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65. The Pope Francis’ dogma: “God is present in every person’s life”

September 20th, 2013

Previous Popes communicated on the printed page through encyclicals and official speeches only. One of the major changes that Pope Francis is introducing is that he is reversing the balance. He speaks more through newspapers. Last week, his reply to the editor of the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica and his interview with different Jesuit journals demonstrated this trend and the interest is evident by the broadcast media coverage generated.

The more Pope Francis speaks, the more his theology is becoming clearer. He has always said that the traditional dogmas and the Catechism are in the background of what he affirms and that nothing of substance changes in his remarks on God’s infinite mercy and the goodness within every human being. This is true only in part. Different Roman Catholic interpreters have always played with the task of putting different accents on the same sheet music and Francis is deliberately putting his preferred accent – fortissimo – on an another key dogma. In light of his Marianism and mission-minded approach already elaborated, the last two written outputs and interviews have shed further light on his basic view of the relationship between nature and grace.

“A Dogmatic Certainty”

Talking to his fellow-Jesuit journalists from across the world (Sept 19th), Pope Francis said many things and these comments are attracting lots of positive reviews. Here we will focus on this particular one:

“I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else—God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow”.

This Pope is not someone who likes to use dogmatic language, at least on the surface. Yet, here he is using the strongest language possible. He really wants to mean what he is saying. God is in everyone’s life. This unqualified statement raises questions about what the Pope thinks of the nature of sin in human life and the reality of us “falling short” of God in our sin (e.g. Romans 3:23). While teaching that those who believe in Him shall be saved, the Bible is clear in saying that we are enemies of God because we are sinners and are therefore under his judgment. The Pope, instead, wants to affirm the dogma that God is present because there is always some residual “good” in man.

 

“Obeying One’s Conscience”

One further comment by Pope Francis reinforces his dogmatic view on man’s inherent openness to God’s presence. Responding to the editor of La Repubblica (Sept 11th), he writes the following:

“You ask me if the God of Christians forgives one who doesn’t believe and doesn’t seek the faith. Premise that – and it’s the fundamental thing – the mercy of God has no limits if one turns to him with a sincere and contrite heart; the question for one who doesn’t believe in God lies in obeying one’s conscience. Sin, also for those who don’t have faith, exists when one goes against one’s conscience. To listen to and to obey it means, in fact, to decide in face of what is perceived as good or evil”.

Put simply: obeying one’s conscience is what God will take account of in granting forgiveness. Notice that the Pope here is not speaking of those who have never heard the gospel, but of those who don’t believe it knowing what they are doing. Apparently, to go against one’s conscience counts more than going against God’s revelation. Although the Bible teaches there is no excuse before God’s righteous judgment (e.g. Romans 2:1), Francis here says that that the conscience is the final judge to whom God will submit himself. The human conscience is the determinative factor for God’s forgiveness.

 

The “Grace-Within-Nature” Scheme

These two statements, i.e. God is in every person and obeying one’s conscience is what really matters, are thus part of a coherent “dogma” of human goodness and universal salvation.

What is important to observe is not so much the details of each statement, rather the general theological vision that lies at its core. Traditionally, Roman Catholicism has worked within the nature-grace scheme largely dependent on its pontifically ratified Thomistic tradition. According to this theological meta-narrative, nature, although partially flawed by sin, is elevated by grace to its supernatural end and the sacramental system of the Church is the way in which grace operates this elevation.

Moreover, in the XX century, this scheme was significantly modified and received an important endorsement at Vatican II. Whereas the old scheme implied that grace needed to be “added” to nature, the new version claims that grace is already part of nature and works within itself, not as something extrinsic but intrinsic to it. Grace is inherent to nature and through the sacramental system of the Church which unfolds itself more and more.

One advocate of a “grace-within-nature” framework was Karl Rahner (1904-1984), himself a Jesuit as well. His view of the “anonymous Christian” stated that each human being, for its being a human being, is already graced and therefore a Christian even though he is not aware of it or does not want to be such.

While not using the Rahnerian language, Pope Francis works within a similar “dogmatic” framework. God is present in everyone and one’s conscience is what will ultimately count. In spite of all its missional allure and merciful attitude, what Francis is saying is not good news for Gospel centered people.

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65. La salvación universal y el papa Francisco

12 DE OCTUBRE DE 2013

Los Papas anteriores comunicaban su pensamiento únicamente mediante las páginas impresas de sus encíclicas y sus discursos oficiales. Uno de los principales cambios que está introduciendo el Papa Francisco es revertir el equilibrio; él habla más a través de la prensa.

Hace poco, su respuesta al editor del periódico italiano  La Repubblica  y las entrevistas concedidas a diferentes publicaciones jesuitas demostraron esta tendencia y el interés generado entre los medios de difusión es evidente.

Cuanto más habla el Papa Francisco, más clara resulta su teología.Siempre ha dicho que los dogmas tradicionales y el Catecismo están en el fondo de lo que él afirma y que nada sustancial cambia en sus comentarios sobre la infinita misericordia de Dios y la bondad dentro de cada ser humano. Pero, esto es verdad solamente en parte.

Diferentes intérpretes católico romanos siempre han jugado con la tarea de poner distintos acentos en la misma partitura y Francisco está poniendo deliberadamente su acento preferido  -fortissimo-  en otro dogma fundamental. En vista de su marianismo y del enfoque de su mentalidad sobre la misión, ya elaborados, los dos últimos informes escritos y las entrevistas han arrojado más luz sobre su punto de vista básico de la relación entre la naturaleza y la gracia.

“UNA CERTEZA DOGMÁTICA”
Hablando a los periodistas, compañeros suyos jesuitas, procedentes de todo el mundo (19 Set.), el Papa Francisco dijo muchas cosas y estos comentarios están atrayendo una gran cantidad de reseñas positivas. A continuación nos centraremos en una en particular:

“Tengo una certeza dogmática: Dios está presente en la vida de cada una de las personas. Dios está en la vida de todos. Aun cuando la vida de una persona haya sido un desastre, incluso si está destrozada por vicios, drogas o algo más, Dios está en la vida de esta persona. Tú puedes, tú debes intentar buscar a Dios en cada vida humana. Aunque la vida de una persona es una tierra llena de espinas y maleza, siempre hay un espacio en el cual la buena semilla puede crecer”.

Este Papa no es alguien a quien le guste el lenguaje dogmático, al menos en la superficie. Sin embargo, aquí utiliza el lenguaje más enérgico posible. Realmente quiere significar lo que está diciendo. Dios está en la vida de cada uno.

Esta declaración sin reservas plantea preguntas sobre lo que piensa el Papa de la naturaleza del pecado en la vida humana y de la realidad de nuestro “alejamiento” de Dios en nuestro pecado (p.e. Romanos 3:23). Mientras enseña que los que creen en El serán salvos, la Biblia dice claramente que somos enemigos de Dios porque somos pecadores y, por lo tanto, estamos bajo su juicio. En su lugar, el Papa quiere afirmar el dogma de que Dios está presente porque siempre existe algo “bueno” residual en el hombre.

“OBEDECER A LA PROPIA CONCIENCIA”
Otro comentario efectuado por el Papa Francisco refuerza su punto de vista dogmático acerca de la inherente apertura del hombre a la presencia de Dios. En respuesta al editor de  La Repubblica  (11 Set.), escribe lo siguiente:

“Me pregunta si el Dios de los cristianos perdona a alguien que no cree y no busca la fe. Premisa de que, y esto es lo fundamental, la misericordia de Dios no tiene límites si uno vuelve a él con un corazón sincero y contrito; la cuestión para alguien que no cree en Dios radica en obedecer la propia conciencia. El pecado, también para los que no tienen fe, existe cuando se va contra la propia conciencia. Escucharla y obedecerla significa, en realidad, decidir frente a lo que se percibe como bueno o malo”.

Poniéndolo más sencillo: obedecer la propia conciencia es lo que Dios tendrá en cuenta en la concesión del perdón. Nótese que aquí el Papa no está hablando de los que nunca han oído el evangelio, sino de aquellos que no creen sabiendo lo que hacen. Aparentemente, ir contra la propia conciencia cuenta más que ir contra la revelación de Dios. A pesar de que la Biblia enseña que no hay excusa delante del justo juicio de Dios (p.e. Romanos 2:1), Francisco dice en esta ocasión que la conciencia es el último juez a quien Dios someterá a sí mismo. La conciencia humana es el factor determinante para el perdón de Dios.

