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Bishop Mark Hagemoen Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith Alberta Catholic Schools Trustees Association November 13-15, 2015 1 11/20/2015
Bishop Mark Hagemoen Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith
Alberta Catholic Schools Trustees Association
November 13-15, 2015 1 11/20/2015
“Medievals, Mystics &
Millennials:
Engaging Heart, Mind & Soul”
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“Medievals, Mystics & Millennials:
Engaging Heart, Mind & Soul”
SESSION #1: Exploring
Voices from the Catholic
Intellectual Tradition
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"Medievals, Mystics and Millennials: Engaging Heart, Mind and Soul” Presentation I: “Exploring Voices from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition” - In this session we will explore significant voices
that have contributed to and shaped the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Reference will also be made to
themes of the New Evangelization.
"Medievals, Mystics and Millennials: Engaging Heart, Mind and Soul” SESSION 1: “Exploring Voices from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition” A. Introduction B. Catholic Intellectual Tradition C. Voices in Sacred Scripture D. SCHOLASTICISM & MYSTICISM E. “The New Evangelization” F. Conclusion
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Scripture: Proverbs 1:2-7
For learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight, 3 for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young-- 5 Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, 6 to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear
of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
“Do not thereby neglect yourself. Do not give
yourself to others to such an extent that nothing is
left of yourself. You should certainly keep in mind the
souls, but without forgetting yourself.”
St. Charles Borromeo 7 11/20/2015
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Medievals, Mystics and
Millennials: Engaging Heart
Mind and Soul"
CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
- +2000 year-old conversation; - Universal significance of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ - Featured the movement beyond Jewish communities living in the Roman political system influenced by a Greek intellectual culture - Attracted Gentile converts, moved across Roman world
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While the tradition is broader and older than the university, in large part the Catholic university has served
as the steward of this “conversation,” preserving, transmitting and developing it by engaging the questions
and challenges of its own time and place.
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- With fragmentation of Christian Churches (15th and 16th centuries), in the West tradition
developed further characteristics:
The UNIVERSITY: ex corde ecclesiae: “from the heart of the Church”
- University of Bologna – 1088 - University of Paris
(c. 1150, later associated with the Sorbonne) - University of Oxford - 1167
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Features: i) the Dialogue between FAITH & CULTURE
ii)REASON intrinsic to life of the Church, since search for what is TRUE, GOOD, and
BEAUTIFUL is a manifestation of the Creator. iii)Faith seeks understanding
iv) All intellectual inquiry leads to questions of ultimacy that invite faith responses
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- “Thinking” is part of “Believing” - The Catholic view sees no conflict
amoung faith, knowledge, and reason:
…they illuminate each other
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Search for Truth as beholding the God of the Universe:
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
…all was created through the Word” (John 1:1,3)
- Greek for ‘word’ – logos – also means ‘reason’
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“Understanding the Catholic intellectual tradition is a challenge. It contains a vast repository of theological thought; philosophizing; devotional
practices; works of literature, visual art, music, and drama; styles of architecture; legal reasoning; social and political theorizing; and other forms of cultural
expression that have emerged in vastly different parts of the world in the course of 2,000 years of Christian religious experience.” (Boston College, The Catholic
Intellectual Tradition: A Conversation at Boston College, 2010) 11/20/2015 15
THE CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL TRADITION “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition in the Catholic University” by Monika K. Hellwig, Ph.D.,
in Examining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Sacred Heart University Press, 2000
I. Content: classic treasures to be cherished, studied and handed on.
II. A way of doing things: is the outcome of centuries of experience, prayer, action, and critical
reflection. 11/20/2015 16
I. Content: a treasury of classic “texts”
- Scriptures - elaborated in commentaries and the treasures of Christian imagination in art and literature
- Formulations of Faith: elaborated in theology, catechesis, religious drama, fiction, poetry
- Natural sciences: integration of human knowledge with the claims of faith
- Prayer - spirituality: rules for living, devotions, hagiography (lives of the saints: role models), pilgrimages, etc.
