Pope addresses International Theological Commission

(December 3, 2010) In the study of theology, knowledge and love mutually support each other, for one who loves God is forced to become a theologian, though not professionally always. Pope Benedict made the point on Friday to members of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission who held their plenary meeting in Rome from Nov. 29 – Dec. 3. Theology is the science of the knowledge and nature of God, whose starting point is faith and is based on scriptures and the tradition of the Church. Pope Benedict, who himself is a renowned theologian, explained that in theology, through the study of the ‘Word’ we seek to communicate what we have seen and heard – namely, God. The Pope said that no theological system can subsist if it is not permeated by the love of the divine ‘Object’ – if the mind and heart of the theologian are not nourished by a dialogue with the Divine Word, the Creator and Redeemer. In order to be scientific, theology must not only argue in a rational way, but it must also be faithful to the nature of ecclesial faith. Hence theology must be centred on God, rooted in prayer and must be in communion with the Church under the Successor of Peter and his bishops. Rooted in the Sacred Scriptures, and read with the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, theology can become a school of holiness, the Pope said pointing to the example of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman. He said that the study of God leads one to the service of others in the name of Christ, which is manifested in the social commitment of Christians.