Edges Magazine Issue 25: A Philosophical Thought

EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 25

April 2001

A PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT

Ann Slater is part of the T.H.O.M.A.S. team.

The battle between science and religion which has been waged since the 17th Century and given impetus through the industrial revolution of the 19th Century seems to be on-going during the present one. This conflict is seen as being largely responsible for the alienation of man from God, or at least from public worship of his God (if falling church attendances are seen as indicative of this)

Darwin's Theory of Evolution (origin of species) together with the sciences of anthropology, geology and sociology have all contributed to this alienation; also the various and rigorous translations of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew have shown up some ambiguities.

For some the subconscious, which holds the soul in communion with God is the fount of poetry, music and the arts. They believe that the intellect which is superceding the subconscious is diminishing the value of these gifts and so literature and the arts are robbed of so much of their inspiration.

The idea of the alienation between man and God runs through much of the poems and novels of the 18th and 19th centuries. The prime example is the story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The monster which he created was a product of Victor Frankenstein's mind and also of science. The sight of it so filled him with loathing that he ran away and deserted it. The monster is left with feelings of loneliness, debasement and rejection. As a result of this alienation from his creator the monster sets out on a terrible journey towards destruction, both of himself and his creator.

The Bible is increasingly seen as an allegory of man's journey through life, and not as recorded history. There are areas of the Bible which cannot be taken too literally but the danger of dismissing it as symbolism raises very important questions - Is Jesus too to be regarded as a symbol only, or is He real? Is the story of Exodus real? If it is simply decided to be an allegory doesn't it then lead to individual interpretations of the scriptures?

In 1993 excavations in Galilee found a stele from the 9th Century BC which commemorated the victory of the king of Damascus over the House of David, which also proved the existence of David. Other discoveries during the past forty years, whilst not proving the entire contents of the Bible do give credence to some of the stories. In the 1960's the first real evidence of the existence of Pontius Pilate was discovered on a memorial stone excavated in Syria. Who knows what else lies hidden there?

Cardinal Newman whose bi-centenary was celebrated on the 21st February believed in the primacy of conscience and was firm in his belief that the Church is more important than the state. He was opposed to the idea that the Church was a kind of state or a club of like-mined individuals with common interests. He also believed in the education of the laity to enable it to have a greater involvement in the life of the Church. This was opposed by many of the bishops and his answer was, "What I aim at may be real and good, but it may be God's will it should be done a hundred years later." Writing to the Rector of the Propaganda College in Rome he put forward his ideas for integrating scientific and religious study. Later at a sermon in Dublin he said, "I want the intellectual layman to be devout, and the devout ecclesiastic to be intellectual."

The poet T.S. Eliot writing in the 1930's asks - "Has the Church failed mankind, or has mankind failed the Church?" He also poses the question, "You, have built well, have you forgotten the cornerstone?" The cornerstone he refers to being God. We may have right relations with man, but what of the relations of men to God?

In the light of recent announcements that the number of young men coming forward for ordination is falling dramatically, Newman's words have a greater significance. The laity will be called upon to take a more active role in the Church. Perhaps the Church needs to turn and look back towards the Stable and to Calvary. To remember that the son of God was born into a humble family of Nazareth, and that we are part of that family.

Sometimes, after Sunday Mass in the school, I reflect that maybe in a way its like the times when Jesus would have met together with his friends and broke bread with them. There is a feeling of community and family at these Masses, which wasn't always present in the Church. This may have something to do with the arson attack on our church, which in a way seems to have joined the community together. Maybe that's one answer to the feeling of alienation from the presence of God in their lives. The need to belong to the family of God. The feeling of belonging which is vital for our well-being.