man and it weakens his spirituality. Contemporary people have been completely succumb by advancement of science and thus
11
Christians have been shock and was completely unprepared by this revolutionary development, it thus slowly replace the Christian consciousness of life turning humans in to machines. By virtue of technological advancement, contemporary man is lost in the eternal order of things. Fr. Gevers, in his inquiry found in his article, is Life worth living?11 clearly suggest that there is a great difference between the lifestyle during his age from the age of the medieval fathers. In the contemporary era, Christians also have this dilemma. The world in which the contemporary Christians are situated has a different symbolism that is connected with their faith. The only similarities is the connection between the land and the never changing order of life though some of it were tattered by technology, Christianity continues to uphold them. Christianity continues to live and act in this changing world. It continues to live in the dualistic perspective of religious and worldly society. The self-centeredness attitude that they carry within them allows them to participate and adopt to the worldly change, as the materialistic craving of the society continue to move, Christians become tired of it and withdraws from the craving of the society and turn to religious change. The dilemma of technology is slowly transformed to the question of the search of God and relying on the dogmas and doctrine of the church. Contemporary Christians, by virtue of technology, appreciates the changing environment and the revolutionary spiritual anarchism and turns it to the discovery of the self. They began to dwell on the search of spirituality on the inner-self as the manifestation of God. Christianity on this manner found a new way to define the contemporary dilemma as an attitude towards new actuality of faith. The person situated within man cries out to be
11
12
appreciated, it demands a new understanding of the world and the society, it wishes to goes back to the understanding that, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger puts it, within him lies in his image and likeness, the God of his slowly diminishing faith. Spirituality thus helps man to maintain his religious nature, though it allows man to be tattered by the materialistic call of the changing times. Being immersed with the changing world and man became alienated with his notion of God, but with the same reason came the enlightenment of the same problem. Since man became self-centered, he thus came to understand that he himself is essential for his search for peace and happiness, a Christian value that never dies within the changing time. The revolutionary process of science is understood by the contemporary Christian, not as a problem but a challenge of faith. Christianity learns to accept that by experiencing the revolutionary changes in era, the problem of the absence of God is not the prevailing dilemma but the problem of man towards his existence and appreciation of life. It is thus by this reason that Christianity stands still even in the midst of revolutionary change. As Nikolai Berdyaev puts it in his essay, people have turned away from God, but by this they have subjected to doubt not the worthiness of God, but rather the worthiness of man. Man cannot hold on without God. Only Christianity holds the resolution to the problem of the relationship of man and God, only in Christ is the image of man preserved, only within the Christian spirit are there created both society and culture, non-destructive to man. But the truth has to be realized in life (Nikolai Berdyaev, The Spiritual Condition of the Contemporary World1931). Christianity uses the changing and revolutionary factor of the era to find the solution to mans desire and problem.
13
B. The Transformation of Faith On the aforementioned discussion, religion, primarily Christianity is transforming. Thus, Faith, in the contemporary era, must have the capacity to adapt to the turn of events. According to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Christian individuals yes to the world is always a critical yes the modern world cannot only be identified with progress toward more humanity, it is also and always characterized by an illegitimate will to absolute autonomy, the will to live without God, which is modern hubris, (Lieven Boeve, CHRISTIAN FAITH, CHURCH AND WORLD, p 120). Faith as the condition of man is now at lost. In the essay of Fr. Gevers, he mentioned that faith in its essence is mysterious, only by understanding theology that man can understand faith12. Carrying this allusion, we can say theologians by themselves understand the notion of faith. understand faith? Stated from the previous discussion that religion is being understood by experience and is not definable, it is thus relates to the notion of faith. Man, in order to understand the mystery of faith, does not need to define faith, it can only be by understands it in relation non-rational faculties, reason can never explain this idea. Faith in its mystery is found only by acceptance of the nonrational explanation of realities, the transcendental explanation of cognitive and emotive faculties of man which are not rooted to the rational. The understanding of a certain belief is realized only by the examination of experience. As mentioned on the previous discussion, contemporary man can
12
The question arises from the people, how then can they
Ibid
14
only realize their belief only by reflecting the conflict of himself. As man is lost from the search of his biengnes can he only be in touch to his self. The self thus manifest this non-rational belief to the Mystical, which is often called religion and is attributed to God. As Martin Luther was quoted from the work of Otto Heick, God is known by faith which transcends the intellectual, emotive and volitional endowment of man Faith is not on the experience, although it is experience, it is seat in the living soul of man. (Otto W. Heick, A History of Christian Thought,1973, p 328) Faith can only be explain as knowing of something but the what and how of it is left unsearched. It is likened to our existence, we are certain that our world exist but the problem of how it came to be and what, who made it, we do not know. It is only then by the transformation of faith of the contemporary man can he realize this essential point. The revolutionary development of science is of help in this transformation. Faith, in this sense, is considered to be a paradox. The turn of time allows man to return to his faith, the fear of losing the only thing that would allow man to believe to something that is unexplainable, even scientist have this fear. Scientist in the brink of their success would still embrace the all powerful reality that they cannot explain all things, it is by this state that they use their belief to explain what they cannot explain. Fr. Gevers also accepts this reality in which everything is in the construct of God , when things would go wrong, only in God can the solution be acquired. For he who possesses faith, possesses all things and can do all things. (Otto W. Heick, A History of Christian Thought, USA, 1973, p 391)
15
III. Humanism and Faith

