There are historical moments in which ideas seem to follow the flow of movements and wave breaking on the shore as if not if they had ever gone. Although aware of the many momentous changes, there are world views that seem to prefer the eternal return of the most systematizations certain ideological and doctrinal fidelity in the name of which makes the numerical majority of us poor mortals, sinners and morally unwise. Certainly, our era is complex, certainly the historical coordinates on which we move, sometimes seem to be very messy. Despite this, every historical interpretation that makes the present era of humanity and a total area of \u200b\u200binconsistency, where, according to this view, all walking ambiguously, dazzled by the light of superficiality, I think it really reprehensible, as well as raise in me a deep sadness. Who do I mean? Eco already arrived there via the Corriere della Sera, in a letter from Benedict XVI that gathers the main plot of the book's publication senator and philosopher Marcello Pera, entitled: Why do we call ourselves Christians (Mondadori Editore).
I do not want and I can not even go into details of the contents of the book, but I want to do about the letter that accompanies the text by Marcello Pera, published Nov. 23, a few days ago, and is probably at the same time, cash Resonance and inspiration, as it is not the first time that the two authors do a concert for four hands on socio-cultural and religious issues (See: No roots. Mondadori 2004). For now, therefore, is only the letter of Joseph Ratzinger that provoked in me some feelings and some thoughts. So I pick up some chips, then vacate the echo within that aroused in me.
The first fragment is with regard to the roots of liberalism, which feed the second-Ratzinger - Christian image of God I do not want to summarize what is meant by "liberalism" and above all its multiple facets taken throughout history , but I feel unusual to say without a shadow of criticism that liberalism is the ideal condition for a truly Christian culture. Perhaps this is even more strange to me, knowing Benedict XVI's comments on the text by Marcello Pera, one of the leaders of those political movements that have chiseled liberal ideals to make them in the image and likeness of those neo-liberal economy. The Italian liberalism, great grandson of the Anglo-Saxon liberalism born at the end of the seventeenth century and represented in England by David Hume, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke and others. How can
hurry to find harmony between Christianity and liberalism and doubt, however, on possible dialogue with other cultures and religions of historical geography and existential? How can I search for complicity, without a shadow of doubt and without fear, between the Christian message and that of European liberalism and have, instead, so many doubts and fears when it comes to read the historical part of whole societies and cultures, given the complexity of its new and vital needs?
How can bless and assist those who think the dream of a European constitution in which Europe does not become a cosmopolitan reality, but is, from its liberal-Christian foundation, its own identity? Perhaps the concept of the ecumene
Gospel is not true cosmopolitan Europe questioned by other cultures and other religions? Perhaps Benedict XVI has forgotten that this ebb and flow of people, cultures and religions is also due to the ideals set of a liberal cultural and political and economic neo-liberalism of our days, that propel whole nations into submission to the imperatives of social and cultural myths so-called developed countries?
What happens? How can those who, as a representative of a religious denomination that would support the extension of the dream thoughts, ideas and understanding of the harmony of gestures, supports, however, with conviction, that interreligious dialogue in the strict sense of the word is not possible? What Ratzinger is the second inter-religious dialogue in the strict sense ...? Why, maybe there is one in a broad sense?
In fact, the true dialogue is not played in the spheres high, because life is not in play at the highest echelons of our political institutions, political and religious, in itself already died. Life is at stake in the depths of this most ordinary European society in which people try to talk not to maintain the privileges and powers, but simply to live, day after day. And these are the areas where there is faith, however, between different world view and actions, because there is a will to live and the constant quest to inhabit the world in another way.
It 's true, perhaps Christianity might contribute to this new face of Europe, but I wonder about Christianity? Reading between the lines, I realize that Ratzinger, had he written more long, would have made further distinctions and not only religions, but in particular on the only Christian who, according to him can help, that is Catholicism.
And then the other, with their wisdom, experience with their search for God, self, history, and these others? Perhaps their evolutions, revolutions and revelations are not necessary, do not count, are absurd? But this postmodern world is so bad?
But Catholic theology, never doubt of his failure? What a privilege we have? Never mind that these details are not captured by Senator Pera, but a representative of a church and a theologian's more: how is it possible?
So, if examined and I stop, I come back to mind the words of the daughter of a friend of mine (a girl of about 9 / 10 years) that one evening he asked me what they meant the shadows in the allegory of Plato's cave. It 's true, perhaps we need to remember this allegory groped and semantics of the text, to understand what happens in the theology of the Catholic Church.
Prisoners are linked so that they can only see the wall of a cave. A great fire, from behind, projecting shadows on the wall. What do they see the prisoners? They see the shadows cast by their bodies or any object or shape that is projected on the wall. In short, the prisoners can not see real objects, but note only two-dimensional shadows cast by objects that in reality, can not really see. And that is why they can not see the real causes of the shadows, the prisoners believe that the shadows are the only true reality.
