JOURNAL OF ARABIC AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Volume 16
Published by:
The Department of Religions,
University of Ilorin
Ilorin, Nigeria
December 2002
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NEW TRENDS IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY:
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AS A CASE STUDY
BY
P.O. ABIOJE
Introduction
Ever since the Second Vatican Council, 1962-1905, certain members of the
Church have been shaken to their very foundations by because they felt, and some still
feel that Council fathers went too far in changing the face of the Church as they knew it.
The felt, and some still feel, that too much has been compromised and conceded to
“Modernism”.
Prior to Vatican II, the Church had (in 1907) condemned Modernism, a
movement which started an effort by some Catholics to bring the Church abreast of the
times. As A every Dulles notes, the papal encyclicals from Gregory XVI (1831-1846) to
Pius XII (1939-58) continually deplored modernism as an error of aberration. According
to Dulles. “Error No. 80” in the Syllabus of Errors published by Pius IX in 1864,
expresses indignation that some people though the Roman Pontiff can and should
reconcile himself with, and adjust modernization persisted until Pope John XXIII
convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962. This Pope felt, according to a quotation
by Dulles, that the Council would be “a demonstration of the Church, always living and
always young, which feels the rhythm of the times and which in every century beautifies
always young, which feels the rhythm of the times and which in every century beautifies
itself with new splendor, radiates new light, achieves new conquests…”1.
Thus, Vatican II was and is still expected to be an aggiornamento, an effort to
being the Church up to date. As cartland Bailey notes,
The past can often serve as an inspiration to us, but we
must bear in mind that we are forever moving forward. In
every part of the universe it is evident that there is a God
of progress. We surely do need to get rid of a lot of
traditional ideas, to empty out the obsolete’ which chatter
up the mental files.2
Unfortunately, there are Catholics who have the idea the last word has been
spoken and the deed has been done, so all that is left is just for us to believe. Such
Catholics fail to realize that every age needs and often ha sits own theologian, such
as in the days of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Moreover, theology is defined as fides quaerens intellectum, which means that out
faith arid talk about God must continually seek understanding. Although bibbed
revelation might have closed with the death of the last Apostle, it is inconceivable
that God would stop revealing Himself a new to new generations of humanity. As
cartland further notes, new relations and new facts are constantly being discovered,
such that one should be open minded enough to recognize facts as facts, hypotheses
as hypotheses, theories as theories and that new evidence might change our own
theory. Thus, according to cartland, the faith and the confidence by which we live
should be in full accord with discovered facts and scientific laws, and not based on
prejudice or blind faithj. How free are church theologians to discuss ecclesiasticaltraditional teachings? That is the subject of our next discourse.
The Church and Academic Liberty
In spite of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council on religious Freedom
(Cf. The Declaration on religious Liberty, 1965, No 2) there has continued to crises
between traditionalists of the old-line orthodoxy, and the investigatively progressive
minds within the Church. There has continued to be crisis between reason and faith;
knowledge versus blind belief; freedom of mental and spiritual growth versus
bigotry and crystallized dogmas. Among many other theologians, mercy Oduyoye
believes, and one may share her belief also, that successive generations of
theological students have laboured under the fear that their teachers are vested with
the duty to test the orthodoxy of their views. Oduyoye rightly notes that this
censorship harms creativity and leads to a state in which the ability to repeat
accurately one's teachers' and predecessors' methodology and content are considered
safe if not sound 4 . Yet, as Clyde Crews notes, " A faith that is fearful of
examination, is a weak and faithless faith”5.
If, as it is said, the reformed Church is continually in need of reforming
(Ecclesia riformata sempre riformanda), it should not be surprising that a new
theological spirit is forcing its way to the surface. The concern of this paper is to
discuss, at some length, the new spirit, or what has been termed new trends in
catholic theology. The new trends concern freedom of though (which we have
touched upon), method in theology contextualization of theology, and interrelationship among academic disciplines. A leading story is about how much the
Church is aware of the new trends in theology.
The Catholic and New trends in Theology
The Post-Sunodal Apostolic Ehortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, of Pope John
Paul II, has a lot t say on new trends in Catholic theology. It discusses the issues to a
great extent, even though it speaks of the new spirit as "the sp-called trends" in
Catholic theology. A justification for that is that there is hardly anything new under
heaven, but new emphases do emerge. At any rate, the most crucial point in the
document is the teaching that when, for a number of reasons, there is a disagreement
between a Magisterial position and theological opinion, a teacher has to avoid
misunderstanding and confusion, by distinguishing carefully and clearly between
what the Church teaches, and what theologians are saying. The is because, as the
document notes, “There is no ‘parallel’ magisterium, for the one magisterium is
that of Peter and the Apostles, the Pope and the Bishops”. (No. 55)
The very situation of the Church today demands
increasingly that teachers be truly to face the
complexity of the time and that they be in a position to
face competently, with clarity and deep reasoning, the
question about meaning which are put by the people of
today, questions which can only receive u
[ah and
definitive reply in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 'No 56)
The Pope states unambiguously that the Synod fathers (in "The Formation of
Priests in the Circumstances of the Present Day”, to which the Pastures Dabo Vobis is
sequent) have clearly confirmed “the need, indeed urgency to put the basic study plan
(both the general one which applies to the Church worldwide, and those of the
individual nations or Episcopal Conference) into effect in seminaries and in houses
of formation”. Quoting from the teachings off the Second Vatican Council., the Pope
notes that this wi l l involve "a vast updating of the teaching of the philosophical and
especially theological disciplines in seminaries', which will help to make 'he
education available to seminaries, “a more effective medium for intellectual
formation". (No. 56)
That is as good us saving that one has to DC as intellectualistic as reasonable
rather than being naively dogmatic. Thus the magiesterium is reckoning with the
scientific nature oi the modern academic. Much more specifically, one reads, in the
same papal exhortation, that she pastoral nature of theology does not mean that it
should be completely stripped of its scientific nature. Rather, the Pope enjoins that
the scientific nature of theology enables future priests to proclaim the Gospel
message through the cultural modes of their age. and to direct pastoral action
according to an authentic vision. While enjoining the catholic theologian not to
forget that there is a pastoral goal in view, the Pope teaches, at the same time, that a
respectful study of the genuine scientific quality of the individual disciplines of
theology can help provide a more complete and deeper training of the pastor of souls
as a teacher of faith (Pastor Dabo Vobis, No.55)
That idea has precedence m Vatican U. to the effect that, according to a
quotation by Dermot Lane,
... the human race has passed from a rather static
concept of reality to a more dynamic, evolutionary one.