A. Humanism in the Contemporary Era
One among the most celebrated attitude or understanding towards religion in the modern era and of this era is humanism, it is often defined as a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity (Fred Edwords, American Humanist Association). The existence of such attitude greatly affects and influences the contemporary notion of faith. Accepting the notion that there is already a spiritual anarchism that is present in the contemporary era, humanism also destroys mans notion of God. Though there are secular humanists, the influence of non-secular is of great value. Fr. Gevers explains that humanism allows man to be materialist and considers the absence of God in life. it may be true that the contemporary man has indifference towards the notion of God, still it is important to show that man in the contemporary era still has the strong inclination to God. As being understood by Fr. Gevers, humanism is the answer of man toward the question of existence. The prevailing consciousness is directed to the nature of man, it is the center of the world. Nothing exist that is far greater than man, this is the notion that negates the possibility of God. Everything in the world can exist without God, morality and harmony can exist. in the contemporary era, human being is the center and the apex of the
16
hierarchical value. It is not therefore shocking that Fr. Gevers elucidates atheism as the main problem of religion since the notion of God is already negated. Mans ultimate goal of existence is to foster the right of individuals, in which case, the enhancement of his concrete possibilities of choice, freedom therefore implies the highest value for man rather than any religious notions. It is also good to consider that not all humanist are atheist, there also exist who are theist. This theistic humanist, like for example: J.P. Sartre, M. Heidegger, and G. Marcel, rejects the notion that the contemporary society is realizing freedom in their act. For this humanist, the notion of the atheist humanist only degrades man into mere commodities when they accepts that our desire for freedom can only expressed fully without the notion of God. As Karl Jasper elucidates in his discussion of philosophical faith, as a defense to the faith on revealed religion states that only transcendence is the deepest potentiality of our existence and it would articulate our experience from our finitude since only man discerns for the reason for existence a ground for rejecting atheist notion of humanism.
B. Why Science Undermines Religion: The Stand of Faith
The underpinning reason why science is considered to be of supremacy against religion is that it offers more benefit than the later. It is too obvious that the unstoppable development of science brings new development on the technological advancement of the society. Through science it could provide evidences that amazed human being and could satisfies human longing and answers existential problems.
17
We do believe it is important to take into account some historical growth of sciences. Lets take a glimpse for over 2000 years ago in the human history, question on nature was answered by religious authorities. The authorities monopolized in trying to satisfy the quest of humanity. However in the pre-Socratic period there is a shift where in systematic science come into play. By observation and experimentation people would already give answers to their questions during that time. Questions on nature were able to have some explanations. In fact Thales was able to explain why there is an earthquake, able to predict solar eclipse and some others. Some of his contemporaries and people followed after him were able to say that matters is made up of atoms, they could give accurate measurement of the size of the earth and alike. So it is clear that during the pre-Socratic time or even before there is already the consciousness of an alternative explanation. These explanations mark already the rising of human reasoning over the religious perspective in explaining realities. Moreover science successes became more visible during the Copernican revolution. A revolution, that scandalize the church because it is not in accordance to the church believe for thousand of years, that the earth is the center of the universe. Copernicus discovery claims that the sun is the center of the universe. However it is being suppressed by the church because it is a threat for them. Galileo continued the study and exposed it which is not in favor in the church. There are two things we could point out. First how powerful the method of science to be able to explain the things that are happening in the universe. At this period we can see how human reason would able to explain reality which threaten the faith of the church. It lambasted the belief of the church.
18
