Joseph Ratzinger’s Argument for the Epistemological Seriousness of Faith

Krzysztof Cezary Kaucha

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3884-763X


Abstract

Christianity, and the Christian faith, seems to be losing when confronted with scientific reason and scientific certainty. Christianity needs new arguments for the epistemological seriousness of its faith. Those could be found in Joseph Ratzinger’s writings, providing new insights into fundamental theology. The subject of faith as an element that is crucial to him (and to Christianity) pervades all his works. This paper aims at proving that Ratzinger has worked out an original epistemological way of defending the Christian faith. It is an attempt to recreate his argument on the basis of his entire intellectual output. The present research leads to the conclusion that Ratzinger’s way of argumentation is quite unique. In classical fundamental theology, the Christian faith (comprehended mostly as an individual act of faith) is placed at its end point, while in Ratzinger’s fundamental theology, faith (understood mostly as a historical and communal act) is practically a point of departure. From the beginning of his reasoning Ratzinger (due to his meta-faith perspective) persuades that the Christian faith is epistemologically very serious. Faith may not only manifest its presence alongside other serious attitudes to reality, but also be capable of demonstrating its foundation, rationality, originality, uniqueness, and even absoluteness (definitiveness).

Keywords:

Joseph Ratzinger, Christianity, faith, fundamental theology, argument, argumentation

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Published
2021-12-17


Kaucha, K. C. (2021). Joseph Ratzinger’s Argument for the Epistemological Seriousness of Faith. Verbum Vitae, 39(4), 1277–1294. https://doi.org/10.31743/vv.12960

Krzysztof Cezary Kaucha  krzysztof.kaucha@kul.pl
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin

Rev. Krzysztof Kaucha, PhD, Professor of Fundamental Theology, researcher and lecturer in the Institute of Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Section of Fundamental Theology, Chair of Fundamental Christology and Ecclesiology); his field of recent research: fundamental theology in Joseph Ratzinger’s works; author of three monographs and 55 academic papers, co-author of one monograph and co-editor of nine monographs; in 2003, he received (with other editors) the Lublin Academic Award of 2002 (Premium Scientiarium Lublinense, known also as the “Lublin Nobel”) for Lexicon of Fundamental Theology (in Polish); in September 2013, he was a speaker at the International Congress of Catechists in the Vatican, and in October 2020, he received the FENIKS 2020 Award in Ecclesial Sciences (granted by the Association of Catholic Publishers); Vice-President of the Association of Fundamental Theologians in Poland.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3884-763X



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