In consequence, there has arisen a new series of
problems, a series as important as can be, calling for
new efforts of analysis and synthesis (G.S. 5)6.
The impression has been created that the Church authority understands the
current situation of theology. In practices, however, most seminaries and
ecclesiastical academic institutions still censure their teachers, to orthodaxy and
conservatism. But precisely because life is dynamic and not static as such, there is
need to discuss a number of differences between the old and the newly prevalently
understanding of theological issues.
No Absolute and Exclusivist Knowledge of God
In the first place, there is the understanding that no human or organization can
rightly claim absolute and exclusivist knowledge of God. God remains the
Mysterium Tremendum for every human being, group or organization. Apart from
the fact that God, as Spirit, blows wherever He wills, the Bible teaches that nobody
can see God and live (Ex. 33:20). And St Thomas Aquinas is quoted as writing that
"The ultimate of man's cognition of God is to know that he does not known God"
Or, who knows God as much as one can know a husband, wife, father, mother, or a
child, for instance? Thus, many theologians today enjoin humility, mutual respect,
and sharing of experiences with people from all walks of religious life, Christians
and non-Christians alike. As John Cobb, Junior, notes, unfortunately, it may be that
this inclusive Christian vision may not gain popularity easily in the churches that
have been exclusive and triumphalistic in their claim about their knowledge of Gods.
Hence many Christians may not be comfortable hearing or reading some current
theological presentations. Yet, as Carmody and carmody contend, There is no
honest politics, or education or social service, or art, or science, or parenting that
cannot become a sacrament, a communique of God's love and care. There is no good
meeting between people, whether they be lovers, friends, co-workers, or even enemies, that
cannot become space-rendered pregnant with divine meaning, a womb for human
growth9.
Thus, with current emphasis on experience as the greatest locus of human
knowledge, sharing of human experience of God is vital for spiritual versatility. If
God is the FATHER of every human being, he cannot but reveal Himself to peoples
and individuals, wherever they may be. But one cannot hear the different stories.
unless one is disposed to listen to them with an open mind. As Bernard Haering
notes: "A clear Christian vision liberates from exclusiveness and fanaticism, and
makes one free for discernment and genuine dialogue. The authentic Christian will
not bedevil his opponent, but will discover his concerns and good reasons" .
Many African Christians may want to relate that point to what many
Christians have made of the adherents of African Traditional Religion (ATR). Yet,
the fathers of Vatican II ask Church missionaries to familiarize themselves with the
national and religious traditions of the lands, so as to "uncover with gladness and
respect, these seeds of the word which the hidden among them" (Ad Gentes
Divinitus, No. 11) . And the Father of the Synod on Africa (Rome, 1994),
commended African Traditional Religion, for putting hardly any obstacle on the
way of the missionaries, but rather cooperated with them, to a very great, such that
many Africans became coverts. That represents African traditional civilisation of
tolerance, hpspitality, and openness to whatever is true and honourable. Beyond
that, many African theologians, such as Luke Mbefo, are of the opinion that African
Christian should engender, between Christianity and ATR, the type of synthesis
contrived by Augustine between Christianity and Platonism, and that between
Christianity and Aristolelian plilosophy, contrived by Aquinas 11.
In old theology, the humanity of Jesus is certainly overshadowed by his
divinity. The potentiality for the eclipse of the humanity of Jesus is rooted in the
very idea of the incarnation (that Jesus was God who came down from heaven,
adopted human flesh to live among human beings). This doctrine is now described
as Jesus the Christ from below, seeing mm as one with human beings but
exceedingly committed to doing the will of the Father, loving, preaching and
accomplishing good deeds.
The contention is that Jesus who is God cannot be imitated by finite and
naturally limited human beings. No wonder ht is mostly idolized and worshipped as
a miracle worker, rather than perceived as a model and mentor who points the way
to the Father, the truth, and holy life.
One would think Christians would be better conscientized to being about the
kingdom of God on earth if the life and teachings of Jesus are focused and preached
rather than placing every emphasis only on the divinity of his person, and the
salvivic value of his death. The old theological vision tends to cherish his death
more than his life and teachings. That is not helping Christians' ethico-moral
consciousness, and many believers have false hope of eternal life, that by merely
believing Jesus died for their sins, their salvation is assured. Such forms of belief put
no ethical challenge to believers. The approach can only make Christianity a cheap
and worthless religion; a ritualistic doctrinaire religion without socio cum ethicomoral values. Jesus is portrayed as disappointed, when he asked: "Why do you cal
me. Lord. Lord; and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).
It would appear that Jesus did not come to preach himself, but the will of the
father. "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in Heaven". (Mtt. 7:21) Koniji
has a quotation that one can appropriate to buttress this discourse:
In the spirituality of today the pull is exercised not so
much By Christ's person as by his teaching of love,
justice and Peace... nowadays he points away from
himself to the World and its sufferings. So far many a
Christian his Relationship to the Lord as a believer is felt
more as a Command to go out into the world in the spirit of
Jesus than As a way of fleeing out of the world to him for
refuge' (Report 4, third plenary session of the Dutch
Pastoral Council, 'the Christian's moral attitude to life
in the world', pp. 13-14)12.