Secondly how the church tried to suppress such discovery of sciences for the protection of the faith of the church. These experiences possibly affected the existentialist perspective of the church. Fr. Gevers expose the view of existentialist perspective of Christianity as having fixed doctrines which become obstacle for man to go further in his quest. In some sense it is also the fault of the church because sometimes the practice of imposition of the doctrine and dogmas are being carried out. Wherein the personal perspective of individual are being neglected that existentialism are trying to emphasize. During the renaissance period science development is being seen. Compass, gun powder, thermometer, microscope are being made, there was also a printing press. This marks how sciences are becoming into play in the life of human being. Systematic sciences lead to the proliferation of machines and technologies especially nowadays. By the creativity of human mind man is able to create things in this world and able to explain it. It is observable how machines and technologies able to help people to have to make work easier, to know more things, to understand things. Ceaseless discoveries of science that can be able to pro-long life, to have an instant communication, access on the internet, and alike. These are the undeniable success of sciences that amazed human being to the point that they become indifferent to their faith. Human being, finds fulfillment in the outcome of sciences because it is being seen and being offered to them than in having faith which seemingly hard to grasp the connection to mans life and their faith is often directed to science without even discovering it to be happening. By these realities, its not surprising why modern man just look everything that happens as natural thing which Fr. Gevers pointed out in his article.
19
It is in this reason that science is being blamed to be the cause of the downfall of religions. It is considered to be a religion itself. People came to believe that the evolution theory of Darwin is the origin of life. Nearly all questions of man regarding the cause of everything are answered by science. Since science can believe to this claim with firm conviction, it is often mistakenly to be faith. Since human hungers for explanation, in which case the nature of man as directed to inquiry, often run for science to explain things. Faith, in religion, is therefore judged to be a belief that isnt based on evidences. David Bailey in his essay What is the "idea of progress" and how does it relate to harmony between science and religion?, in his allusion of Whitehead states that, Faith in reason is the trust that the ultimate natures of things lie together in a harmony which excludes mere arbitrariness. It is the faith that at the base of things we shall not find mere arbitrary mystery. The faith in the order of nature which made possible the growth of science is a particular example of a deeper faith.(David Bailey, 2012) This would manifest that the stand of faith in science is powerful, science cannot fully control society. Science, in itself, has the power to the society though faith is in control of the contemporary man. However, faith in its elements, which is Knowledge, assent and trust (Otto W. Heick, A History of Christian Thought, USA, 1973, p 400) is the key of the contemporary man to the challenge of the changing era.In the contemporary era, man is already endowed by knowledge, what they lack is the assent and trust. The question is to assent to what or thrust to whom? It can be simply stated that the contemporary man needs to assent to a certain belief and to trust to something unexplainable. This is where faith and religion
20
comes in, the problem of what can science cannot suffice.
Scientific
revolution and its implication to the society holds a great impact on religious affairs although this may be true, due to this development faith however, would still have its own position. The spiritual anarchism that is present in the contemporary era would allow faith to have dominance over the life of the contemporary man. In the inclination to find oneself from the engulfing power of material possessions would awaken man to search for reason of existence. The philosophical question of existence and of purpose would come to play and embrace the truth that we can never escape the bounds and arms of faith and religion.
C. The Meaning of Life in the Contemporary Era
Life, in the contemporary era, is defined in a different series. It does have certain definition to find its meaning but by considering some factors in mans life for it to be appreciated. It is not only on the basis human reason that could make human life significance. Although human reason is powerful which lead a lot of development in the world and able to satisfy and fulfill some questions in human affairs but it does not guarantee fully meaningful existence. Richard Norman in his book On Humanism, he claims that, despite of the success of scientific rationalism it cannot deny a sense of mystery and spirituality. For him, There is no need for humanist to deny that the universe is mysterious and that it will ultimately elude human understanding (On Humanism, pp. 33-34) It is clear that human being cannot escape from the experience of the sense of mystery even the non-believers of God. Human rationalities could be able to explain many things in the world but cannot
21
totally grasp or explain the whole of reality. It is obviously seen in the experience of human being towards his world that lead person a sense of wonder and amazement. By human rationalism man is able to come up with different discoveries which bring human being to amazement and awe to the offered vast complexities of this world. Thus, human reason is trying to know more the world but the more complexities are being offered which lead to a point to the awareness of the limitation of human rationalism. Complexities which cannot fully grasp by human reason leads him to a sense of wonder which caught man just to appreciate. Appreciation is better attitude towards the totality of the world despite of its multifaceted aspect. Appreciation as an attitude implies a sense of faith. As Fr. Gevers would understand faith as an attitude, it is a way of life, which