Romano Guardini: A Brief Introduction to the Theology of Pope Francis

Last updated on: February 19, 2019 at 12:31 am by Mark Shea

Romano Guardini: A Brief Introduction to the Theology of Pope Francis 2019-02-12T13:52:25-07:00 Mark Shea

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The next installment in the little series that Where Peter Is is running:

While well-educated and academically trained, it can be said that Pope Francis does not belong to any one “school.” He is not strictly an “Augustinian” or a “Thomist,” though he cites Aquinas quite liberally. However, one person to whom we can likely grant a place of honor is Romano Guardini, to whom Francis devoted his doctoral studies. Guardini, of course, was one of the great thinkers of the early 20th century whose work heavily influenced the theology underlying the Second Vatican Council and many other prominent Catholic theologians.

Italian-born, Guardini grew up in Germany where he had a special role in the formation of young Pope Benedict XVI. Coincidentally, therefore, Guardini’s influence can be felt in both Pope Benedict’s and Pope Francis’ writing. Many of the contributions Francis has made to the Church are substantively in continuity with this school of thought that can be traced from Benedict and Communio through Paul VI and Vatican II to Guardini.

Three main themes from Guardini’s writings that can be found in the thought of Pope Francis are the importance of individual relationships (“I-thou”); theonomy; and the locus of faith being the Church.

(I apologize in advance for the lengthy and frequent quotations. My goal here was to show development and overlap, not write a book. I hope the selected passages help to illustrate for the reader some commonalities between Pope Francis and Guardini. In various places, I’ve added commentary to explain or show how Francis’s teachings are supported by the underlying theology.)

Like Guardini, Francis understands the human person in terms of “I-Thou.” As he writes in Laudato Si’, if we get relationships right, then, and only then, can we get the world right (cf. LS, 119). Ultimately, this means never “weaken[ing]… the transcendent dimension of our openness to the “Thou” of God.” But it also means recognizing the inherent dignity in each person, “each of whom is a ‘thou’ capable of knowing, loving, and entering into dialogue.”

Much more here.

Reactionary enemies of Francis have no use for dialogue, which they regard as a sissy word and a capitulation of Holy Mighty Church to enemies. Catechesis is, for them, the Church telling people what to believe and people saying “Yes” or “No” (questioning in any way = “No”). It is essentially monological. It goes without saying that this does not apply to the enemies of the Pope or the Council, who may not only question, but freely accuse the Holy Father of heresy and the Council of being a worse-than-useless thing to be despised and overturned. But this does not mean dialogue is on the table for such Reactionaries. Rather, it simply means that when the Church departs from them, they retain the right to monologue at their victims and reject the Church.

Catholic tradition, meanwhile, is dialogical to the core. It starts with Jesus, after all, who engaged in endless–and deeply Jewish–arguments with practically everybody he meets. He argues with disciples, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herod Antipas, and Pilate. His method of teaching typically involves asking questions and expecting his students to do the math, not giving them answers. And when they get the answers wrong at his trial, he gives them their freedom to the point of letting them murder him. Rather the way Francis kept silent while his enemies tried a coup against him last August. What strikes me again and again is how little trust the Greatest Catholics of All Time have in God. They act constantly out of the believe that if they do not use force and law and punishment and fear to get their way, the Church will collapse and Jesus will fail. “Dialogue” gives power to people who are not You and Reactionaries greatly fear that. The faith that the Church is a body of different members with a variety of gifts through whom the Spirit works is deeply problematic for Reactionaries and enemies of Francis.

Uncategorized

Doings on Other Blogs

Pope Francis

Reactionary Dissent

Previous Post

February 18, 2019

Where Peter Is does a nice job...

Next Post

February 20, 2019 Argentina: A Brief Introduction to the Theology of Pope Francis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 September 2006 June 2006 July 2005 April 2005 May 2002 April 2002 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz