May 8, 2008

In 2004, before becoming pope, the then Cardinal Ratzinger wrote in Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions:

"The question of truth plays a part in the relations between religions, and that truth is a gift for everyone and alienates no one…. If in Christ a new gift, the essential gift—truth—is being granted us, then it is our duty to offer this to others, freely, of course, for truth cannot operate otherwise, nor can love exist."

This theme of the responsibility to witness to one's understanding of the truth surfaced continually in Pope Benedict XVI's talks during his visit to the U.S. April 15-20. What he chose to say and do was an object lesson in someone having the courage of his convictions and "walking his talk".

On April 17, speaking to 400 Catholic college presidents and diocesan education representatives at The Catholic University of America, Pope Benedict urged them several times during the hour-long address to live up to their responsibility of imparting truth to their students to enable them to live out their faith in the modern world.

The church, and those entrusted with a teaching role, he said, also need to speak on the role of truth, stressing that "truth and reason never contradict each other." The pope linked the current "crisis of truth" to a "crisis of faith".

Later on that same afternoon, the pope met with 200 representatives of Islam, Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism gathered at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington. Even here, Pope Benedict encouraged interreligious leaders to work not only for peace but for the discovery of truth.

Observing a growing interest among governments to sponsor programs intended to promote interreligious dialogue and intercultural dialogue, Pope Benedict opined that it is not enough. These are praiseworthy initiatives," he said. "At the same time, religious freedom, interreligious dialogue and faith-based education aim at something more than a consensus regarding ways to implement practical strategies for advancing peace. The broader purpose of dialogue is to discover the truth," he said.

Then, in a remarkable demonstration of how interreligious dialogue does not negate the commitment to witness, Benedict said to the representatives of other religions: "Confronted with these deeper questions concerning the origin and destiny of mankind, Christianity proposes Jesus of Nazareth. He, we believe, is the eternal Logos who became flesh in order to reconcile man to God and reveal the underlying reason of all things. It is he whom we bring to the forum of interreligious dialogue."

In their attempt to discover commonalities, he wondered whether religious leaders "have shied away from the responsibility to discuss our differences with calmness and clarity. While always uniting our hearts and minds in the call for peace, we must also listen attentively to the voice of truth."

In his April 18 speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, Pope Benedict held fast to his theme, saying that interreligious dialogue contributes to global peace and the defense of human rights when it brings believers together in their search for truth.

The task of religions, he said, "is to propose a vision of faith … in terms of complete respect for truth, coexistence, rights and reconciliation."

Several hours later, with about 250 representatives of U.S. ecumenical organizations and a dozen Christian churches and denominations for evening prayer at St. Joseph's Church in New York, he continued his war on relativism by emphasizing the "knowability" of objective truth.

In strong words to an audience of leaders of other churches, he expressed concern that some Christians are taking the same "relativistic approach" to doctrine that many modern people take to moral and ethical values in general.

In what may have been a reference to the Anglican Communion and its troubled relations with the U.S. Episcopal Church and some dioceses in Canada, Pope Benedict said it was unfortunate that some church communities have given up "the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of "local options".

Later on in his talk, he observed how a relativistic approach to Christian doctrine results in a situation wherein "one need but follow his or her own conscience and choose a community that best suits his or her individual tastes. The result is seen in the continual proliferation of communities which often eschew institutional structures and minimize the importance of doctrinal content for Christian living."

Prior to his arrival, he had sent a video-message to Catholics and people of the United States: "I shall come…to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition."

He made good on his word.

Thomas Ryan, CSP, directs the Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations in Washington, DC.