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Zubiri and Systematic Theology1 Thomas B. Fowler The Xavier Zubiri Review, Vol. 14, 2016-2018, pp. 41-71 Zubiri and Systematic Theology1 Thomas B. Fowler Xavier Zubiri Foundation of North America Washington, DC USA Abstract Zubiri’s theological writings are extensive, and theological questions were always of im- portance to him, undoubtedly because of his holistic view of knowledge. Though he wrote on many theological matters, he never formulated his theology in a systematic way. Zubiri recognized the importance of theology for understanding of the human condition, and at the same time how it has in many ways been displaced by “secular” knowledge, even though that knowledge does not fulfill the same function. This paper lays groundwork for construction of a systematic theology based on Zubiri’s philosophy and some of his theolo- gy works. Resumen Los escritos teológicos de Zubiri son extensos, y las cuestiones teológicas siempre fue- ron importantes para él, indudablemente debido a su visión holística del conocimiento. Aunque escribió sobre muchos asuntos teológicos, nunca formuló su teología de una mane- ra sistemática. Zubiri reconoció la importancia de la teología para la comprensión de la condición humana y, al mismo tiempo, cómo ha sido desplazada en muchos sentidos por el conocimiento “secular”, aunque ese conocimiento no cumple la misma función. Este docu- mento prepara las bases para la construcción de una teología sistemática basada en la filo- sofía de Zubiri y algunas de sus obras de teología. Introduction without faith; it is part of the very Theology is the intersection of faith process of faith, which seeks an ever and knowledge. We have faith, but we deeper understanding of God’s self- wish to know more about God and His disclosure culminating in Christ. It follows that theology is more than ways, and thus deepen our faith as well as simply an effort of human reason to be better equipped to apply faith to life’s analyze and understand, along the situations and problems. But theology is lines of the experimental sciences. a different kind of knowledge than that of God cannot be reduced to an object. experimental science, science, or the hu- He is a subject who makes himself manities; and it requires a different dispo- known and perceived in an interper- sition. As Pope Francis has said, sonal relationship. Right faith orients Since faith is a light, it draws us into reason to open itself to the light which itself, inviting us to explore ever more comes from God, so that reason, guid- fully the horizon which it illumines, all ed by love of the truth, can come to a the better to know the object of our deeper knowledge of God. The great love. Christian theology is born of this medieval theologians and teachers desire. Clearly, theology is impossible rightly held that theology, as a science 41 42 Thomas B. Fowler ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ of faith, is a participation in God’s and life—something that we do not already own knowledge of himself. It is not know. Great Christian theologians of the just our discourse about God, but past have been able to carry out this task; first and foremost the acceptance and one need only think of Augustine, Basil, the pursuit of a deeper understanding Aquinas, Suarez, and others. But times of the word which God speaks to us, change, as does the intellectual climate; the word which God speaks about knowledge progresses, and the attitudes of himself, for he is an eternal dialogue people shift. So theology must be renewed of communion, and he allows us to periodically. In our own day, unfortunate- enter into this dialogue. Theology thus ly, due to several factors including ossified demands the humility to be “touched” thought, a perceived paranoia about the by God, admitting its own limitations modern world, and a failure to engage ma- before the mystery, while striving to jor elements of contemporary knowledge, investigate, with the discipline proper we find that at the beginning of the 21st to reason, the inexhaustible riches of century, religion (and theology) are often 2 this mystery. associated with anti-intellectual attitudes, Theology considered as a whole is thus not obscurantism, fantasies, ignorance, rear- an arid academic exercise, but something guard activities and rigid thought pat- which must touch the deepest part of each terns. That is what this book seeks to human person. In this way it strengthens change. and illuminates faith, satisfies our desire It was not always so. From its earliest to know more about God, and profits us by days, Christianity sought to engage the giving guidance for daily life and the ever- “secular” world, but because Christianity’s changing problems of the world. roots were radically different, its approach Nonetheless there are components of to worldly knowledge was likewise