When I was assigned in a non-sectarian university-based parish, I met a lot of “intellectual persons” - professors and students – who questioned their own faith as Christians. I noticed, upon listening to their ideas and explanations about Christianity, they tried to explain and to present the “truths” of their faith like the way they were “groomed” in university. For them, they need scientific proofs in order for them to believe. The idea of scientific proofs for them are tantamount to valid reasons, tangible presentations and logical demonstrations of explaining the “truths” of Christianity. It seems that they would like to explain their faith in a quantitative manner. Perhaps, it is like “putting in a box” and “measuring through ruler” the way they wanted to hear about faith from their pastors. Maybe, they will be satisfied only if the faith will be explained under the light of the natural reason.
After I read the Encyclical, Fides et Ratio, I realized that there is a great challenge for us Christians to explain truth to the people of God not only in the vantage point of empirical data, but also explaining truth in view of spiritual realities. Oftentimes, the “two wings” of truth were used not in unified way, but oftenly treated dichotomized truths. This means that faith and reason are contradictory parts or opinions. Faith has its own explanations when it comes to truth, while reason has its own proofs and scientific demonstrations when treating the truth. It seems that dichotomized truths – faith and reason – have different nature or origin. For this reason, one may fall to the peak of error due to the limitation of one's reason; and on the other hand, one may fall into sentimentality due to the limitation of one's belief. Thus, in order to understand better the truth one must not dichotomized truths; but rather, the truth of reason anf faith must go hand-in-hand.
I remember the great scientist, Albert Einstein, who said that “science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” It is exactly what I mean for reason (or science) and faith (or religion) that they must go hand-in-hand. Reason will never stand without the help of faith. It needs faith in order to see the true light of reasoning. Without faith, reasoning will be infallible because of its weaknesses to “explore the paths” that it can not take by itself. For the scientific method can teach us nothing else beyond how facts are related to, and conditioned by, each other. On the other hand, faith will never stand without the help of reason. Faith needs reason in order understand universality, because reason “lays the foundation for faith and makes revelation reliable.”
The Encyclical reminds me also of the saying, “philosophy is the handmaid of theology.” Or maybe, I could paraphrase it in this way, “reason is the handmaid of faith.” This may mean that it is impossible that reason are contrary to those that are of faith; but they are deficient as compared to them. Faith and reason integrate some commonalities of those higher truths, and some things that are foundation for them. In faith, one may able to make a threefold use of reason: “firstly, to demonstrate those truths that are preambles of faith and that have a necessary place in the science of faith. Such are the truths about God that can be proved by natural reason—that God exists, that God is one; such truths about God or about His creatures, subject to philosophical proof, faith presupposes. Secondly, to give a clearer notion, by certain similitudes, of the truths of faith, as Augustine in his book, De Trinitate, employed any comparisons taken from the teachings of the philosophers to aid understanding of the Trinity. Thirdly, to resist those who speak against the faith, either by showing that their statements are false, or by showing that they are not necessarily true.”[1]
The Encyclical is inviting me to understand that faith and reason is mutually purifying and enriching with each other; and thus they are really like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth. The big challenge for me now, as I look back again to my experience of the people in a non-sectarian university-based parish, is that “how will I explain to them the relationship of faith and reason in their lives?” I think this is now the time to think and reflect about the words of the Pope in fides et ratio. I believe that the Pope exhaustively explained all of the major points that pertain to the connections or relationship of fides et ratio. It is very true that “faith and spiritual life protect the philosopher from intellectual pride that would impede his ability to search for the truth.” Faith guides the intellectual apprehension of the truth about man and his real longings if it is strengthened by love. Moreover, the observation of the work of reason in various spheres of life can only proceed from the perspective of faith.
The Encyclical insists on this point: Christian reflection today ought to turn its attention to the "relationship between meaning and truth". The task of academic today is to show how human action, including scientific action, has human dignity by being oriented to the whole truth, whose premises the Christian enjoys in faith and which enlivens, in a way ignored by the positive sciences and by those who would claim an a priori without God, a hope-filled knowledge capable of paying homage to the Living Eternal One.[2]
[1] See Aquinas, Thomas. Commentary on Boethius' De Trinitate I.2.3.
[2] See http://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology/fides9.htm, viewed September 21, 2010.
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