EL ESQUEMA DE LA “GRACIA DENTRO DE LA NATURALEZA”
Estas dos declaraciones, o sea, que Dios está en cada persona y obedecer la propia conciencia es lo que realmente importa son, en consecuencia, parte de un “dogma” coherente de bondad humana y salvación universal.

Lo que es importante observar no es tanto los detalles de cada afirmación, sino más bien la visión teológica general que se encuentra en su núcleo. Tradicionalmente, el catolicismo romano ha trabajado dentro del esquema naturaleza-graciadependiente en gran medida de su tradición tomista pontificalmente ratificada. Según esta metanarrativa teológica, la naturaleza, aunque defectuosa debido al pecado, es elevada por la gracia a su fin sobrenatural y el sistema sacramental de la Iglesia es la forma en que la gracia opera esta elevación.

Además, en el siglo XX, este esquema fue modificado significativamente y recibió un importante respaldo en el Vaticano II. Mientras que el esquema antiguo implicaba que la gracia necesitaba ser “adicional” a la naturaleza, la nueva versión reclama que la gracia es ya parte de la naturaleza y trabaja dentro de sí misma, no como algo extrínseco sino intrínseco a ella. La gracia es inherente a la naturaleza y a través del sistema sacramental de la Iglesia se despliega cada vez más.

Un defensor de la estructura “la gracia dentro de la naturaleza” fue Karl Rahner (1904-1984), también jesuita. Su visión del “cristiano anónimo” afirma que a cada ser humano, por el hecho de serlo, ya se le concede la gracia y por tanto es cristiano, aun cuando no sea consciente de ello o no quiera serlo.

Si bien no utiliza el idioma rahneriano, el Papa Francisco opera dentro de un marco “dogmático” similar. Dios está presente en todas las personas y la conciencia de cada uno es lo que en definitiva contará. A pesar de todo su atractivo misionero y su actitud misericordiosa, lo que Francisco dice no son buenas nuevas para las personas centradas en el Evangelio.

Traducción: Rosa Gubianas

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64. Between Trent and Aparecida. The Trajectory of Pope Francis

August 26th, 2013

Since his election Pope Francis has been impressing the public opinion with his extrovert attitudes, simple habits and charming language. The recent World Youth Day (WYD) in Brazil confirmed each of these attributes. Most people seem to admire the new “franciscan” style of the Papacy, i.e. a blend of frugal manners, emphasis on mercy, and apparent approachability. Few, however, have taken the time to deal with Francis’ theological vision that is inspiring his papacy.

The Tridentine Background …

An initial step to embarking on such a task is reading his first encyclical Lumen Fidei (July 5th, 2013), in which Francis (with Benedict XVI, who is the main drafter of the document), among other things, updates the theology of the Council of Trent. In this highly authoritative document he reiterates the doctrine of salvation by faith through sacraments and works, thus renewing the Catholic rejection of the Protestant Sola Fide, i.e. the good news that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone. The attachment to Trent and the Counter-Reformation may seem remote if not alien to Francis (although we should never forget that he belongs to the Jesuit order), but the hard theological evidence says the contrary. In the foundational doctrine of salvation, Trent is still alive and well, perhaps in the friendlier tone of Pope Bergoglio, but it is there, untouched as ever. While the outlook of the Papacy is showing signs of change, the doctrinal core of the Church of Rome has been confirmed without significant developments.

… and The Vision of Aparecida

The WYD provided another important reference point that is at the heart of Francis’ program and therefore must be considered. From Trent, in the middle of the Italian Alps, we journey to Aparecida (Brazil), “on the other side of the world”, as Francis would put it. In 2007 the Latin American Bishops met in Aparecida for their Fifth General Conference, where the then Cardinal Bergoglio was one of the main inspirers of the final document. It is a 165 page text that aptly defines Francis in terms of his theological language, pastoral emphases, and missionary agenda. Aparecida accurately depicts the theological vision of the Pope. Because of its importance we shall look at it more carefully in a future Vatican File.