- Rituals: music, art, and architecture 11/20/2015 17
II. A Way of Doing Things: - A way of approaching knowledge that is the
outcome of centuries of experience, prayer, action, and critical reflection
- Values and principles: -“shape” the tradition (as opposed to prescriptive
characteristics that “define” Catholic). - are “characteristically Catholic” while, at the same
time, shared by many religious traditions. 11/20/2015 18
A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
A) A deep commitment to the continuity of faith and reason
- The rational search for truth is the search for God. - Philosophy and Theology are included as essential
components of the liberal arts core of undergraduate education.
- Public lectures are offered on current issues in public, professional and private life, addressing these issues
from a faith perspective. 11/20/2015 19
A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
B) A cherishing of the cumulative Wisdom of the Past
- Appreciation of the liberal arts tradition - Strong programs in the humanities and the classics
- Common Core Curriculum: The Human Journey
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A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
C) An inclusive, Non-Elitist bent - Universality (katholikos): All human beings and all peoples and nations are precious to God. Salvation and all other human goods are intended for all by the Creator. - Responsibility to the Community for: - what one chooses to research and write; - the resources one uses up in doing it; - the way one uses time when the labor of others indirectly makes possible the leisure for study and scholarly work. - Writing in a style that is accessible to non-specialists. - Teaching in a way that is helpful to all students. - Including the underprivileged and those whose voices are normally excluded from society. - Treating respectfully cultures and customs alien from one’s own.
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A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
D) Goals/Methods that reflect the Communal dimension of all human actions
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- Everything that is taught is placed in the context of what the students will do with their knowledge and the impact that will have on their communities.
- Collaboration replaces competition. The vision is one of working to achieve the goals of learning together rather than seeking personal status or recognition.
- Goals/Methods that reflect the communal dimension of all human actions
A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
E) Scholarship as Integration of Knowledge
- A deep commitment to the continuity of faith and reason
- A cherishing of the cumulative wisdom of the past - A non-elitist bent - Goals/methods that reflect the communal dimension
of all human actions - Scholarship as integration of knowledge
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A Way of Approaching Knowledge:
F) The “sacramental principle” Deep realization that one’s relationship to the Transcendent is
mediated by created reality: people, events, music, rituals, symbols, narratives, etc. Because human beings participate in the mediation, we are attentive to the critical roles played by:
Narrative, role models (saints), and rituals that educate the faculties of imagination and interpretation — the way we put the elements of our experience together.
Stories and images in art and literature, in music and architecture, in liturgy, and in the elaboration of symbols of all kinds that shape the memories and the imagination of succeeding generations of believers so that they will interpret all their experiences in terms of the pervasive presence of the sacred and of a history of salvation. 11/20/2015 24
Questions Central to Catholic
Intellectual Inquiry
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8 Qualities of Inquiry (Boston College, 2010)
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1)A conviction that Faith and Reason are mutually illuminating. 2)A sacramental vision of reality that holds that each discipline
offers the potential to reveal something of the sacred. 3)A hopeful commitment to intellectual integration amoung
disciplines, combined with an appreciation for the integrity & autonomy of individual academic disciplines.
4)A resistance to reductionism and an openness to analogical imagination – a disposition to see thinks in terms of “both/and” rather than “either/or”
8 Qualities of Inquiry (cont.)
5) An understanding that confidence in reason’s ability to grasp the intelligibility, meaning, and purpose of the universe must be tempered by an awareness of the mystery of God as radically Other than God’s creation. - Anything that the tradition declares about God and
truth carries the realization that we are incapable of saying everything about God & truth.
- St. Augustine: “If you think you have grasped God, it is not God you have grasped.”
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8 Qualities of Inquiry (cont.)
6) An openness to the mystery inherent in an evolving, unfinished creation.