As the preceding biblical quotation (Mtt. 7.2) shows, Jesus is not just
pointing away from himself nowadays, he did it already in his earthly life. But the
basic message is that "The best way to keep a person's memory alive is to make his
ideals come true"13.
Human beings and their situation are the focus of modern theology. God has
made human beings the crown of His creation. He sent His only Son to redeem
humankind. The Lord Jesus came in order that humanity may have life in abundance
here and hereafter. Anybody and anything that obstruct human fulfillment, which is
of positive value, offend God. Thus, human beings are not to be oppressed and
persecuted in the name of God, while theologians claims to be defending God and
His cause above.
The world is in search of peace and harmony, justice, and a better sociopolitical and economic order. In this search, application of doctrines seems to more
urgent than explication of doctrine for its own sake. Explication, yes but the concrete
implication and application must be immediate goal of doctrinal explication, based
on the signs of the times.
A wholistic View of Reality
The second emergent point is that that many theologians no longer wish to
dichotomize reality as such between body and soul, earthly and heavenly worlds,
secular and sacred, and so on. This means that:
No Exaggerated Dichotomy between Body and Soul.
He that made the soul also made the body, and He has made it, not to be
denigrated or mortified, but to be properly cared for. Many contemporary
theologians would not want to emphasize salvation of soulin such a way as to totally
undermine salvation of the body, which is an essential component of humanity, as
created by God. In this light, St James, in his epistle, relates an anecdote, saying: If
one of the brothers or one of the sisters is need of clothes and has not enough food to
live on, and of you says to them, 'I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty',
without
giving
them
these
bare necessities of life, then of what of what good
is that: In the same way faith: if goods do not go with it, it is quite dead: (2: 15-17).
*
Harmony between Heaven and Earth
Eschatological speaking, whether a person goes to heaven or hell after death
will be decided by how she/he has lived here on earth. Since Jesus craves for heaven
to begin here on earth, there should be no inordinate polarity between the heavenly
and the earthly worlds, other than to enjoin human beings to be honest, sincere, just,
compassionate and merciful, toward their neighbour, so as to deserve God's mercy,
and a place in his heavenly kingdom. In a book that is enjoining a realistic
conversion to the world, one reads:
Christian piety all too often seemed to be the withdrawal
from the World and from men, a sort of transcendent
egoism, the Unwillingness to share the suffering of the
world and man... it Lacked human warmth14.
That may not be the whole truth, but it is applicable in many Christian
quarters. Many theologians today would want Christians to go out of themselves and
be part of those struggling to being unity and harmony, justice and peace into this
world, which is created and beloved by god. "For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life. For God sent the Son into the world, not so condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him".(John 3:15-1 7).
It is believed that when one takes the story about the fall of humanit more
seriously than the story about the atonement and the remedy for the fall, the result is
a religion divorced from life, because life is then conceived as inevitably corrupt.
The consequence, according to theologians, such as Paul Oestreicher, is prevalent
idea that a religious person ha to be a man or a woman divorced from world, and is
ipsofacto, nearer to God than a secular person. Thus, salvation is said to lie in
theologians today who rightly think this runs contrary to the nature of Christ and the
classical prophets of the Old Testament, who took personal interest in the national
life of their societylS. The Second Vatican Council also teaches that "Christians
ought to interest themselves, and collaborate with others, in the right ordering of
social and economic affairs" (Ad. Gentes. No. 12). Equally pungent, one reads in
Gaudium et Spes that:,
One of the gravest of our time is the dishotomy between
The faith which many profess and the practice of their
daily Lives... The Christian who shirks his temporal
duties towards his Neighbour, neglects God himself, and
endangers his eternal salvation. (G. S. No 43).
In reference to the clergy, and ecclesiastical pastoral workers, cardinal Basil
Hume observes that "Sometimes withdrawal into Church affairs and preoccupation
with its parochial and diocesan life is, unfortunately, motivated by a one-sided
perception that the world is a Godless place and that involvement in its affairs
involve compromise and sometimes the abandonment of absolute standards and
ideals
Unity of the Sacred and the Secular
Based on the foregoing many theologians, today, would hold that the words
sacred and secular can mostly be used in a relative, rather than in an absolute sense
as such. In that wise, a sacred institution will mean an institution established by a
religious body, while a secular institution will be an institution established by a civil
or private authority. If on the other hand, the word sacred refers to holiness of life, it
is only reasonable to assume that only God is absolutely sacred. Then, of course, a
person, an object or a particular place, or thing may be termed sacred if blessed or
consecrated. But the whole of life should be regarded and treated as sacred, if
ultimately, our entire world derives from an absolutely holy God, and bears His
stamp. For instance, every human being created as an Imago Dei, derives from God,
and so sacred in a general sense. Even our schools and higher institutions of
learning, such as the universities, the polytechnics, and the college of education are
sacred in their sown rights, the prevalence of certain evils, such as secret cults
notwithstanding, because these so-called secular institutions contain .God's presence,
and many of the persons involved in them are interested in God. Otherwise, can one
equate the sacredness of God with the sacredness of any other person, group, or
things? Can any person, group, or thing be as sacred as God? Yet at the same time,
is there anything in the universe that does the stamp of God, when, as the aslmist
observes, heaven and earth declare the glory of God, with and without speech
(Psalm 19:Iff) This position also confirms with the adage: Life is sacred.