We know that the ancient philosopher, in proposing the allegory, he hoped to discover some properties of the "world of forms." Today, this allegory has become very important in physics, and physics, helps us understand that what they see the prisoners are two-dimensional images, so that they, think that the world is only two-dimensional. This, in my opinion is the problem of theology and Christian European culture of today. We plan to continue to live in a two-dimensional world which we make sure to know everything, even though they are only shadows, reflections. But today, the history, specifically in quest'autoriscoperta identity, is displayed in all its complexity and hence diversity. The cultures are an expression of a variety of individuals, social groups, subjects of different gender, worldviews. The claim that the world today is its maturity and its impulses, is not a deplorable sin, but rather a 'mystical initiative, from within the human being, that we rediscover worthy to take the initiative and especially eager not to give up history to reach the essence self, truth and the whole world. The world today is no longer two-dimensional and perhaps science could tell us something about these religious and cultural concerns of Europe.
's why we remain perplexed by the opinions of a representative of religion that does not support the people who dared to dream of in the history of today, with hard work, dare to come out from the idea or experience gained in the cave and out, feels other dimensions. I personally think that trying other people, other ideas, other features, not only historical but also transcendental to re-weave the web of social, emotional, spiritual and political life of mankind, does not mean losing one's identity of their faith. Whereas it seems to me that does not preclude a dialogue is a true prevents the mystery, the revelation at the complicity of God with humanity and its biodiversity cosmic. Certainly this is not an easy road, surely this is not the result of social and political meetings, as well as religious, which are based on the logic of the privileges to which the Catholic Church throughout the world, has always used; economic logic , power in name recognition of their faith.
It is a birth, a real pain in childbirth, are daily efforts, including those who are perhaps in some places and read the story from a certain point of view, you forgot or did not ever known. Experience the diversity of the coast, has some very high prices. Certainly it is easier to be approved or better dominate, with a single thought and witness the sparks of truth with a single experience. When this is so, perhaps end the pain of childbirth of human creativity, but also, end the dreams of all those real exchange rates and, instead, it brings back all the eternal divine powers Olympians religious and social.
However, until we could discuss endlessly about this reading and interpretation of history and life, but at least we did something very simple memory, which concerns its cosmopolitan roots of early Christianity, as told in Acts of the Apostles, as told by Paul. Perhaps even more two-dimensional contexts all of those that we know today, but that nevertheless, allowed to feed to Christianity even in the most complex and diverse in its very fundamental characteristic of deep passion for reconciliation. A passion that makes the most apophatic theology, in its language and not enough in this research, including vision, hearing and nostalgia for the absence, the absent and the absent. A progressive journey of revelation of alternative languages, which should see the wrinkles are not only humanity but also of this Catholic community of believers captive shadows. I hope that someone out the cave, come back and tell us the multiple dimensions of reality and thus continue to look for, ourselves and God, according to the vision of Ratzinger and Marcello Pera, seems so alien to our efforts and tentative understandings of life. Personally I hope that, once again, all those who yearn for and dare the world in another way, you may be forgiven for having loved too much and for having dedicated his life to look for each other and seek. If today, the daughter of my friend, come back to make my question, the answer to every shadow evokes something more, not just what's behind it, but what lies ahead and who is outside and that she and only she, to be faithful, and others will discover with others.
I do not want and I can not even go into details of the contents of the book, but I want to do about the letter that accompanies the text by Marcello Pera, published Nov. 23, a few days ago, and is probably at the same time, cash Resonance and inspiration, as it is not the first time that the two authors do a concert for four hands on socio-cultural and religious issues (See: No roots. Mondadori 2004). For now, therefore, is only the letter of Joseph Ratzinger that provoked in me some feelings and some thoughts. So I pick up some chips, then vacate the echo within that aroused in me.
The first fragment is with regard to the roots of liberalism, which feed the second-Ratzinger - Christian image of God I do not want to summarize what is meant by "liberalism" and above all its multiple facets taken throughout history , but I feel unusual to say without a shadow of criticism that liberalism is the ideal condition for a truly Christian culture. Perhaps this is even more strange to me, knowing Benedict XVI's comments on the text by Marcello Pera, one of the leaders of those political movements that have chiseled liberal ideals to make them in the image and likeness of those neo-liberal economy. The Italian liberalism, great grandson of the Anglo-Saxon liberalism born at the end of the seventeenth century and represented in England by David Hume, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke and others. How can
hurry to find harmony between Christianity and liberalism and doubt, however, on possible dialogue with other cultures and religions of historical geography and existential? How can I search for complicity, without a shadow of doubt and without fear, between the Christian message and that of European liberalism and have, instead, so many doubts and fears when it comes to read the historical part of whole societies and cultures, given the complexity of its new and vital needs?
How can bless and assist those who think the dream of a European constitution in which Europe does not become a cosmopolitan reality, but is, from its liberal-Christian foundation, its own identity? Perhaps the concept of the ecumene
Gospel is not true cosmopolitan Europe questioned by other cultures and other religions? Perhaps Benedict XVI has forgotten that this ebb and flow of people, cultures and religions is also due to the ideals set of a liberal cultural and political and economic neo-liberalism of our days, that propel whole nations into submission to the imperatives of social and cultural myths so-called developed countries?
