Truth – doctrine – pastoral care

Abstract

Nowadays, we are dealing with the dispute not only about what the truth is, but also if the truth, in absolute terms, even exists. Hence, we are said to live on the times of post-truth. Such doubts have also penetrated the Church. They are fed, inter alia, by the memories of those philosophic-religious traditions that wanted to close the truth in the only one framework of concepts.

Meanwhile, we must defend the existence of truth and also admit the truth is symphonic, what means that there are different dimensions of truth and different ways we have of coming to the truth. In the theology the truth is expressed, alter alia, in dogma. On one side, the Church emphasises that dogma, if we understand them in a proper context, offer us changeless truth. On the other side, it points that dogma are fruit of some kind of faith development and the enunciation of dogma term is the culmination of its development, but at the same time it is the opening of the wide field of interpretation and further discussions. A person who is the best in confronting these strains is cardinal J.H. Newman. He shows Roman Catholic Church is not identical as the first centuries Church; however, it does not mean the interrupting the continuity of faith. It is rather about the fulfillment of the Jesus’s promise: ‘But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth’ (John 16:13). The doctrine, clearly given to believe, is not an obstacle for developing a living priesthood, as somebody seems to think. Obviously, the examples of rigid, doctrinal and closed for the signs of time predictions can be provided. Although, it does not mean that the doctrine should be left on the sidelines of priesthood. Pope Francis on one side, is afraid of dogmatism, but, on the other one, emphasises that you cannot oppose the doctrine and priesthood. In the Church history there is no lack of people who were prominent theologians because they were great priests and vice versa.