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7/31/2019 Final Paper Albert Hector
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
The idea of progress is the notion of
mankind having advanced in the past, frombarbarism and ignorance, is now advancing,
and will continue to advance through theforeseeable 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.
1 An analysis from the essay of Fr. Francis Gevers, CICM, The Catholic Intellectual: AnAsset to the Modern World.St, Louis University Quarterly, Vol. 1/3, p 405-430
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert 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
catholic intellectuals to rediscover what is, really a Christian Faith. A
Christian faith, that considers the humanistic and historical value of faith to be
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.
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
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:
2Ibid
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
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 post-
Christianity 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 The authors recall this from a certain class discussion; the real source is lost in memory.4Borrowing from the idea of Karl Marx, the human nature is directed to work. Man is does in its essence is a workinganimal. The Social conflict of Marx is not attributed as the main focus of this paper and we are not blaming Marx forthe materialistic attitude of the era. It is only the manifestation of mans unsatiable desire for possession.5 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
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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
6Ibid7Ibid
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
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.
8Taira, Sunao, Reexamination of Religion in a Contemporary Society, Journal of Oriental Studies, Vol. 17, 2007
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
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. Under this
framework, religious experiences transcend time and space and are
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
9Ibid10 Found on the Biography of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, we can no longer remember theauthor of the book but to recognize him/her we dont own this idea. We are just borrowing thisidea from that author.
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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
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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.
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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 self-
centered. The most prevailing notion is to accept faith as an aide to the end of
reason. It is going back from the notion of S ren 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
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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 S ren
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
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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 An analysis from the essay of Fr. Francis Gevers, CICM, The Catholic Intellectual: AnAsset to the Modern World.St, Louis University Quarterly, Vol. 1/3, p 405-430
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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.
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Contemporary Man: Agent of Religious TransformationA Commentary on Fr. Francis Gevers The Catholic Intellectual: An Asset to theModern WorldAlbert Pallaya and Hector Rimando
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. The question arises from the people, how then can they
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 non-
rational 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 Ibid
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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)
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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Suggested Activity:
Think-Pair-Share
Mechanics:Activity
Think, pair, share
On your own, think about things that you consider being the source of yourpeacefulness. 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 sourceof 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.
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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 405-430Lieven Boeve, CHRISTIAN FAITH, CHURCH AND WORLD, The Ratzinger
Reader, 2009, p 120Bailey, David H., What is the "idea of progress" and how does it relate to
harmony between science and religion?, April 29, 2012Dawkins, 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, MeridianPublishing Company, 1989
Kreis, Steven, Renaissance Humanism2000McDaniel, Eric L., Politics in the Pews: The Political Mobilization of the Black
Churches, University of Michigan Press, 2008Norman, Richard, On Humanism, Routledge, London, 2004Otto W. Heick, A History of Christian Thought, USA, 1973, p 328
Scruton, Roger, Short History Modern Philosophy 2ndEd., Routledge, Londonand New York, 1995
Russell, Bertrand, The Theologian's Nightmare, from Fact and Fiction, 1961
Taira, Sunao, Reexamination of Religion in a Contemporary Society
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Scheie, david and Kari, Nan, What is Faith Got to Do with It?, RainbowResearch, Inc., Nov. 2006