The overall implication is that a Christians should never be afraid of, but
welcome secularization, which represents an attempt to make religion (Christianity
in particular) exist harmoniously with the world created good by God. For too long,
there have been Christians who viewed this world negatively, and tried to separate
themselves from the so-called worldly affairs. This phenomenon is sometimes called
flight from reality. There have been many Christians authorities, on the other hand,
who pretended that this world was wholly and entirely a diabolical entity. They
teach this as a ploy to maximally exploit their followers. Such leaders and
authorities, in their personal lives, enjoy the good things of life, and they bui ld
edifices for the institutions that they control. Homrighausen rightly notes:
With the New Delhi Assembly of the world Council of
Churches, many will agree that God is at work in the
secular order, the incarnation is a 'secular event'; God is
concerned for man's dignity and humanity ; the gospel
implies that all people should share in the benefits of the
secular life 17.
As a matter of fact, many theologians today, such as Bernard Haering, are of the
reasonable opinion hat the Church should even be ecologically concerned, a since
human beings cannot survive without a suitable environment the air we breathe, the
water we drink, the food we eat, the animals from which we obtain protein, and so
on, all constitute God's grace for a successful human living. The Church is,
therefore, enjoined to preach against air and water pollution; against wanton killing
and hostility toward animals; against senseless cutting of trees, and against general
environmental degradation, toward human ecological survival. A quotation by
Bernard Haering reads:
The crises of population, of ecology, of energy, or
worldwide Economics, make humanity experience in a
shocking way that we Are all in the same boat, and
that a restless humanity, polarized And torn into opposed
camps by group egotism and ideologies, May well sink
the boat altogether18.
Thus, there is need for both human and ecological concern and solidarity. When
human beings destroy their own environment, it is a time-bomb for their own
annihilation. When they are preservative of their environment, it is toward their own
survival. Likewise, it is only reasonable to imagine that God's stamp is on
everything in the world. He has made, and so, all of life is sacred, even though
desecration can occur anywhere, caused by anybody.
Human Beings as Characterized by Their Openness to the World
Most theologians today do not limit their theological sources to the Bible, the
Magisterium, the fathers of the Church, and other theological works. Many
theologians now transcend these sources and go even beyond philosophy, to embrace
also any available scientist, including the sociologist, the economist, the historian,
the psychologist, the psychiatrist, the physician, the occultist, the mass
communicator, the journalist, the poet, the novelist, and so on, in search of
knowledge and information. This is expressive of what theologians, such as
Wolfhart Pennenberg, rightly, rightly believe, that human beings are characterized
by openness to the world. Human beings would want to go beyond inherited limits,
hi the words of Pannenberg.
Man is not bound to an environment, but is open to the
world that means he can always have new experiences
that are different in kind, and his possibilities for
responding to the reality perceived can vary almost
without limit... In comparison with those of animals, our
organs are hardly specialized but. like the 3 hand, are
astonishingly versatile... this has very serious
consequence for our entire experience of existence and
our behaviour. Because the direction of the drives is not
established in advance, man's view of reality is
especially open19.
If anybody thinks that the Church does not learn from anybody, apart from the Holy
Spirit, the Bible, and the Church fathers, the Second Vatican Council does not agree.
The Council fathers believe that the Church "profits from the experience of past
ages, from the progress of the sciences, and from the riches hidden in various
cultures, through which greater light is thrown on the nature of man and new
avenues to truth are opened up" One reads further, in the same document, that
Nowadays when thing change rapidly and thought patterns differ so widely, the
Church needs to step up this exchange by calling upon the help of people who are living
in the world, who are expert in its organization and its forms of training, and who
understand it mentality, in the case of believers and nonbelievers alike. With the
help of Holy Spirit, it is the task of the whole people of God, particularly of its
pastors and theologians, to listen to and distinguish the many voices of our times and to
interpret them in the light of the divine Word, in order that the revealed truth may
be more deeply penetrate, better understood , and more suitably presented (G.S. No.
44). I cannot develop this further, since the next has spoken for itself. It is like the
adage has it that: Action speaks louder than voice. It is clear from that Catholic
theology remains field quaerens intellectum (faith that continues to seek
understanding at every age, as it is not a static or stale reality).
Modern Theology as Praxis-Oriented
Theology is more historically and pragmatically oriented today, and that has
modified and broadened its role. One can theologize on anything that is of interest to
God and humanity. Thus, theology is largely just to explain and defend doctrines
and attack objections to the faith apologetically. That has been the time honoured
task of speculative theology. Today, however, many theologians, such as Walter
Kasper, argue and one would agree.
The defense of the faith (apologetics) is meant to be
defense of man and his freedom when is being
threatened. Faith proves its case by proving its mettle
when it is confronted with the concrete questions of a
threatened human race. Historically oriented theology
serves mankind and its salvation 20.
Kasper further explains that, with abstract speculative theology, even the central
concepts of theology, such as God, grace, salvation, and sin, have become empty
words, to a large extent. These concepts are explained in such a way that they say
nothing to thinking persons, when they are not related to historical realities. Kasper
quotes J. S. Drey as maintaining that dogmatic theology (which many would prefer
to call systematic theology today
Should be seen as the "transmission of the faith to an ever enduring present"21.
That can happen, to a large extent, when theology addresses itself to hie etnunc
situations, rather than merely talking to itself. The reality today would seem to be
that men and women would want to know a particular doctrines is related to them in
their concrete historical, otherwise they lose interest in the discussion.
Supposing you tell an exploited and traumatized person: "Jesus is the Son of
God our Saviour who has conquered and redeemed the world". What meaning will
that immediately have for him or her? Have you really done justice to your
evangelistic and have done and said: "Beware of the yeast of your exploiters". One
would think you .would have enjoyed a better attention from that person. Hence it is
said that even a discussion on such theological subjects as eschtology (which is the
study of the last things-death, heaven, purgatory, and hell - should draw on how the
subject is related to and meaningful for our better concrete historical existence, since
that too is of interest to Restore. God is also interested in the earthly well-being of
human beings. At any rate, what we do in the world will decide where we belong
after death -heaven, purgatory, or hell.