comes into play the totality of the person. In this is being affirmed by mans life of spirituality. Richard Norman believes that spirituality is inseparable to mans life. It is a phenomenological spirituality. For him manifestation of this spirituality is by mans satisfaction of ones achievement, fulfillment of oneself in satisfying ones questions in life, experience of happiness being with others and even the enjoyment man get out from the appreciation of arts and nature. In other words it is a way of life or attitude towards life that considers mans subjective and intersubjective spirituality. As a way life Fr. Gevers emphasize and challenge this subjective and intersubjective spirituality of catholic individual to be manifested in their lives, in order to surpass the intellectual perspective of faith. He declares; Hence, there is no real faith without theology, for faith cannot be understood,(fides que-rens intellectum). But Catholic intellectual has to overtake these formulations to find through them the living reality of God living witness and a revelation among the people with whom he lives. The
22
catholic intellectual has to go beyond such formal and intellectual definition of faith to come to a come to a more personalistic and existential definition. (The Catholic intellectual: An Assent, pp. 423-424) It is clear that the reality of the mystery of faith must be able to manifest in mans life in their relationship with others. So the mystery of faith is being understood not only through human reason but also through living ones existence. Mystery of faith is not just to be talk about but it must be live. In this way mystery faith could be better understood which gives more meaning to mans life. Lack of understanding the mystery of faith is threatens mans life which lead to absurdity, pain, suffering, dissatisfaction, irresponsibility etc. Nowadays there are people in the church sharing their experiences that they cannot find meaning in their faith, they cannot find fulfillment. They perform their obligation in the church but it seems the feel they same and they cannot find change in their lives. Then they will ask what the problem is? It is important to go back to what Fr. Gevers is emphasizing to reflect more deeply on the mystery of faith which involves the totality of the person. Conclusion: The Contemporary Man and its Mission to the World Discussion on religion, faith and spirituality is not only for theologians. Religion is ever present to our society, institution and organizations, ordinary people can talk about it. The task to continue the spread of the the Good News is not only confined for theologian and spiritual leader. People from
23
religious domination have this task. But let us not just confine it from their world, religious discussion can be done not only inside the church, it can be done in the coffee shop, inside the bus, the residence and most especially in the classroom. Ordinary lay people can preach anywhere. Students can propagate religious affairs in any place. Faith and the undying belief to something can also be spread outside the self. Contemporary man has the task again to go back and discern for their faith. It is not because the time is changing that we can already forget or be ashamed of our faith, faith would still be the same. Religion, especially Christianity, would still continue to exist but the question is, would you allow yourself to be succumb by the changing society? Would you allow your faith to die in the changing world? As for the aforementioned discussion, it is by virtue of the changing time that we continue to have faith to something that is supernatural, it is thus by the process of the changing world that we can rediscover our faith. The call for materialism would lead us to our faith. It is not that we can cling to material possession to have it but because of it the search for the self and the super natural would arise. It is by virtue of the turn of the era that can religion be transformed. The transformation of religion is not on the basis of the need for the reestablishment of doctrine and dogmas but the discovery of the self form being lost. Understanding of our faith and being conscious on it is our weapon in the battle not only in human existence but also beyond human affairs. Faith as always dynamic and hunger for truth will always look into the understanding of the self, in relation with things and others as well as in relation to something mystical or transcendent. Having a deeper understanding of faith by seeing it not just part and parcel of human existence
24
but constitute mans life.
However understanding ones faith is not on the
level of grasping it in our minds but it requires a visible expression in how man lives his life in relation to the world. Faith as dynamic is always towards something which implies a series of growth coupled with unending quest for truth. Man of faith ceaselessly seeks for truth. He goes beyond the influences of the world such as progress of sciences which marks the unstoppable rise of machines and technology that seemingly explain the whole of reality. He also transcends from the given beliefs, standard, moral system by being active or critical on them to overcome passiveness which curtails the growth of faith. Dynamic faith involves the totality of the person wherein faith becomes an attitude, a way of life as Fr. Gevers put it. It only means that it is but proper to be shared. As man continually seek for truth and able to grasp something on it, it is the person responsibility to share it. We do believe the true essence and nature of faith is not defined but it is a task of man to discover. It is a task that is personal which is essential to be infused with the collective realization of faith. Longing for the true essence and nature faith which affirms, a sense of a common task unifies man. It should make visible by becoming an instrumental to others in comprehending the real nature of faith. By being instrumental is a visible manifestation of ones faith. As man lives his life real faith must be seen. Livings ones faith which is full of eagerness and surpass materialism and authoritative impositions.