“Hope” – God’s grace is drawing the universe toward a fulfillment that lies beyond our vision at this moment in time
7) An awareness that confidence in reason must also be tempered by the recognition that sin can deform reason’s unbiased quest for truth.
8) A reverence for the dignity of each human being as one created in the image of God. Thus, a commitment to justice, to the solidarity of the human family, and to the common good.
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The Bible: 46 OT books; 27 NT books “Anyone who looks carefully at the Bible will be struck by the immense variety of its contents. Here we have prose and poetry, expansive narratives and short stories, legal codes embedded in historical reports, hymns and prayers, quoted archival documents, quasi-mythic accounts of things that happened “in the beginning” or in God’s court in heave, collection of proverbs, maxims, aphorisms, and riddles, letters to various groups, and reports of mysterious revelations interpreted by heavenly figures. This variety accounts for some of the richness that generations of readers have found within its pages, but is also cause much of the puzzlement even the most devoted readers often feel. How did it come about that so many different kinds of writing have been brought together into one book?” 11/20/2015 30
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Voices in Old Test: Ezekiel 11:17-20 Therefore say: Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. 18 When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
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Themes in Ezekiel:
• Responding to conditions of people in crisis: exile, despair, feeling of isolation from God
• People need to turn back from their ‘idols’ in order to find healing, restoration, and renewed life
• ‘Change’ not merely an external, circumstantial issue, but an internal issue, affecting ones inner life and relationship with God, others, and Creation. (see Ez: 11:15-21)
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Voices in Old Test: Psalms • Collection of prayers and songs composed throughout Israel’s history
• Includes: – Poetry – Songs of thanksgiving – Prayers of lament that ask for help; – Hymns of praise to God & His blessings – ‘Royal psalms’ centered around ‘the king’ – Liturgical psalms (of thanksgiving, entry into the sanctuary) – Psalms with didactic and instructional character 11/20/2015 34
Voices in Old Test: Proverbs • Collections attributed to King Solomon (as with
Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon) • Theology is rooted in knowledge about God gained
through: – Study of creation; study of human nature – Also features: ‘Covenant’, historical redemption,
the Jewish legal tradition. • The figure of ‘Woman Wisdom: personification of
the sages’ teachings in the from of a woman who reaches out to the world of human – Modeled after the roles of teacher, counselor, and
household planner, played by Israelite women
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Proverbs 3: 13-18 Proverbs 3:13-18 Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, 14 for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy.
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Deuteronomy: the Torah; comprehensive and divinely sanctioned instruction
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me," you may indeed set over you a king whom the LORD your God will choose. One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community. Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself, or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the LORD has said to you, "You must never return that way again."
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Deuteronomy 17:14-20(cont.)
And he must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself. When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall have a copy of this law written for him in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.
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Concept of Leadership for Israel vs. Far-ancient near east cultures & religions:
• King should behave like the best of men, (not the worst);
• King to be chosen from the community • “No acquiring horses” – strength, power
is not his own • No “return to Egypt” – going back to
what enslaved • No “acquiring many wives, or… “silver &
gold” – a moderate life • No exaltation of self at expense of others
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Many other noteable Old Testament examples:
• Creation of Man and Woman, role in Creation in Genesis 2;
• From Slavery to Promise & Freedom in EXODUS: the
external and internal journey
• Living justly reflects a life of charity & service: Micah 6:8;
• Judges & Prophets continually call the People back to Faithfulness and Hope
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New Testament: Significant Themes:
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GOSPELS! Synoptic Gospels - from the Old English god spel, "good news."
- dwell on Christ’s ministry as the "Son of man" (though they too declare plainly His Godhead: Mt. 16:16,17; Luke 1:32, etc.).
- Narratives about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ
- Tension between life, suffering and death - AND – exalted identity, power, and status
- Meaning of the Kingdom: Present amoung Humanity; the Future vision & hope
- Jesus the Teacher, Physician-Healer, Prophet, Messianic figure,
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GOSPELS! Johanine Gospel - Focus on Jesus' Godhead composed a doctrinal supplement to the Synoptics
- Aim and purpose is to encourage the proposition that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of the Most High God. (See John 20:31)
- Book intended to inspire members of the faith community to maintain their belief during a difficult time (versus address outsiders)
- John lays the greatest stress on the divinity of Jesus. Thus, Jesus is presented as being alien to this world.
