Freedom, Law and the Good

Humanity has always yearned to be free. The concept of being able to determine our own destiny, to control matters of life, and to decide our own fate has at times been the source of great celebration, but has also been the source of great suffering, especially when the result of human decisions do not bear out the expected outcomes.

True freedom is only found when we recognize and accept the responsibilties that are consequently imposed. In it's purest form, freedom can never be sought for the sake of oneself.

In Chapter 3 of his book Values in a Time of Upheaval, Benedict XVI explains that one cannot desire freedom for oneself alone; freedom is indivisible and must always be seen as a task to be achieved on behalf of mankind as a whole. This means that one cannot have freedom without paying the price of sacrifices and renunciation. Freedom demands that we undertake to understand morality as a public and communal obligation. Morality in itself has no power, but we must recognize that only the moral dimension possesses the true power to promote man. Freedom demands that governments and all those who bear responsibility bow down before a reality that is defenseless and incapable of exercising any coercion: morality.

In the gospels, Jesus understood his mission (and that of his disciples) as that of establishing freedom for the oppressed (Luke 4:18) and performed miracles as the proof that in God, he has the power to free us from sin (Luke 13:12, 16) in order to establish unity between all people, thus fulfilling the original dream of God for all creation.

We live in a multi-cultural society, but in order for various cultures and societies to exist in harmony with one another, they must at the very least share ethical-moral convictions. This indeed is the challenge which must be faced by anyone who proposes to establish common ground between warring factions or opposing forces.

Even majority decisions (as in a democratic society) become truly human and rational only when they presuppose a basic human element that they respect as the real common good that is the presupposition of all other good things.

What then is the task of Christian churches in our multi-cultural society? The Holy Father explains: It accords with the nature of the Church that it is separated from the state and that its faith may not be imposed by the state but is based on convictions that are freely arrived at. Indeed it is an essential aspect of the Church that it is neither the state not a part of the state but a fellowship based on conviction. (The Church) is also essentially aware of its responsibility for the totality ... On the basis of its own freedom, it must address the freedom of all human beings so that the moral forces of history may remain forces in the present. This will permit people, in continually changing circumstances, to grasp the evidential character of those values without which a shared freedom is impossible.

Thus the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with various states throughout the world. In fact the episcopal see of Rome has been a sovereign entity since midieval times and maintains formal diplomatic relations with more than 175 countries around the world. Through the Pontifical Representations which exist in these countries, the Vatican is actively involved in addressing the inherent freedom of all God's people.

To change or to preserve

In the first chapter of his book Values in a Time of Upheaval, Benedict XVI begins by explaining that the ancient Romans believed that the most important role for politicians to play was to preserve the Empire, and keep it from decay. By contrast, the early Christians chose to refer to Christ our Redeemer, not as conservator mundi (conserver of the world) but rather as Messiah or Savior.

As such, the importance of the faith of Israel, is not merely to concerve something that exists and to keep it from decay, but rather to look to a tomorrow which has not yet arrived. Jesus himself encouraged the disciples to nurture this vision of anticipating the kingdom, and Christians of all ages maintain this focus even today.

The early Christian community was clear in its understanding that Christ did not call for us to live lives of anarchy or revolution, but rather to submit to existing (politicial) authority since there is no authority which does not come from God (Romans 13:1-6). Christians must therefore submit to legitimate authority for the sake of the Lord (1 Peter 2:13-17). These principles, first established in the very early years of the Church, still exist in modern times. The Holy Father explains:

The Christian is obligated to the legal order of the state, since this is an ethical ordering. To suffer 'as a Christian' is a different matter: where the state imposes penalties on the Christian simply for being a Christian, it rules no longer as a preserver of the law but as its destroyer. And then it is no disgrace to be punished, but rather an honor. One who suffers in this manner is following Christ precisely in his suffering. The crucified Christ indicates the boundaries to the power of the state and shows where its rights terminate and resistance in the form of suffering becomes a necessity. The faith of the New Testament acknowledges not the revolutionary but the martyr who recognizes both the authority of the state and also its limits. His resistance consists in doing everything that serves to promote law and an ordered life in society, even when this means obeying authorities who are indifferent or hostile to his faith; but he will not obey when he is commanded to do what is evil, that is, to oppose the will of God. His is not the resistance of active force, but the resistance of the one who is willing to suffer for the will of God.

The Holy Father has spoken before about the importance of faith and reason being accorded equal weight as moral compases for decision making. Indeed, at times, the Church's insistance on the connection of faith and reason as guiding principles for all dicision making has been the source of much contention. However, it is of extreme importance that we take the time to examine faith in the light of reason, and to seek the guidance of faith when confronted with major decisions which all have repercussions for the life of humanity. This is the basis upon which any value system must rest if it is to withstand the test of time.

Searching for answers

Young familes struggle today with many responsibilities. Life seems to constantly be getting more and more busy, and we sometimes long for an oasis where we can stop, refocus our energies and then move on with new enthusiasm.

In the realm of faith, many Roman Catholics today seek answers to deep-seated questions - about faith, about morals, about life in general. Where do we look for answers?

One place to start is with the writings of our current Holy Father. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI is a widely published individual. His works are simple, to the point and should prove to be illuminating as the starting point for growing in faith. Let's start then with one of his more recent works.

In 2004, he published a small volume entitled Werte in Zeiten des Umbruchs: Die Herausforderungen der Zukunft bestehen (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004). English-language editions of this work were published by Crossroad Publishing Company and Ignatius Press (2006) and are known under the title Values in a Time of Upheaval.

Crossroad edition
ISBN 10: 0-8245-2373-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-8245-2373-2

Ignatius Press edition
ISBN 13: 98-1-58617-140-7
ISBN 10: 1-5861-140-2

In this book, the Holy Father offers a coherent vision of the Christian faith and its place in a world of competing values and ideas. As a theologian, university professor, archbishop, cardinal, and now pope, Benedict XVI has contemplated the major issues of modern life and he has sought to understand how faith and human reason can work together to address those issues.

Topics covered include:

• Politics and morality
• peace
• the meaning of history
• truth in a pluralistic world
• the moral basis of democratic states
• relativism
• human dignity
• the Christian basis for hope
• bioethics
• freedom
• human rights and responsibilities
• marriage and family
• tradition and progress

Interested in discussing this book? Tune in to future posts on this blog. Feel free to post comments about this or any other topic as well.