Free Inquiry • June/July 2006 1 Ludemann, G — (Op-Ed) Limited in Deus Caritas Est 3/28/2006 (2nd Proof

OP-ED

Limited Love in Deus Caritas Est

n the Introduction to his first encycli- the , takes the same approach cal letter, Deus Caritas Est, and pushes it even further. In verses 9 IBenedict XVI characterizes the heart through 11 of this very brief letter, its of Christian faith as that described in 1 author, who identifies himself only as John, chapter 4, verse 16: “ is love, ‘the Elder,’ commands the community to and he who abides in love abides in God, receive into their homes only those and God abides in him.” After that, he brothers who confess Christ’s coming in ably deals with the “unity of love in cre- the flesh. Any present or former broth- ation and in history” and ers who have a different opinion con- describes “the practice of love by the cerning Christ’s incarnation should be church as a ‘community of love.’” In both spurned. Indeed, “John” forbids the Christian and non-Christian circles, members of his communities even to indeed, even among inveterate critics of greet them. He deems this precaution- the Church, this encyclical has been ary measure necessary, lest the commu- praised. The initially skeptical attitude nity of right belief become infected by about this pope seems to have been the evil doctrines and consequent guilt replaced by a more positive expectation. of its dissident brothers. Yet, a careful examination of the How strange it is to encounter such encyclical’s exegetical underpinnings— harsh and hate-filled expostulations in which after all provide the basis for the a letter overflowing with assurances of pope’s message—raise serious objec- mutual love and attesting to a commu- tions to the intellectual validity of the nity’s unanimous recognition of sacred work. For one thing, the love command truth! And all this venom issues from in the writings attributed to “John” men- “John” because he fears reconciliation tions the love of one’s —but not with former brothers—and that only the love of one’s neighbor, let alone because they have arrived at a conclu- one’s enemy. By concealing an histori- sion concerning Christ’s incarnation cal detail of key importance for under- different from his own. Worse yet, he standing the Johannine epistles, the demonizes them as representatives of pope in effect renders his message inap- the Antichrist (verse 7) who have thus plicable to those outside the Christian become taboo. One is reminded of the church. For another, the Johannine renowned German philosopher Ludwig communities fell far short of exhibiting Feuerbach’s affirmation of the relation- the love that Benedict recommends to ship of love to faith. He writes: the contemporary church. In the proposition “God is love,” the For not only does the First Letter of subject is the darkness in which faith John—from which the encyclical takes shrouds itself; the predicate is the its theme and exhortation—restrict light, which first illuminates the brotherhood to those of orthodox belief, intrinsically dark subject. In the pred- icate I affirm love, in the subject faith. but the Second Letter of John, which Love does not alone fill my soul: I quite predictably is not mentioned in leave a place open for my uncharita-

Free Inquiry • June/July 2006 2 Ludemann, G — (Op-Ed) Limited Love in Deus Caritas Est 3/28/2006 (2nd Proof

bleness by thinking of God as a sub- ject in distinction from the predicate. An essential ingredient of biblical lit- eracy is to interpret texts within their historical context. Unfortunately, this first encyclical of the new pope fails to do so. Its biblical authority is squan- dered by what must surely be a con- scious distortion of historical reality and scriptural intent. By basing a mod- ern hymn of reverence for love on the often rancorous and vindictive writings of “John,” Benedict XVI demeans his office by flinging sand in the eyes of Christians and non-Christians alike.

Gerd Lüdemann is Professor of History and Literature of Early at the University of Göttingen, Germany, and the director of the Institute of Early Christian Studies. His teaching duties have been restricted due to his work in religious criticism.

PULL QUOTES

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Though much praised, the new pope’s encyclical on love bases itself on a starkly intolerant scripture.

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The First Letter of John— from which the encyclical takes its theme and exhorta- tion—restricts brotherhood to those of orthodox belief.