- The presentation focuses on the conflict between the Christian community itself feeling alienated from the world.
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Pauline Literature
Corinthians – congregation predominantly Gentile (pagan) - Dealing with disorders in the congregation, jockeying rival groups, flagrant immorality, marginalizing of the congregation’s disadvantaged
Ephesians – general letter for many churches - Radical transformation of personal & social identity in Christ
- Cosmic picture of God’s plan - Relationships (espec. of married persons) mirror Christ & His Church
- Life in Church reflects God’s larger purpose: gather all things into Christ, in heaven & earth.
Philippians – what it means to remain true, in a manner worthy of the gospel, authentically in Christ
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Pauline Literature (cont.)
Colossians – responding to problems in Gentile congregations
- What has been accomplished in Christ has liberated believers from the power of the universe and given access to God through new
full life in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:11-20 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious
power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13
He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
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Pauline Literature (cont.)
Thessalonians – responding to the imperial cult of Rome,
although a Greek city
- How Christians should live in the immanent return of Jesus the Lord, & how they should
strengthen one another in their life together.
- Keen hopeful, apocalyptic expectations despite
persecutions 11/20/2015 46
Pauline Literature (cont.)
Romans – the latest Pauline letter
- Sophisticated, mature theology, presentation
- What have been given access to God through new full life in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:11-20 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious
power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13
He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
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SCHOLASTICISM & MYSTICISM
The CATHOLIC – CHRISTIAN
INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
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INCARNATION:
THE WONDERFUL, UNBELEVIABLE, & DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE!
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Vital Tension:
IMMANENCE &TRANSCENDENCE
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The genius of Christianity is its central position between transcendence and
immanence. Christianity achieves this position because of the Incarnation: the
Word made flesh is the reference point for the vital relationship between humanity
and the divine life of the Trinity
Rev. Antoninus Wahl, OP 51 5/16/2015
IMMANENCE TRANSCENDENCE
INCARNATION 52 5/16/2015
IMMANENCE TRANSCENDENCE
INCARNATION
Creation Spirituality
Liberation Theology
Fundamentalist Faiths
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IMMANENCE TRANSCENDENCE
INCARNATION 54 5/16/2015
Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God is the distinctive sign of Christian faith: “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.” [see Heb. 10:5-7, citing Ps. 40: 6-8] Such is the joyous
conviction of the Church from her beginning whenever she sings, “…the mystery of our religion:
…He was manifest in the flesh.” [I Tim. 3:16] CCC #463.
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The doctrine of the Incarnation opposes all theories of a mere theophany or transitory appearance of God in human form, which is
frequently a feature in other religions. As summarized by F.L. Cross, “It [the doctrine of the Incarnation] asserts an abiding union in
the Person of Christ of Godhead and Manhood without the integrity or permanence of
either being impaired.” Dr F.L. Cross in Dict. Of Christian Church 56 5/16/2015
The mystery of the Incarnation reveals our Saviour who takes the most courageous and
vulnerable place possible for humanity’s salvation.
Von Balthasar:
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“…between sin and God’s wrath – the very spot where the lightning bolt
[and what lightening!] must strike him. But He lacks every trace not only of fear
and insecurity but also of bravura. Rather, He is the very embodiment of
simple, trusting shelteredness. 58 5/16/2015
Too much Immanence - leads to the stress on our
current human condition without reference to the larger meta-narrative of the Creator & Creation, salvation history: life, challenge, crisis, journey,
hope - New life in Christ through
ongoing conversion and sanctification
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Too much Transcendence - can lead to a rigouristic stress on the laws and commands …of God, of others … without reference to the compassion
and mercy of the Savior who comes to heal humanity by immersing himself in our hungry and broken condition
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Experiences of ‘the Tension’
- Pastoral ministry: teaching vs. life context, issue - Spiritual direction; in the confessional
- Life of the local parish: addressing Liturgy; Faith Formation; Community; Prayer; Service;
- Church architecture and environment - Current Synod on the Family: Morality vs. Pastoral Invitation
- Holding up Values & Virtue AND Responding concretely to Current issues/ Circumstances 61 5/16/2015
Experiences of ‘the Tension’ in Catholic Schools
- Curriculum requirements versus Individual learning issues
- Policies versus non-conforming Circumstances
- Ideals of Catholic-Christian formation versus Personal and Contextual challenges:
immersion in a secularized & consumeristic environment
- Fraser Institute Schools Rating vs. Measuring Student –focused
Learning Outcomes 5/16/2015 62
Voices that may be helpful in relating
Millennial themes & culture …and …. The Catholic Intellectual Tradition
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SCHOLASTICISM: - the system of theology and philosophy taught in medieval European universities, based on Aristotelian logic and the writings of the early Church Fathers and having a strong emphasis on tradition, dogma, and philosophical inquiry.
- Emphasis on: rational inquiry; disputation
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MYSTICISM: - the development of Christian
mystical theology, practices and theory.
- includes a range of topics: from ecstatic visions of the soul's mystical union with
God to prayerful contemplation of Holy Scripture (i.e., Lectio Divina). 11/20/2015 65
AUGUSTINIAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
- Enormously influenced by St. Augustine - developed over many centuries: living in community; united in mind & heart - slowly developed a philosophical and theological system of thought - ardent search for WISDOM: Augustine’s own vision that "God would like to sow in every soul the seeds of intelligence and wisdom.“ - values ’universal Wisdom’, and pursues Wisdom in common with all humanity through, “…open, intelligent, responsible, and mutually respectful interaction of points of view.” (from Villanova University)
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AUGUSTINIAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION:
Contributions of AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO - In his early years, greatly influenced by Manichaeism (universe is governed by two
fundamental dual principles: Good; Evil) and afterward by the Neo-Platonism of Plotinus. - After his baptism and conversion to Christianity in 387, develops his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and perspectives. - Believing that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, he helped formulate the doctrine of original sin and made seminal contributions to the development of just war theory. - When the Western Roman Empire began to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the pre-Schism Catholic Church as a spiritual City of God, distinct from the material Earthly City. - The segment of the Church that adhered to the concept of the Trinity as defined by the Council of Nicaea and the Council of Constantinople closely identified with Augustine's City of God.
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AUGUSTINIAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION: Contributions of AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (cont.) - enormous range of themes, topics, issues, including: -Christian anthropology -Slavery -Free will -Astrology -Creation -Ecclesiology -Eschatology -Mariology -Original sin -Sacramental theology -Statements on Jews -Views on sexuality -Just war -Natural knowledge and biblical interpretation -Epistemological views (the nature & scope re: knowledge)
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DOMINICAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
For the Dominican, “study is ordered to preaching, and preaching to the salvation of souls” (De Vita Regulari, VIII). Blessed Humbert gives an extensive list praising the usefulness and goodness of study, a list which cannot thoroughly be exhausted here: – Study “forms the interior man” and gives life to the exterior practices of religious life. – Study is useful for others since “we are not able to preach, or give counsel, or hear confessions, or sow spiritual truths, unless vigorous study dwells among us.” – Study allows us to love God more since “the more we know about God, the greater occasion we have for loving and serving Him.” – Study, especially of the Scriptures, refreshes and comforts the soul of the student.
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Key Dominican Voices:
St. Dominic: 1170 – 1221 AD
- founder of the Order; - An innovative scholar who linked study to the ministry of salvation. - Saw the need for a new type of life & organization to address the spiritual needs of the growing cities of the time:
- Dedication and systematic education, AND more organizational flexibility (than monastic order or the secular clergy.