The foregoing explains why most theologies today are contextual in nature.
There is liberation theology for those who are oppressed, exploited, and
marginalized; inculturation theology for those who have been culturally degraded
and blacklisted; feminist theology of liberation for women who feel or are actually
marginalised and exploited; Black theology for the blacks in America and South
Africa, who are racially humiliated; political theology for those who are politically
endangered, and so on.
Based on the forgoing, the imitation of Christ is considered to be of
paramount urgency today than doctrinal explications as such. It would seem that the
greatest problem today is not that people do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God,
or even as God, but that they are saying Lord, Lord, and not doing his will. Hence
the urgent preoccupation of the Church and her theologians is rightly directed at
addressing concrete historical situations, in the name of Jesus Christ. No wonder
most theological researches, discourses, and dialogues going on today are
historically, socio-politically, and economically critical. As Anthony Akinwale
notes, about in an apparently negative undertone.
In fact, it is evident that almost all the ecumenical
initiatives we Have been witnessing in Nigeria
concern socio-political action. The kind of
initiatives Vatican II refers to as initiative in view of
The common good. The Christian Association of
Nigeria in Particular has been forthright and
militant in its commentary on The political direction
of the Nigerian Stater"
Akinwale further observes that "in Nigeria most theologians speak and write
more often on socio sciences, than on doctrinal issues"23. That is my observation
too, but the development should not be dismissed as a deviation from the nature and
scope of theology. If anything, it is the necessary order of the day, particularly in
Africa, as necessitated by the circumstances of out times. A hungry man is an angry
man. It is not advisable to preach abstract doctrines to a hungry people it has to be a
practically helpful doctrine, possibly one that is praxis-oriented. As Mercy Oduyoye
notes, "The theologian's labour is not likely to achieve much if the authoritarian
dogmatic style of ecclesiological formulae continues to be our model". With specific
reference to Nigeria, she rightly contends that
A salvation-history approach to theology might well be
what Nigeria calls for. The inspiring people of our
national history are those who are deemed to have
'saved' the nation from one limit situation or the other.
Those who sit in our pews and on the floors of our
churches look up to God for some evidence or the other
of God's saving grace in their lives. Some newspaper
items seem to suggest that Christianity might be
expected to contribute to the evolution of the humane
society the nation longs for. The task of Christian
theologies in Nigeria is to heed these cals, study to
understand the nation, and remain open to the spirit of
truth that will enable them to seek the truth which alone
shall make for a free people united in faith and by faith24.
In support of that, one may mention that the principal preoccupation of Jesus was to
save, and he enjoins that people should do the will of the Father. That means to love
God and one's neighbour as oneself. The vital biblical quotations include: "My foof
is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (John 4:34); and
"If I am not doing the works of my father, then do not believe me, but if I do them,
even though you do not believe me, the works, that you may know and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father". (John 10:37-38). What is the work of
the father that a Christian should accomplish?. It is stated by Jesus, when he quotes
from Isaiah 61:1-2:
The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me
to bring The good news to the afflicted. He has sent to
proclaim liberty To captives, sight to the blind, to let the
oppressed go free, to Proclaim a year of favour from the
Lord. (Luke 4:18).
Liberation theologians also cite God's liberation of the Israelites from the Egyptian
captivity (as reported in the book of Exodus), and the Song of Mary, as recorded by
St Luke:
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones and
raised high the lowly He has filled the starving with
good things, sent the rich away empty. He has come to
the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love.
(Luke 1:52-54)
In sum, abstract explication of doctrines concerns metaphysical notions which, if not
related to historical and existential or pragmatic realities may be irrelevant, boring,
and uninteresting. Such a discourse can hardly appeal to our sophisticated and
critical society. As Kasper observes. "Truth is not something we simply know or talk
about, it is something we should carry out in practice"25. Thus, the highest point of
Christology in this age, should be the imitation of Christ. If his followers, who run
into many millions should carry out his injunctions and imitate his deeds, they will
help to promote God's saving love, and His kingdom on earth was the primary.
concern of Jesus.
Quite on the contrary, many people flock to the Church today in search of
miracle, in total disregard for the cross. They prefer to make Jesus an idol, rather
than a model for emulation. That results in more religiosity than spirituality and
morality.
Science as an Ally of Theology
The fact has been mentioned that life must be perceived integrally and
harmoniously, rather than dichotomizing life in general. That applies also to the
relationship between science and religion. Many theologians today prefer to look
positively at the contributions of science and technology, and to view them as allies
of theology, rather than as enemies. David Byers, for instance, notes that " Science
provides data on which religion can bring its venerable tradition to bear", and "this
tradition should in no way stand abashed before the accomplishments of modern
science, which has secured so much good for us all"26. Vatican 11 also teaches that
"Advances, but provide him with the technical means of molding the lives of whole
peoples as well" (G.S. No.5).
That explains, to a great extent why theology can hardly any more, limit its
sources cto the Bible, the Magisterium, the Church fathers, and other theological
works, as it embraces the social, physical, and biological scientists, and whoever has
any critical thing to say to it. It does seem appropriate to fail to see when an
opponent or someone's counterpart is making a true and valid statement. But some
theologians are not of this frame of mind yet. because, as John Cobb, Junior,
observes:
For historical reasons. Christianity formulated its
theology chiefly in Greek categories. Much of this was
beneficial, for the Greek language was richly nuanced.
