Pope says true Catholic theology contributes to peace

(December 02, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI on Friday underscored the need for a truly Catholic theology in order to bring about harmony between faith and reason against every fanaticism. The Pope made the point to 32 members of the International Theological Commission who held their plenary assembly in the Vatican from November 28 -Dec. 2. The commission that functions under the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, discussed the perspectives, principles and criteria of the methodological question in theology as well as monotheism and the social doctrine of the Church in the broader context of the Christian doctrine. Pope Benedict pointed out that Catholic theology, always attentive to the relationship between faith and reason, has had a historic role in the birth of the University. A truly Catholic theology is evermore needed today in order to bring about harmony among sciences and in order to avoid violent forms of a religiosity that opposes reason and a reason that opposes religion, the Pope told the group. “Christian theology, together with the lives of all the faithful,” he said, “must restore to a happy and crystalline visibility the impact of the Trinitarian revelation on the life of our community.” He said that theology, in fruitful dialogue with philosophy, can help believers become aware of and witness to the Trinitarian monotheism as the true source of personal and universal peace. The Pope said Christians need to collaborate for the common good with those who do not share our faith. We must manifest the true and profound motivations of our social commitment clearly, just as we expect others not of our faith to manifest their own motivations, so that our work together can be carried out in clarity, the Pope added