differ- theology that aim at those who do not yet ent. Pagan and pre-Christian religions have faith, or whose faith is very weak. tended to diefy forces of nature, whose For example, proofs of God’s existence are corresponding gods had to be placated by a cornerstone of theology, aimed at non- various ritualistic activities such as sacri- believers with the goal of converting them. fices, based on longstanding custom. This Constructing theology starting from basic was almost a stimulus-response type of human experience is also important to action: sacrifice in case of floods, grow each believer’s faith. Hence theology, droughts, famine, or war; otherwise praise to be relevant and compelling, must start the Gods and hope that they will stay from humanity’s current state of away. Any notion of “understanding” the knowledge, the situation of belief that is gods was hopeless—a situation that led, in common, the general attitude toward reli- Greece, to the crisis of faith represented by gion prevalent in the epoch, and of course the plays of Euripides. In practice, Greek sacred writings, tradition, and accepted religion turned into a sort of secular pur- doctrines. This means that it must be suit of arêté—excellence, quite divorced grounded in experiences, knowledge, and from the gods.3 Even in Hebrew thought, belief that are fundamental, widely accept- there was little appetite for a rational un- ed, and beyond question. It must also derstanding of God; God was to be wor- cohere with and indeed illuminate other shipped as the one true God, but not sub- forms and sources of knowledge, and serve jected to rational inquiry. The work of as an inspiration to seekers of knowledge religious leaders was confined to moral of all kinds. It must accord with Scripture guidance and correct ritualistic practice. and tradition, and above all it must tell us Recent remarks by Pope Benedict clarify something intellectually sound and en- the situation: lightening about God, the world, morality, XAVIER ZUBIRI REVIEW 2016-2018 Zubiri and Systematic Theology 43 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Theology calls into question the mat- ented it more toward philosophy. Indeed, ter of truth; this is its ultimate and the Gospel of John opens with the phrase essential foundation. Here an expres- “In the beginning was the Word [Logos], sion used by Tertullian may help us to and the Word was with God, and the Word take a step forward: Christ did not was God”, very suggestive of Greek philo- say: ‘I am custom,’ but: ‘I am the sophical thought—the highest form of truth.’ The pagan religions were cus- “secular” knowledge at the time. Working tomary by nature. ... They observed out the relationship between secular the traditional cultural forms, hoping knowledge and Christian theology took in that way to maintain the right rela- more than a thousand years, and it con- tionship with the mysterious world of tinues today. the divine. The revolutionary aspect of Today one aspect of the widespread Christianity in antiquity was precisely abandonment of Christianity is that belief its break with ‘custom’ out of love for in truth is on the decline. When truth truth. The Gospel of St. John contains ceases to be paramount, power fills the the other fundamental interpretation vacuum. So it is not surprising that reli- of the Christian faith: the definition of gions such as Islam (which has always Christ as Logos. If Christ is the Logos, had a problem with truth) have relied up- the truth, then man must correspond on force and conquest for their spread, to Him with his own logos; that is, rather than preaching. Science itself, with his reason. 4 which originated in the West, could only Once the commitment to truth is made, flourish because of its close ties to truth. rigorous engagement with the “secular” The politicization of science, so evident in knowledge of the world is imprecindable. debates over “climate change” and evolu- Christianity recognized this from the be- tion, as well as the rise of non-verifiable ginning. In the early centuries it was con- theories, illustrate what can happen when frontation with the pagan knowledge of the truth is no longer respected. Zubiri ob- ancient world. In the Middle Ages it was serves that man’s fundamental impulse is Aristotle and the Islamic tradition of com- toward truth, which, correcting Nietsche, mentators. Now it is science and technol- he terms the “will to truth”.6 When truth ogy. This does not mean that such secu- is rejected or suppressed, we get lar knowledge is the highest form of Nietsche’s “will to power”. knowledge, or that all of it is true; only The relationship of secular and theo- that it is a form of knowledge, and thus logical knowledge immediately poses the part of the truth about the world and reali- question of just what the Logos is, and ty.
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