CNS STORY: Church needs healthy debates, conducted with caution, pope says

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church needs healthy debates between theologians to increase the understanding of faith, but the debate must always uphold official church teaching and must be conducted in a way that does not confuse the faithful, Pope Benedict XVI said.

The 12th-century theological debates between St. Bernard of Clairvaux and Abelard, a French theologian, demonstrate "the usefulness and necessity of a healthy theological discussion in the church, especially when the questions debated have not been defined by the magisterium, which always must remain an essential point of reference," the pope said.

During his weekly general audience Nov. 4, Pope Benedict spoke about what modern Catholics can learn from the debates between St. Bernard, who followed the monastic theological tradition emphasizing faith and prayer, and Abelard, who followed the scholastic tradition emphasizing the use of reason.

Abelard's theological career was marked, several times, by church condemnations of some of his positions, particularly regarding what he taught about the Trinity.

Pope Benedict said the censures of Abelard's work are a reminder that theologians must be careful to give precedence to the principles of faith that come from revelation and not to interpretations suggested by philosophy.

When a theologian strays into error, the Vatican must intervene in service of the truth, said the pope, who spent more than 20 years as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Pope Benedict said that among the reasons St. Bernard asked the pope to condemn Abelard "there was a preoccupation to safeguard the simple and humble believers, who must be defended when there is a risk that they would be confused or led astray" by the work of certain theologians.

The pope said people also should remember that in the end St. Bernard and Abelard were reconciled.

"In both there prevailed a recognition of the concern that must be kept at heart whenever a theological controversy arises: that is, to safeguard the faith of the church and make the truth triumph in charity," the pope said.

Pope Benedict said St. Bernard was suspicious of scholastic theology because it seemed open to questioning even the most basic Christian teachings.

"Bernard's fears were not unfounded," the pope said.

The pope said Abelard's teaching on morality was ambiguous because he insisted that a person's intentions were the final criteria for determining whether an action was good or bad. The pope described such a position as "a dangerous subjectivity."

"As we know, this is very relevant in our age when the culture seems to be marked by a growing tendency toward ethical relativism (in which) only I decide what is good for me at this moment" and actions are not seen as objectively good or bad, Pope Benedict said.

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Editor's Note: The text of the pope's audience remarks in English will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20091104_en.html.

The text of the pope's audience remarks in Spanish will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20091104_sp.html.

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