- He subjected himself and his companions to monastic rules of prayer and penance,
- Dedicated to the life of preaching: teaching, prophetic life & witness 11/20/2015 70
Key Dominican Voices: Albert the Great, OP
- German Dominican friar and Catholic Bishop
- Born about 1200 AD
- These displayed his prolific habits and encyclopedic knowledge of topics such as logic; theology; botany; geography; astronomy; astrology; mineralogy; alchemy; zoology; physiology; phrenology; justice; law; friendship; love.
- He interpreted and systematized the whole of Aristotle's works, from the Latin translations and notes of the Arabian commentators, in accordance with Church doctrine.
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Key Dominican Voices: St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P.,
- His works provide a systematic and deeply profound account of
a) creation, b) human nature, c) morality, d) the spiritual life, e) the mystery of the Triune God, f) the person of Jesus Christ.
- His masterful adaptation of philosophy into his theological work gives his writing an unmistakable depth and clarity in the manner which he is able to speak about God.
- Good Theology is built on Good Philosophy
- Code of Canon Law exhorts all students of theology “to penetrate more deeply into the mysteries of salvation, with St. Thomas in particular as their teacher” (CIC, 252, §3). 11/20/2015 72
JESUIT INTELLECTUAL TRADITION - The guiding the values of an Ignatian education derive from Part IV of the "Constitutions of the Society of Jesus," and from the "Ratio Studiorum" of 1599. - Ultimate goal: - to develop rhetorical, writing, and thinking skills, - help students understand and articulate the wisdom, knowledge, and habits of self
and others - to prepare students to pursue their ultimate personal good and the common good. - The study of philosophy is key: provides the essential background and foundations to
understand and articulate: – Rationality (evidence, consistency, valid argumentation, and systematic avoidance of
omissions) – The existence of God, and appreciating God's love and justice – The ultimate end/ends (goals) of the human person – The highest end/ends of the polis (community), or society (i.e., the common good) – The means for pursuing the goals for human personhood and the common good (i.e.,
ethics).
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8 Qualities of Inquiry (Boston College, 2010)
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1)A conviction that Faith and Reason are mutually illuminating. 2)A sacramental vision of reality that holds that each discipline
offers the potential to reveal something of the sacred. 3)A hopeful commitment to intellectual integration amoung
disciplines, combined with an appreciation for the integrity & autonomy of individual academic disciplines.
4)A resistance to reductionism and an openness to analogical imagination – a disposition to see thinks in terms of “both/and” rather than “either/or”
8 Qualities of Inquiry (cont.)
5) An understanding that confidence in reason’s ability to grasp the intelligibility, meaning, and purpose of the universe must be tempered by an awareness of the mystery of God as radically Other than God’s creation. - Anything that the tradition declares about God and
truth carries the realization that we are incapable of saying everything about God & truth.
- St. Augustine: “If you think you have grasped God, it is not God you have grasped.”
11/20/2015 75
8 Qualities of Inquiry (cont.)
6) An openness to the mystery inherent in an evolving, unfinished creation.
“Hope” – God’s grace is drawing the universe toward a fulfillment that lies beyond our vision at this moment in time
7) An awareness that confidence in reason must also be tempered by the recognition that sin can deform reason’s unbiased quest for truth.
8) A reverence for the dignity of each human being as one created in the image of God. Thus, a commitment to justice, to the solidarity of the human family, and to the common good.