25
Contemporary man become active only in the community affairs when it directly influence their personal life, as this happens religious involvement also is accepted. When students chooses a school to go, when crime rate up, when news of a certain death of relative arrive all of this issues, man turns again in religious stated. Since the contemporary man is already isolated into the world, the hunger for relationships also develops, relationships and hunger for a social involvement are the venue in which man can find the refuge of religion, faith is searching for a place to settle down. It is in this reason where the mission of the contemporary man is needed, they need to be together and rediscover their spirituality. The Marxist perspective of religion would also allow the contemporary man to realize that by virtue of materialism, man needs something to identify his existence. Religious affiliation is often the solution to this problem. The contemporary man is faced with two evident reason to be together, first is that because man, in his religious nature, are entasked again to look back on his first obligation to the world, and second is that because man, in religious sense, were the creation of God, to bring back the classical notion that man were created in the likeness of God is destined to be guardian and steward of the world. Going back with first claim, it is not only the theologians who are given the task to spread the Good News, the contemporary man has also the mission to do it. The rediscovery and reestablishment of religion and faith in the transition of eras is the vital mission of every individual. Faith and religion would continue to exist. The search of man for spirituality would never die down and disappear. Religion would continue to transform.
26
Suggested Activity: Think-Pair-Share Mechanics: Activity Think, pair, share On your own, think about things that you consider being the source of your peacefulness. Think also about things that you would call belief and things that can be the factor of faith. Make a list of things you would be at peace of. Make a list of things you would be happy to call belief. Make a list of things you would consider to be the factor of faith. Discuss your views in pairs. In groups try to persuade each other that what has been identified as source of happiness is actually just belief. Is there anything that everyone agrees should be called the source of happiness and faith? Now make a list of what your group concludes can be called faith and belief. Try to put together a definition of faith and belief.
27
We believe that the conditions of any claim faith and belief are
Points to Ponder: 1. What do you think is your role in this contemporary era? 2. Is money and material possession the only the source of happiness? 3. Can you stand firm with your religious claim, set of belief, and faith?
Reference: Fr. Francis Gevers, CICM, The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to the Modern World. St, Louis University Quarterly, Vol. 1/3, p 405-430 Lieven Boeve, CHRISTIAN FAITH, CHURCH AND WORLD, The Ratzinger Reader, 2009, p 120 Bailey, David H., What is the "idea of progress" and how does it relate to harmony between science and religion?, April 29, 2012 Dawkins, Ricahrd, Is Science a Religion?, 1996, Adapted from his speech in acceptance of the 1996 Humanist of the Year Award from the American Humanist Association. Flynn, Thomas R., Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2006 Kaufman, Walter, Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre, Meridian Publishing Company, 1989 Kreis, Steven, Renaissance Humanism 2000 McDaniel, Eric L., Politics in the Pews: The Political Mobilization of the Black Churches, University of Michigan Press, 2008 Norman, Richard, On Humanism, Routledge, London, 2004 Otto W. Heick, A History of Christian Thought, USA, 1973, p 328 Scruton, Roger, Short History Modern Philosophy 2nd Ed., Routledge, London and New York, 1995 Russell, Bertrand, The Theologian's Nightmare, from Fact and Fiction, 1961 Taira, Sunao, Reexamination of Religion in a Contemporary Society
28
Scheie, david and Kari, Nan, What is Faith Got to Do with It?, Rainbow Research, Inc., Nov. 2006
29

Final Paper Albert Hector

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originalbeschreibung:

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Final Paper Albert Hector

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

I. The Transformation of Religion in the Contemporary World

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

III. Humanism and Faith

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

comes in, the problem of what can science cannot suffice.

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

but constitute mans life.

However understanding ones faith is not on the

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious Transformation

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen