Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope: "a natural friendship" between faith and reason when they seek the truth

» 10/28/2009 13:32
VATICAN

They, said Benedict XVI during the general audience, are "the wings on which the human spirit rises up to God". monastic and scholastic theology arose in the twelfth century, one is a prayerful listening to the Word of God, the other shows the merits of the mysteries of God, with faith, but also with reason.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Between faith and reason "there is a natural friendship," they "are filled with joy when they are both animated by the search of the intimate love of God" and, as John Paul II wrote they are "the wings on which the human spirit rises up to God ". This was the lesson proposed today by Benedict XVI to the 15 thousand people in St. Peter's Square for the general audience. A lesson which spoke of "the history of the flourishing of Latin theology in the twelfth century".

At that time, he recalled, Western Europe lived "a period of relative peace, economic development and structural consolidation as well as a vibrant cultural life thanks to relations with the East". The Church was witnessing the fruits of Gregorian reform, which "established evangelical purity particularly in the clergy and restored wide freedom of action to the papacy". It was also a period of "development of consecrated life with the birth of new orders and the revival of existing ones." "Theology also flourished, refining methods, advancing towards new problems, in contemplation of the mystery of God," "inspiring arts and culture."

The two different environments in which this fervid theological activity flourished were monasteries and scholae [schools] that "would soon gave birth to universities, which are one of the typical inventions of medieval Christianity". Thus there came to exist monastic and scholastic theology. The former was mainly due to "abbots gifted with evangelical fervour, dedicated to inspire and nurture the desire for God," the latter to "educated men, fond of research, aiming to show the merits of the mysteries of God, with faith certainly but with also with reason".

In the monasteries the method was primarily linked to the explanation of Holy Scripture. "The monks were all devoted listeners and readers of Scripture," which became "lectio divina, an orated reading of the Bible. Simple reading is not enough to perceive its profound mystery, its message. They needed a spiritual reading of the Bible, allegorically interpreted to discover Christ and his saving work in every page".
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See also from CNA, "Pope calls Catholics to daily meditation on the Bible."

And from YouTube-Vatican's Channel:

Benedict XVI: Knowledge only grows if one loves the truth

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 5:30 PM