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St IGNATIUS LOYOLA - First Superior General of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), who served the Pope as missionaries. - He sent his companions as missionaries around Europe to create schools, colleges, and seminaries. - Grounded in the belief that spiritual development is essential to personal growth, St. Ignatius placed prayer and reflection at the center of Jesuit life - A talented spiritual director; wrote the Spiritual Exercises – a simple 200 page set of meditations, prayers, and mental exercises (from 1522 to 1524) 11/20/2015 77
Saint Francis Xavier (7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552)
- A companion of St. Ignatius Loyola; one of the first 7 Jesuits who took vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, Paris in 1534. - Led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly in the Portuguese Empire of the time and was influential in evangelization work most notably in India, and also Japan, Borneo, and the Malaku Islands - Famous quote “And if you wish to bring forth much fruit, both for yourselves and for your neighbors, and to live consoled, converse with sinners, making them unburden themselves to you. These are the living books by which you are to study, both for your preaching and for your own consolation. I do not say that you should not on occasion read written books... to support what you say against vices with authorities from the Holy Scriptures and examples from the lives of the saints.” 11/20/2015 78
FRANSICAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
• A Trinitarian view of God as overflowing goodness, with emphasis on Jesus Christ as the true revelation of God in human history
• Respect for the human dignity and diversity of all persons, the sacredness of human relationships, and the all embracing love of God for the human race and all of creation
• Academic learning as an integration of natural and applied sciences and the arts, with a communal search for wisdom and truth
• Emphasis on the goodness and wholeness of all creation, the earth, and the environment as a gift from the Creator
• Gospel values – the standard for living an authentic life
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FRANSICAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION (cont.)
God’s gratuity and liberality to be with us, even in our creaturely disfigured way— in Christ’s birth, life and passion, in each unique creature, in the great gift of the Church with its people and priests and theologians and sacraments and doctrine and teaching magisterium; God’s human way of exercising authority, creating order and ‘being with’ — through example, humility, courtesy, respect and love-willing-to-suffer with the neighbor.”
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FRANSICAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITION:
Contributions of Francis and Clare of Assisi
The primary sources for the differences held by the Franciscan tradition stem from the distinctive spiritual experience and vision of Francis and Clare of Assisi. Francis and Clare were not theologians, in the academic interpretation of this word, but they both attempted, in their lives and in their writings, to speak and to exemplify the Word of God. By their way of life, they wanted to deepen their own Catholic faith and share Gospel holiness with the people they met. Their voices echoed the gospels and Catholic tradition in a new and convincing way. Their spiritual vision became enormously attractive, and many men and women joined their communities. 11/20/2015 81
Key Franciscan Voices: Francis of Assisi
• Intimacy with God was the foremost priority • Intimacy through Prayer • Welcoming the Holy Spirit • Worshipping through nature • The Bible: not merely learned, but
experienced & lived out • Freedom of Christian Grace and the
challenge of Christian living are intertwined • Emphasis on voluntary ‘poverty’ • Care of poor, the sick, the marginalized • Emphasis on preaching & witness …to the
world!
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Key Franciscan Voices: BONAVENTURE Writings may be classified under four headsings: - i) dogmatic ii) mystical iii) exegetical iv) homiletic. - Approach similar to Augustine; traditional;
Christocentric; non-apologetic. - maintained that ideas, especially values, are placed
within the human mind and are recognized by means of God’s illumination
- ‘Theology of Aspiration:’ a strong mystical approach with the aim of the encouragement of the individual in his quest for and ascent to God.
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Key Franciscan Voices: JOHN DUNS SCOTUS
• Key philosopher-theologian of the middle ages • Great influence on Catholic & secular thinking • Theory of Individuation (vs. ‘universal’) • Emphasis on ‘voluntarism’: emphasis on God's
will and human freedom in all philosophical issues
• Methodology for establishing ‘certitude’ apart from ‘illumination’ (which he thought could lead to skepticism.
• “The Will” – has an innate tendency to the ultimate good, vs. its own gain or fulfillment. 11/20/2015 84
Catholic- Christian Mysticism
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Catholic- Christian Mysticism
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- Anthony of Egypt and Early Desert Fathers - “Anthony the Great” moved to the desert in 270–271, and became known as both the father and founder of desert monasticism. - By his death in 356, thousands of monks and
nuns had been drawn to living in the desert following Anthony's example
- Would later inspire the monastic revivals in the Middle Ages
Catholic- Christian Monasticism - Mysticism (cont.)