For Francis, though, Aparecida is not only a foundational document, it is first and foremost a Marian shrine which was built to keep a statue of Mary that according to tradition was found in 1717 by a group of three fishermen. Since 2011, it has become the greatest Marian pilgrimage destination in the world. During the WYD week, in his speech to the Brazilian Bishops on July 27th, Francis said that “Aparecida is the interpretative key for the Church’s mission”. There is something important to be found there; something that helps in understanding what the Church is all about in terms of its mission.

In explaining the intent of his comment, the Pope went on to say that “in Aparecida God offered Brazil his own mother” and revealed “his own DNA”. The Gospel, though, is about God giving His Son to the world, but Francis here speaks of God offering his mother. This not merely a matter of theological minutiae!

According to the Pope, the lesson of Aparedica has to do with the humility of the fishermen and their zeal to tell others about their discovery. This is the “interpretative key for the Church’s mission”: humility and mission. Notice, however, that we are talking about the recovery of a statue of Mary which has become a world-famous attraction for millions of people. The Gospel is about a group of humble fishermen being called by Jesus to follow him and to tell others about Him. Francis is here talking about people who found Mary and became missionaries for her. Again, this is no small difference!

Territorial Marianism

Aparecida is the national Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, a Marian center which is very dear to Pope Bergoglio. Prior to WYD, in his speech there on July 24th, Francis said: “What joy I feel as I come to the house of the Mother of every Brazilian, the Shrine of our Lady of Aparecida! The day after my election as Bishop of Rome, I visited the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, in order to entrust my ministry as the Successor of Peter to Our Lady. Today I have come here to ask Mary our Mother for the success of World Youth Day and to place at her feet the life of the people of Latin America”.

Here we find some common threads of Francis’ Marianism:

–          the priority of his Marian devotion

–          his first act as Pope was a Marian act

–          his belief that the Papal office should be entrusted to Mary

–          his prayer to Mary for the success of WYD

–          his dedicating to Mary the people of Latin America.

This sentence summarizes the core of Francis’ Marianism. What is even more striking, though, is his “territorial” understanding of Aparecida. When he says that Mary is the Mother of “every Brazilian”, he is applying a “territorial” understanding of his religion, as if every Brazilian, in spite of religious pluralism that marks Brazil, is nonetheless a child of Mary. This attitude reflects how it is difficult for a Roman Catholic majority culture to accept the fact that Mary may be the mother of the Roman Catholic Brazilians, but not of those who may have a high respect for the biblical Mary without turning it into someone to be venerated.

When Pope Francis speaks extensively of “mission”, “outreach”, and “encounter with Christ” – a language that seems very Evangelical – one should be aware that the background of it all lies between Trent and Aparecida. He stands between the Counter-Reformation emphasis on a synergistic Gospel and the “missional” attitude that can be found in his thoroughgoing Marianism.

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64. Entre Trento y Aparecida: la teología de Francisco

28 agosto 2013

Desde su elección el Papa Francisco ha estado impresionando a la opinión pública con sus actitudes extrovertidas, sus costumbres sencillas y su lenguaje encantador. La reciente Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (WYD por sus siglas en inglés) confirmó todas estas cualidades.

La mayoría de la gente parece admirar el nuevo estilo “franciscano” del Papado, o sea, una combinación de modales frugales, énfasis en la misericordia y una aparente accesibilidad.

Son pocos, no obstante, los que se han tomado el tiempo suficiente para ocuparse de la visión teológica de Francisco que inspira su papado.

EL FONDO TRIDENTINO …
El primer paso para embarcarse en esta tarea es la lectura de su primera encíclica Lumen Fidei (5 de Julio de 2013), en la cual Francisco (junto con Benedicto XVI, que es el principal redactor del documento), entre otras cosas, actualiza la teología del Concilio de Trento.

En este documento, sumamente autoritativo, reitera la doctrina de la salvación por la fe mediante los sacramentos y las obras, renovando así el rechazo católico a la afirmación protestante “Sola Fide”, es decir, las buenas noticias de que somos salvados por la gracia sola a través de la fe sola.

