Resourcement Must Include The Renaissance

Last updated on: April 26, 2017 at 4:02 pm by Henry Karlson

Resourcement Must Include The Renaissance 2017-04-26T16:02:13-05:00 Henry Karlson

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 early renaissance contains many figures who, important in the history of ideas, have received scant attention save by specialists. Sadly, this means many of their insights have been lost, their wisdom ignored. While they were working upon a way to view the world in a more catholic, united fashion, the spirit of the Reformation is all about dividing and making conflicts in places where no such conflict is necessary. Difference of opinion and experience do not have to create division, nor do they have to be indicative of indifference. Pluralism can be, and should be, founded upon the truth — a truth which, however, transcends human reason and therefore is capable of being embraced and understood in apparently contradictory practices and beliefs. The more we grasp for truth, the more we find out we do not know, the more we appreciate we do not understand, and the more we see why the arrogance of those who think they know the fullness of truth is as sad as it is laughable.

Let us look at three major figures who I believe best represents the greatness of the renaissance, and whose ideas, if explored further, I think would be of great benefit to humanity.

First, there is Nicholas of Cusa. On the one hand, he was a capable canon lawyer and theologian. In ecclesiastical debates, he defended the rights of the papacy, pointing out that what many in his day thought were abuses were not, in themselves, justification for schism. Indeed, he pointed out that the mutability of practices might not end up with practices one likes, but they become the practices which are needed at the time and place they are established. However, as a philosopher, he was quite universalistic. He believed that religions should work together, come together for the sake of peace; indeed, he was willing to accept world religions were, at different times, inspired by God, meaning he promoted more than mere natural theology as a way to bring religions into dialogue with each other. Through history and human frailty, the insights were corrupted, and falsehood did indeed cause much harm, but he believed the insights contained within the religious traditions could still be used to help bring them together into accord (and that in this accord, they pointed to the truths contained in the Catholic faith). But he also believed that diversity was necessary, even in religious unity, so that the differences between the religious traditions could be taken into consideration and used to establish different rites, each not only meeting the needs of the people, but also allowing them to develop, according to their own talents, rites which could inspire each other in their mutual worship of God. Finally, Nicholas believed that education could only go so far, that real wisdom transcended what one could learn from study. It is not that he denied the value of education; it had its place (he called it learned ignorance), but he thought it important to remind people that even an “idiot” could produce worthy insights if they were allowed to ponder the truths which they innately possessed.

If Nicholas of Cusa helped awaken the renaissance to the true catholic nature of religious wisdom, Marsilio Ficino was chosen to bring this insight further by being the one who would translate the complete works of Plato, and many of the Platonists, into Latin. He would be able to show, through a real world example, what Nicholas pointed to in theory: God’s wisdom helped inspire the sages of humanity and if one looked through the records of these sages, one could learn religious truths helpful for humanity in any era of world history. Ficino helped establish the notion of a universal, perennial philosophy (he did not call it such) which could be, and should be, embraced; its insights were divine and so could be followed by people of the Christian faith. Moreover, he helped reshape Europe through the inspiration he found through such research. He established the need for reform, not only on the nature of philosophical and theological truth, but in the realm of aesthetics. Artists had been mistreated and ignored; he promoted them, explaining why they should be seen as more than mere carpenters. In music, he helped inspire a revolution (some suggest his work might have helped form the foundation for modern opera). His notion of Platonic love helped develop new anthropological insights, the fruit of which can arguably be modern personalism. Finally, his exploration of ancient religious thought led him to write upon the immortality of the soul, and his writings led the Catholic Church to explicitly declare the immortality of the soul at the Fifth Lateran Council.

Finally, one can mention Agostino Steuco. Here we have a Vatican Librarian who took on the Protestant Reformation based upon the wisdom of the renaissance. What he saw lacking in the Reformation was a respect for religion (an insight which proved to hold some truth, as we would later find Protestant theologians declare Christianity not to be a religion). The Reformation was too negative, too contrary to the human spirit. For Steuco, the end result of the revolt could only be a universal hostility to the universal truth found in the religions of the world (he considered his defense of Catholicism as a defense of religion itself). Steuco presents to us one of the things which divides Catholicism from Protestantism, that is, the way one approaches humanity. For most Protestant traditions, everything human is deplorable and to be rejected outright. For the Catholic, what we need to do is find what we can embrace in what others say and lift it up, to help show how it fits in the fullness of truth. One sees something to overturn and silence, the other sees something which needs to be lifted up through grace. This divide continues, even in modern times. Barth’s conflict with the analogia entis (even if he were to become more nuanced about it later) presents to us the Protestant rejection of the world. This rejection, wherever it is found remains a problem; sadly, it is a sensibility which many Protestant converts to Catholicism hold on to, and this explains why they continue to look at the church with a Puritanism which divides the Church, causing grave conflict and harm to the People of God.

If one wants to reexamine Christian theology through the exploration of historical documents, one cannot ignore the renaissance. Certainly the Church Fathers deserve prominence; scholastics brought a theological rigor which continues with us today. But for so many, this is the end, and the renaissance is ignored. There is a vast richness of thought which has been ignored, a richness which is needed, not only because of the aesthetic richness found in this era, but also because of its promotion of humanity, a promotion which is necessary in a world influenced by Protestant hostility to the world. When we go back before the reformation, we can see what incarnational thought can really bring — a rich tradition which can promote humanity and the world instead of reject it. It is a tradition so needed today so that Christianity does not have to be viewed as being, as so many think, a faith founded upon a rejection of the world.

Comparative Theology

Henry Karlson

Philosophy

Previous Post

August 16, 2010

Question of the week: will demagoguery triumph in 2010?

Next Post

August 18, 2010 The Insane Prophet

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2019 A Consistent Ethic of Life Aaron Weldon Abortion absurdity Abuse Scandal Academics Adoption Advent Africa agreement/disagreement with Church teaching Alexander Schmemann Alexham Alterity America Amnesty International Anarchism angels Anglicanism Animals Annual Statistics Anthony Anxietas Apocalyptic Apophatic Appalachia Aquinas Art Atheism Atonement Augustine Authority Baptism Beauty Bible biblical criticism biblical scholarship Bioethics Bishops Black Catholics Black Theology Blackadder Blogs Books Breastfeeding Brett Salkeld Buddhism Bush administration Byzantine Catholic Calvinism Canada Canon Law Capital Punishment Capitalism Caryll Houselander Catholic Blog Awards Catholic Blogging Catholic League Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Worker Movement Catholicity CFL Charity Children Chris West Christ and Culture Christian Democracy Christian Unity Christmas Christology Church Church Doctrine Church History Climate Change Cohabitation Colbert Collegiality Communion Communism Comparative Theology Competition Conferences conscience conscience rights Consequentialism Consistent Life Ethics Consumerism Contraception Contrition Conversion Converts Coptic COVID-19 Creation Critical Thinking Cross Cuba Culture Culture of Death Culture of Life Darfur David Cruz-Uribe David Wheeler-Reed Death Death Penalty Democracy Demons Desert Fathers Devil Dialogue dignity Disability Disarmament discernment Discipleship discrimination Dissent Distributism Division Doctrine Domestic Church Dorothy Day Double Effect Doubt Down syndrome Driving Early Church Easter Eastern Churches Ecclesiology Economics Economy Ecumenism Education El Salvador Election Election 2020 Ellul Embryonic Stem Cell Research Empire Energy Enlighenment Environmentalism Ephraim Radner Episcopal Church epistemology Equality Eschatology Ethics Eucharist Europe Euthanasia Evangelization Evil Evolution Excommunication F.X. Durrwell Facism Facts Fair Trade Faith Family Fashion Feddie Feminism Feminist theology Fertility Fetal Rights Fiction Film Finances First Things flags Folk Religion Food Foreign Affairs Forgiveness Frank Sheed Free Speech Freedom gay & lesbian persons Genocide George W. Bush George Weigel Gerald L. Campbell Girard/Mimetic Theory Global Warming Globalization Gnosticism Good Friday Grace Gratitude Greed Grey Cup 2009 Guadalupe Guest Post Guest Posts Gun Control Gustave Martelet Habitat for Humanity Hans Urs von Balthasar Harry Potter Hate Speech Health Health Care Healthcare Heather King Hebrew Bible Henri de Lubac Henry Karlson Herbert McCabe Heresy HHS Mandate Controversy History Holidays Holiness Holy Spirit Homiletics Homily Homosexuality Hope Hospitality How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Go? Human Person Human Rights Humanae Vitae Humility Humor Hunger Hunting Identity Idolatry Ignacio Ellacuría Imagination Immigration In Memoriam Income Inequality Inculturation Indigenous People Individualism Inklings Intellect Interdependence Internet Interpretation Interviews Introduction Iraq