But the union of biblical and Greek thinking entrenched
a destructive dualism between Spirit and fresh, soul and
body, humanity and nature subject and object. Today,
many Christians want to free themselves from these
dualism, but dualism is so pervasive in Western though
that it keeps reappearing in theology as well27.
On the other hand, many theologians, today, are conscious of this fact, and
they try to resist the tendency of degenerating into dualistic or polaristic categories
that parochialize a person's vision. Thus, in their historical approach to theology,
they include basic metaphysical factors, tradition, and the bible, along with sociopolitical and economic realities. In other words, doctrinal discussions are done in an
historico-scientific, rather than in a static manner that belongs to a rhetoric of
authority. The scientific approach to research is adopted and adapted to many areas
of religious inquiry. This point is explained in the next section.
The Modern Approach to Theological Methodology
many of today's theologians do not like to be limited to a particular
theological methodology. In general, many opt for the scientific approach to
theology, without excluding, at the same time, the speculative method. That means
many theologians, today, both speculate and conduct research to collect data, which
they analyze, as a guide toward further speculations and conclusions.
In erne breath, Walter Kasper though dogmatic theology should "avoid
dilettantism" (that is, use of diverse methods), and "look for the one dogmatic
method", if dogmatic theology "is to remain a scientific discipline"28. In another
breath, however, he reverses, nothing that "To be sure, theology does make use of
certain specific methods" (which include historical, exegetical, philosphical,
anthopological, and so on), "and it dare not try to dispense with them. But to be
theology, it must say something about God and his world". 29 The latter position
would seem to agree with that held by Richard Viladesau, and many other
contextual theologians, when he stresses that
The situation which faith faces through theology will
determine not only what questions theology asks, but
also how it approaches them. The general notion of
'correlation' provides us with a heuristic understanding
of the theological task: its concrete procedure is not an I
a priori method, but is determined by the character of
the correlative realities."'
This, in sum, conforms with Bernard Lonergan's recommendation of the
scientific approach to theology.31 Explaining Lonergan's position, Willian Placher
observes that earlier theology often defined "the truth" in terms of a set of
propositions complied from popes, councils, and great theologians. Lonergan, as
placher explains, "Argues that our modern awareness of history makes us realize
that we can never get 'the truth' once and for all", and so, there is always the need for
further research.32 That means that many theologians, today, would go for research
into various books, interviews, participant observation, and so on, rather than relying
only on certain plethora of authority, otherwise called a rhetoric of authority. In
other words, it is no longer whether something was said by some authority, or the
question of who said it as such, but whether what is said is generally found to be the
truth. In that wise, A very Dulles says:
I am the opinion that the Catholic Church, in the name of its
"catholicity" must at all costs avoid falling into a sectarian
mentality. Being 'catholic' this church must be open to all
god's truth, no matter who utters it. As St Paul teaches, it
must accept whatever things are true, honourable, just, pure
lovely, gracious, and excellent (cf. Phil. 4:8).33"
Question may arise concerning how the historico -scientific
method of theological inquiry can apply to spiritual or metaphysical realities.
That forms the basis of our next discourse.
How The Historico-Scientific method of Theological Inquiry Applies
to Spiritual Realities
Interestingly, the Trinitarian doctrine often leads for use in discussing the
need for unity and love, since the Father is traditionally conceived as the principle of
the unity of the Godhead, and the Holy Spirit as the bond of love between the Father
and the Son. As Catherine Lacugna observes, what God is, in His essence, may
never be known, "but the essence is revealed and manifested through the energies,
which are God's actions in creation and redemption:.34 Thus, God's actions in the
world or the effects of His actions can be historically and scientifically investigated,
even though God Himself cannot be physically investigated.
Again, the Son was sent by the Father, to g i v e sight to the blind, and to set
captive free. As His disciples, the mission of Christians cannot ''v different from
His. They too are called, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to work for the
redemption of human beings, from all that oppresses them. Whether they earn out
his mission or not can be scientifically researched, even though a person's actual
faith cannot be investigated in itself. Through their fruits one will identify who true
Christians are.
Actions of human beings are either holy or unholy. And here, one can
understand that the dogma of the immaculate Conception, for instance, establishes
a solid basis for the assertion that the Blessed Virgin Mary was perpetually holy.
Most theologians today would rather investigate how men and women of today are
responding to their vocation to holiness of life than engage in the historicity of the
Immaculate Conception, which was declared dogmatically as an infalliable article of
faith, at an age when Marian devotion was at its bloom.
Another example is the issue of grace, with reference to the scientific
approach to theologization. Gracezis described as a gift of God to a person material
possession, including the food that one eats, success achieved, the ability to do
something, and talents. Scientific and historical investigations can she carried out,
with data collected and analyzed, as to whether a person actually has God's grace,
and how positively or negatively the person has been using cthe grace of God, which
may include personal beauty, intelligence, eloquence, piety, professional
competence, academic ability, etc. Related questions could be: What are the
indications that a person a specific grace? Has the person been selfish and fraudulent
with the grace of God with which he or she is endowed, or has the person been
generous and considerate with regard to how he or she appropriates God's grace?
There should be visible and possibly measurable indices to answer these posers.
What about the issue of the Resurrection vis-a-vis the historico-scientific
method of theological research? The Bible itself appears historico-scientific in its
presentation of the story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, when it relates the
stories of encounter with the risen Lord, such as on the way to Emmaus (Luke
24:15ff). Literature and interviews reveal that most human beings believe in life
after death. The few persons that may not believe in eternal life after death are
represented in the Bible by the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection (Cf..
Luke 20:27-40).
The pedagogical essence of the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is
that a theologian should tell Christians, and anybody who is interested to hear, that
they should live their lives in such a way they would resurrect into eternal glory in
Heaven. Then, there could be historico-scientific investigation into whether people
are actually living in such a way that signifies that they may be worthy of glorious
resurrection in the hereafter. By their fruits we shall know them. One's character,
attitude, deeds, and misdeeds, action and inactions can be investigated. That is how
the historico-scientific method could apply to such concepts as eschatology.
Resurrection, or life after death. Ditto for the doctrine of the Ascension and the
dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. The essences of the latter is eternal
salvation to which most human beings are believed to aspire. The indices of the
aspiration can be scientifically investigated. The historico-scientific questions could
be: Are there concrete signs that people are aspiring to go to heaven? Is there
goodness and kindness in the land? And so on.
To be sure, the scientific approach to theology is causing a two-way crisis. It
is crisis-ridden for many simple Christians, as well as for the theologian. The simple
Christian's problem imaginably arises from the confusion he or she may experience,
while the scientifically oriented theologian is also in crisis or pain, imaginably
because of the realization that he or she is misunderstood, and very often
unaccommodated by the establishment. It is on record that St. Thomas Aquinas
suffered isolated for trying to promote Aristelian ideas, at a time when many Church
officials still considered Aristotle to be a dangerous anti-Christian influence. The
same Aquinas later became the "angelic Doctor of the Church"35. In a book he
wrote in 1997, John B. Cobb, Junior, observes that occasionally a church may divide
over some issue, "but more often the leadership holds it together out of institutional
loyalty while losing most of those who have strong convictions and find that they
can acts on these better somewhere else".36
On the whole, one would enjoin courage, perseverance, and caution rather
than a retreat for the contextual theologian. The simple Christian may soon become
mature or perservere in his or her simplicity. There is no facile solution to this
complex problem: some people are natural open mined and progressive, while other
people are close-mined, conservative, and too regimented: Life is a mixed bag of
sorts. That is why it is not easy to please everybody, but one should try one's best.
Since this researcher is in the Third World, he would want to say something
on Third World theologies. The following is what he has to say.
The Emergence of Third World theologies
In the past, the Third Word was understood simply as a "third force", as
represented by the non-aligned, non -industrialised, underdeveloped countries of
Asia, Africa, and Latin America, in contrast to the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) nations (as the First World), and the communist-aligned
nations of the Warsaw Pact (as the second World). More recently, as G. H.
Anderson notes, however, the poor and oppressed (racial) ethnic minorities in the
United Sates and Europe have also been defined as belonging to Third World
peoples. Hence the feminist theology is, for instance, grouped among Third World
liberation theologies, since "they are all written out of an experience of oppression in
society".37 In sum, the expression, Third World, now refers to all the poor,
marginalised, and oppressed peoples anywhere in the world.
The socio-political, economic, and religio-cultural situations between the
Western world and the Third World countries are mostly not the same. And so, the
theological thinking cannot be exactly the same. Peoples in the Northern hemisphere
enjoy relative peace and plenty. They enjoy relative stability and affluence, while
the Third World experience war, starvation, dictatorship, subjugation, and
exploitation by international and local imperialists. Thus, their worries are not
exactly the same as those of Western nations. Because the sensitivities and the
theological questions confronting concerned Third World theologians are not exactly
the same with those in the West, we talk of Third World theologies.
Theologians in the Third World who think our theology should not be
different from that of the West may be accused of insensitivity to the plight of our
peoples. Theologians who think that mere speculative apologetic theology should be
African priority this time around, may be termed myopic and selfish. Even if a Third
World theologian enjoys Western affluence via the generosity of some westerners,
such a theologian should not be insensitive to the exploitation and the
dehumanization of his people, if he is conscientious. He would still direct his
theologisation toward the progress of his people, as a concerned citizen, in the name
of Jesus Christ. A theologian, whether in the West or in the Third World, should
look at the situation oh his people and ask: What will God, the Bible, the
Magisterium, theologians, and other concerned and God-fearing persons have to say
about this. And what can I, as a theologian conclude? What can I suggest as solution
or a way forward, based on my theological, God-oriented research?
At this juncture, one would like to mention some Third World theologies.
They are basically contextual in nature, and so they are called contextual theologies,
since they address particular contexts or situation. As J. S. Ukpong rightly explains,
the African theology of inculturation address the issue of culture, because Africa is
largely suffering from cultural blackmail and confusion; the Afro-American and
South African Black theology address the issue of race and skin colour; the Latin
American liberation theology, the issue of socio-economic and political oppression
and exploitations; while the European political theology address socio-political and
economic problems as well.38 At the same time, each of these theologies has its
universal relevance. AS William Placher observes, for instance, "The fact of
poverty, the struggles for economic and social justice" cuts across any geographical
boundary.39 Hence, theologians in both the West and in the Third World can share
Ideas on many issues, even though the situation confronting them are not always
exactly the same. Africa, for instance, is socio-politically, and culturally exploited
and inferiorated, like many peoples elsewhere, and so her theologians may borrow
ideas from outside theologians, without compromising Africa's own specific
concern, ingenuity and originality.
Permit me to honour my former lecturer, in the catholic Institute of West
Africa, Port Harcourt, Rev, Fr. Dr. Augustine Udeaja Nebechukwu, Who died in
1996. I would want him to have the last words on this subject. He wrote. Third
World theology has three basic characteristics. First, it is contextual, which means, it
takes into serious consideration
the context (socio-economic-political, and religiocultural dimensions) of the Third World. Its point of
departure is the historical condition of the peoples of
the Third World, Second, it is liberational, which
means, it focuses on achieving freedom for the
oppressed. Third it is biblically based. Its basic
question is whether the struggle of the oppressed to be
free from any form of oppression is consistent with
the Word of God… whether the Sacred Scripture can
furnish some guiding light and motivation for people
struggling for freedom. In the light of the Word of
God, Third World theology views all forms of
oppression as sin, and as such, not sanctioned by God.
It seeks the transformation of society in the light of
the Word of God. 40
Conclusion
We have come to the end of this library research on new trendsin Christian
theology. The research is not exhaustive, but hopefully challenging. Paradigms are
shifting, but one needs not panic. pro\ id:-d one is magnanimous, accommodating, and
open-mined enough to absorb new orientations that are directed at bringing about
the kingdom of God in our world. The kingdom of God represent truth, love, peace,
fraternity, fellowship, unity, compassion, mercy, joy, and so on. None of these can
be found in religious or ideological bigotry. Many Catholic theologians who have
embraced the "new trends" in Christian theology are not given to prejudice. The)'
would want to be as scientific and as realistic as possible. As this research has
shown, the Second Vatican Council, and many other Church councils arc very much
on the side, and one has tried to show that history ^ on their s\i,- also.
Due to the failure of theologia perennis (theology as usual) to respond adequately
to new socio-political, economy, cultural, and religious situation, theologians in
both the North and South of the Atlantic turn to contextualization of theology. Gustavo
Gutietenv speaks punsgently on the new method of theologizing, saying: "We think
that theology, a give theology, has existed forever and that it is valid for all times
and places, but that is not so. For me, theology is the consciousness that a
community or a Christian generation has about its faith at a given moment".41 That
is representative of many theologians' position, today.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
75.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
NOTES AND REFERENCE
Avery Dulles, 1978, Models of the Church, Image Books, New York. P. 97
Cartland Bailey, "Faith and Fact", in Science of Mind (a periodical), December
1964, Pp. 12-13.
Indem, Pp. 13-14
Mercy Oduyoye, ed. 1986, The State of Christian Theology in Nigeria. 1980-8 1
DayStar Press, Ibadan, P4.
Clyde F. Crews, Ultimate Questions Paulist Press, New York, 1986, p. 99
Dermot A. Lane, "Eschatology" in Joseph A. Komonchak, Mary Collins, and
Dermot A. Lane, eds. 1996, The New Dictionary of Theology, _ Theological
publications in India, Banplore, p. 339.
Ibid., p.341.
.John Cobb, Jr. 1997, Reclaiming the Church: Where the Mainline Church
Went Wrong and What to Do About it, Westminster John Knox Press,
Kentucky, p 13.
John T. Carmody & Denise L. Carmody, 1991, catholic Spirituality and History
of Religions, Paulist Press, New York, p. 11.
Bernard Hearing, 1981, Free and Faithful in Christ: Moral Theology for Priests
and Laity, _Vol.3.. St Paul Publications, Middlegreen, Slough, p. 337
Luke Mbefo, "Failure in the Professionalization of Theology" in The Nigerian
Journal of Theology. June, 2000, Vol. 14, published by the Catholic Theological
Association of Nigeria, p. 18
Konijn, S. (1973), The bridge from Old to New in Christian Relief Geoffrey
Chapman London, p. 83
Ibid
Quoted by Paul Oestreicher, in his introduction to Conversion do the World \
by H. I Schultz, 1967, SCM Press, Bristol, p. 3 1
Ibid pp. 15-16.
Basil Hume, 1988, Towards a Civilisation of Love. Being Church in Today'
World Hodder Stoughton, London, p. 44
Homrighausen, E. G. The Church in the World, p.28 in theology
Vol. 23. No. 2 July 1996.
Bernard Gearing, Op. Cit p. 142
Wolfhart Pannenberg, 1977, What is man9 Fortress Press, Piladelphia, Pp. 5-6.
20. Walter Kasper. 1969, The methods of Dogmatic Theology, Paulist Press,
Philadelphia Pp 5-6.
Ibid. P. 64.
Anthony Akinwale, “The Jubille Year and theological Method” in West African Journal of
Ecclesiastical Studies (WAJES) Vol. 5, 2000, AECAWA Publication, Ibadan, p.23.
Ibid.
Mercy Oduyoye, Op. Cit pp.5 & 6
Walter Kasper, Op. Cit., p.53
26. David Byers, “Religion and Science: The Emerging Dialogue” in the magazine: AMERICA,
published by the Jesuits of the United States and Canada, April 20, 1996, p.14
27. John Cobb, Jr. Op. cit., p.90.
28. Walter Kasper, op. cit. , p.2.
29. Ibid. p.
30. Richard Viladesau, 1984, The Reason for our Hope: An introduction to Christian Anthropology,
Paulist Press, New York, p.2.
31. Cf. Bernard Lonergan, 1973, Method in theology, darton, Longman and Todd, London, pp.125-145.
32. William Placher, 1983, A History of Christian Theology, An Introduction, The Westminster Press,
Philadelphial, Pennsylvania, p.302.
33. A very Dulles, op. cit. p.14.
34. Catherine M. Lacugna, "the Trinitarian Mystery of God". In Francis S chussler
Fiorenza and John P. Gavlin, eds. 1992 Systematic Theology: Roman catholic
Perspectives. Gill Macmillan Ltd., Dublin, p. /"/
35 William Placher. op cit., pp. ! 52-153
36. John Cobb, Jr., op cit.,p 3
37. G. H. Anderson and F. T. Stransky, eds. Mission Trends No.3, Paulist Press,
New York, 1978, p 1.
38. Justin S. Upong, 1984, African theologies \a\\- A profile GABA Publications,
Kenya, p. 5.
39. William Placher. op. Cit., p.307
40. Augustine U. Nebechuwu "Third World theology and the recovery of African
identity" in Journal of Inculturation Theology Vol 2 no i, April 1995, Faculty
of Theology, Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt. pp 2 I -22
41. In the interview he granted to Teofilo Cabeastrero, ed. Faith. Conversations
with Contemporary Theologians. 1981, Orbis Books New York, p 97.