- Period of the decline of the Roman Empire and the persecution of the Christian community
- Those who left for the desert formed an alternate Christian society, even after the time when being a Christian was no longer a risk.
- involved a radical living out of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, with emphasis on prayer, community, simplicity & poverty, charity & compassion.
- The solitude, austerity, and sacrifice of the desert was seen by Anthony as an alternative to martyrdom, which was formerly seen by many Christians
as the highest form of sacrifice - Viewed desert solidarity as a way to focus one's attention on refining and purifying the spirit, and as a way to rid the mind of material and luxurious
desires - Would later inspire the development of the Rule of St. Benedict and the
Benedictine monastic community. 11/20/2015 88
Key Themes in Catholic- Christian Mysticism
- Exploring the depths of the life, mission, passion, death, and rising of Jesus Christ!!! - The Prayer-filled Life: Julian of Norwich; Soren Kierkegaard; Thomas Merton; Henri Nouwen; Evenlyn Underhill; - Mystical Prayer as entering into The One who is MYSTERY; Union with Him in Mystical Marriage: John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, - Relationship with the Lord of all Creation, & all Created in Him: Francis & Clare of Assisi; - Love as life’s greatest adventure and call: Therese of Liseux; Mother Theresa of Calcutta.
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Key Themes in Catholic- Christian Mysticism (cont.)
- The Suffering and Searching Self: Edith Stein, Simone Weil, Parker Palmer - Finding God’s Heart through solidarity with the Poor: Henri Nouwen, Jean Vanier, Dorothy Day, Catherine de Hueck Doherty - Daring to Engage the Refining Fire: Spanish Mystics; Padre Pio - The Virtuous Life: Gregory of Nyssa; Blaise Pascal; Benedict of Nursia; Thomas a Kempis. - The Life of Compassion: Catherine of Sienna; Therese of Lisieux; Jean Vanier; Henri Nouwen. - Making & Preparing for the Spiritual Life: St. Augustine; Francis de Sales; Bernard of Clairvaux; C.S. Lewis.
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The NEW EVANGELIZATION &
MISSION-ORIENTED Communities
of FAITH & LIFE
1. “New Springtime of Christian Living in the World”
2. Rediscovery of essential mission: “For the presentation of the Gospel message… is a duty incumbent on her (the Church)!:
3. Is CHRISTOCENTRIC!! 11/20/2015 91
4. The task of all of the People of God 5. Features the Call to Holiness 6. Features Re-Evangelization
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7. Multi-faceted, Comprehensive
8. Calls the Church to a renewed Missionary Spirit:
- ‘Docility to the Holy Spirit’.
9. The Heart of God goes to the Margins & Peripheries
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Vital Tension:
IMMANENCE &TRANSCENDENCE
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IMMANENCE TRANSCENDENCE
INCARNATION 95 11/20/2015
Philippians 2:5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though
he was in the form of God did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave
being born in human likeness. And being found in human form
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. 96 11/20/2015
SOME CONCLUSIONS, ISSUES:
- The Catholic Intellectual tradition is a multi-faceted tradition that provides a comprehensive context for holistic education: the student and the
community. - The most compelling individuals, histories, literature, epics and stories,
education genres & ways of learning, artistic expressions – have contributed to and are features of this educational tradition.
- The Catholic Intellectual tradition has always responded to the circumstances, limits, and gaps that result from a perspective that tends to
over-emphasize the immanent and/or the transcendent - Millennials are in an interesting place is the continuum of this developing
tradition: and the difficulty in assessing them may reflect this reality! - Themes found in Catholic-Christian MYSTICISM may respond to several of the traits of Millennial students. However, themes found in SCHOLASTICM may counter any tendency towards over- personalization & subjectivity.
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CONCLUSION
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Describe significant themes and/or voices from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition that you think
might speak to our students / youth today.
2. What themes and/ or voices may be the most helpful and important; ... & most challenging?
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