War Islam Israel Jain James Alison James Martin Jazz Jesus Christ Jews Joe Biden Joe Hargrave Johann Baptist Metz John Allen John Henry Newman John Paul II John the Baptist John XXIII Jonathan Josef Pieper Joseph (the husband of Mary) Joseph Bernardin Joseph Ratzinger Josh Brumfield Journals Joy Judgment Just War Justice Kari Lundgren Karl Rahner Katerina Ivanovna Kenya Keynes Kingdom of God Kyle R. Cupp Labor Language Latin America Law Leanne Ogasawara Legion of Christ Leisure Lent Liberalism Liberation Theology Libertarianism Libya Lies Life life & dignity & responsibility of the human person Literature Little Way Liturgical music Liturgical Year Liturgy Living Simply Living Wage Local Church Lombard Lord of the Rings Louis Dupre Love M.Z. Magic Magisterium Mark DeFrancisis Mark Gordon Marriage Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Martyrdom Marxism Mary Masculinity Matt Talbot Matthew Fish Matthew Levering McCain Media Memorial Day Mennonites Mental Illness mercy Michael Iafrate Middle East militarism Miroslav Volf Mitt Romney Modesty Moral Theology Morality Mormonism Morning's Minion Mother Teresa Music Muslims Natalie Nate Wildermuth Nationalism Native Americans Nature Nazis Neuhaus New Evangelization New York City News NFP nihilism Nonviolence Not Abortion Nova's Ordo Nuclear weapons Nuns Obama Occult Old Age Opus Dei Ordination ordination of women original sin Orthodoxy Oscar Romero Other Voices Pacifism Palestine Palin Papacy Papal Peace Messages Papal Social Encyclicals Particular Affections Partisanship Patriotism Paul Paul Ryan Paul VI Peace Pentimento persecution Personalism Phantastes Philosophy PKD Planned Parenthood Pluralism Poetry Policraticus Politcal Apathy Politics Poll Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope Leo XIV Population Postcolonialsim Poverty Power Prayer Preaching Predictions Predictions for 2012 President Barack Obama priestly formation & discernment Pro-Life Progress Prophetic Witness Proportionalism Public Diplomacy Public Policy Question Quotes Rachel Maddow Racism Radical Catholic Mom Radical Catholicism Raymund Schwager Real Catholic TV Real Presence Reconciliation Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange Religion religious freedom Responsibility Ressourcement Resurrection Rick Garnett Ridiculous Crap You Never Thought You'd See Robert Barron Roe v. Wade Roman Curia Rome Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation History Sam Harris Sam Rocha Same-sex Marriage Saskatchewan Roughriders Satire School of the Americas Science Scripture Seamless Garment Second Vatican Council Seeing Sex sexual violence Sexuality Sia Sin social justice Social Security Socialism Society of Jesus Sofia Loves Wisdom Solidarity Sophia soteriology Soutenus Spirituality Sports St. Dismas St. Joseph Stanley Hauerwas Statistics Stimulus Suffering Sunday Reflections Supernatural Supreme Court Symbolism Syria Taxing Technology Terrorism The State The Tea Party The Trump Administration Theological Anthropology Theology Theotokos Thomas Merton Throwaway Culture Tim Muldoon Tim Riley Tim Tebow Time Titian Tolkien Torture Toys Trade Traditionalism Transgender Transportation Transubstantiation Trinity Truth TV U.S. Affairs Uncategorized Unions unity among people who disagree US Catholicism USCCB Usury Utilitarianism Utopia Valentine's Day Vatican Vatican II Veterans Vicarious Suffering Video Violence Virgin Mary Vocations Voluntary Associations Voluntary Poverty Voting Vox Nova vox nova blog war War and Peace War Strategy Wealth Weirdness Welfare state Women Women Priests Work Woundedness Youth

Select a Month June 2026 May 2025 February 2025 January 2025 July 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 July 2023 March 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 November 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 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 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 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 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

The queen of Ethiopia in the time of the early church was …

Select your answer to see how you score.

Esther Bernice Candace Hatshepsut