What happens? How can those who, as a representative of a religious denomination that would support the extension of the dream thoughts, ideas and understanding of the harmony of gestures, supports, however, with conviction, that interreligious dialogue in the strict sense of the word is not possible? What Ratzinger is the second inter-religious dialogue in the strict sense ...? Why, maybe there is one in a broad sense?
In fact, the true dialogue is not played in the spheres high, because life is not in play at the highest echelons of our political institutions, political and religious, in itself already died. Life is at stake in the depths of this most ordinary European society in which people try to talk not to maintain the privileges and powers, but simply to live, day after day. And these are the areas where there is faith, however, between different world view and actions, because there is a will to live and the constant quest to inhabit the world in another way.
It 's true, perhaps Christianity might contribute to this new face of Europe, but I wonder about Christianity? Reading between the lines, I realize that Ratzinger, had he written more long, would have made further distinctions and not only religions, but in particular on the only Christian who, according to him can help, that is Catholicism.
And then the other, with their wisdom, experience with their search for God, self, history, and these others? Perhaps their evolutions, revolutions and revelations are not necessary, do not count, are absurd? But this postmodern world is so bad?
But Catholic theology, never doubt of his failure? What a privilege we have? Never mind that these details are not captured by Senator Pera, but a representative of a church and a theologian's more: how is it possible?
So, if examined and I stop, I come back to mind the words of the daughter of a friend of mine (a girl of about 9 / 10 years) that one evening he asked me what they meant the shadows in the allegory of Plato's cave. It 's true, perhaps we need to remember this allegory groped and semantics of the text, to understand what happens in the theology of the Catholic Church.
Prisoners are linked so that they can only see the wall of a cave. A great fire, from behind, projecting shadows on the wall. What do they see the prisoners? They see the shadows cast by their bodies or any object or shape that is projected on the wall. In short, the prisoners can not see real objects, but note only two-dimensional shadows cast by objects that in reality, can not really see. And that is why they can not see the real causes of the shadows, the prisoners believe that the shadows are the only true reality.
We know that the ancient philosopher, in proposing the allegory, he hoped to discover some properties of the "world of forms." Today, this allegory has become very important in physics, and physics, helps us understand that what they see the prisoners are two-dimensional images, so that they, think that the world is only two-dimensional. This, in my opinion is the problem of theology and Christian European culture of today. We plan to continue to live in a two-dimensional world which we make sure to know everything, even though they are only shadows, reflections. But today, the history, specifically in quest'autoriscoperta identity, is displayed in all its complexity and hence diversity. The cultures are an expression of a variety of individuals, social groups, subjects of different gender, worldviews. The claim that the world today is its maturity and its impulses, is not a deplorable sin, but rather a 'mystical initiative, from within the human being, that we rediscover worthy to take the initiative and especially eager not to give up history to reach the essence self, truth and the whole world. The world today is no longer two-dimensional and perhaps science could tell us something about these religious and cultural concerns of Europe.
's why we remain perplexed by the opinions of a representative of religion that does not support the people who dared to dream of in the history of today, with hard work, dare to come out from the idea or experience gained in the cave and out, feels other dimensions. I personally think that trying other people, other ideas, other features, not only historical but also transcendental to re-weave the web of social, emotional, spiritual and political life of mankind, does not mean losing one's identity of their faith. Whereas it seems to me that does not preclude a dialogue is a true prevents the mystery, the revelation at the complicity of God with humanity and its biodiversity cosmic. Certainly this is not an easy road, surely this is not the result of social and political meetings, as well as religious, which are based on the logic of the privileges to which the Catholic Church throughout the world, has always used; economic logic , power in name recognition of their faith.
It is a birth, a real pain in childbirth, are daily efforts, including those who are perhaps in some places and read the story from a certain point of view, you forgot or did not ever known. Experience the diversity of the coast, has some very high prices. Certainly it is easier to be approved or better dominate, with a single thought and witness the sparks of truth with a single experience. When this is so, perhaps end the pain of childbirth of human creativity, but also, end the dreams of all those real exchange rates and, instead, it brings back all the eternal divine powers Olympians religious and social.
However, until we could discuss endlessly about this reading and interpretation of history and life, but at least we did something very simple memory, which concerns its cosmopolitan roots of early Christianity, as told in Acts of the Apostles, as told by Paul. Perhaps even more two-dimensional contexts all of those that we know today, but that nevertheless, allowed to feed to Christianity even in the most complex and diverse in its very fundamental characteristic of deep passion for reconciliation. A passion that makes the most apophatic theology, in its language and not enough in this research, including vision, hearing and nostalgia for the absence, the absent and the absent. A progressive journey of revelation of alternative languages, which should see the wrinkles are not only humanity but also of this Catholic community of believers captive shadows. I hope that someone out the cave, come back and tell us the multiple dimensions of reality and thus continue to look for, ourselves and God, according to the vision of Ratzinger and Marcello Pera, seems so alien to our efforts and tentative understandings of life. Personally I hope that, once again, all those who yearn for and dare the world in another way, you may be forgiven for having loved too much and for having dedicated his life to look for each other and seek. If today, the daughter of my friend, come back to make my question, the answer to every shadow evokes something more, not just what's behind it, but what lies ahead and who is outside and that she and only she, to be faithful, and others will discover with others.