La adhesión a Trento y a la Contrarreforma puede parecerle remota, e incluso extraña a Francisco (aunque nunca deberíamos olvidar que pertenece a la orden de los jesuitas), pero la firme evidencia teológica dice lo contrario.

En la doctrina de la salvación fundamental, Trento está todavía vivo y perfecto, quizás en el tono amistoso del papa Bergoglio, pero allí está, intacto como siempre. Mientras que las perspectivas del Papado muestran signos de cambio, el núcleo doctrinal de la Iglesia de Roma se ha confirmado sin avances significativos.

… Y LA VISIÓN DE APARECIDA
La WYD proporcionó otro importante punto de referencia que está en el corazón del programa de Francisco y, por consiguiente, debe ser considerado. Desde Trento, en medio de los Alpes Italianos, viajamos a Aparecida (Brasil), “a la otra parte del mundo”, como lo expresó Francisco.

En 2007 los Obispos Latinoamericanos se encontraron en Aparecida para celebrar su Quinta Conferencia General, donde el entonces Cardenal Bergoglio fue uno de los principales inspiradores del documento final. Es un texto de 165 páginas que define acertadamente a Francisco en cuanto a su lenguaje teológico, su énfasis pastoral y su programa misionero. Aparecida muestra con exactitud la visión teológica del Papa. Debido a su importancia la examinaremos con más detenimiento en un “Desde Roma” futuro.

Para Francisco, Aparecida no es únicamente un documento fundamental; es primero y ante todo un santuario mariano que se construyó para guardar una estatua de María que, según la tradición, fue encontrada en 1717 por un grupo de tres pescadores. Desde 2011, se ha convertido en el mayor destino de peregrinación mariana del mundo.

Durante la semana WYD, en su alocución a los obispos brasileños el día 27 de Julio, Francisco dijo que “Aparecida es la clave interpretativa para la misión de la Iglesia”. Hay algo importante que puede encontrarse allí; algo que ayude a comprender lo que la Iglesia tiene que ver en cuanto a su misión.

Al explicar la intención de su comentario, el Papa llegó a decir que “en Aparecida Dios ofreció su propia madre a Brasil” y reveló “su propio ADN”. Si bien el Evangelio trata de Dios dando Su Hijo al mundo, aquí Francisco habla de Dios ofreciendo su madre. ¡Esto no es meramente un asunto de minucias teológicas!

Según el Papa, la lección de Aparecida tiene que ver con la humildad de los pescadores y su afán de comunicar a los demás su descubrimiento. Esta es la “clave interpretativa para la misión de la Iglesia”: humildad y misión.

Nótese que estamos hablando de la recuperación de una estatua de María que ha llegado a ser una atracción mundialmente famosa para millones de personas. El Evangelio se basa en un grupo de humildes pescadores que son llamados por Jesús a seguirle y hablar a los demás sobre El. Francisco aquí habla sobre unas gentes que encontraron a María y se convirtieron en misioneros por ella. De nuevo, ¡esto no es una pequeña diferencia!

MARIANISMO TERRITORIAL
En Aparecida está el Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Aparecida, un centro mariano que es muy querido por el Papa Bergoglio.

Antes del WYD, en su discurso del 24 de Julio, Francisco dijo: “¡Qué alegría que siento cuando vengo a la casa de la madre de todos los brasileños, el Santuario de nuestra Señora de Aparecida! Al día siguiente de mi elección como Obispo de Roma, visité la Basílica de Santa María la Mayor en Roma, para encomendar mi ministerio como Sucesor de Pedro a Nuestra Señora. Hoy he venido aquí para pedir a María nuestra Madre por el éxito de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud y para poner a sus pies la vida de los pueblos de Latinoamérica”.

Aquí nos encontramos con algunos puntos en común del marianismo de Francisco:

– La prioridad de su devoción mariana.
– Su primer acto como Papa fue un acto mariano.
– Su creencia de que la función papal debería encomendarse a María.
– Su plegaria a María por el éxito del WYD.
– Su dedicación a María de los pueblos de América Latina.

Esta frase resume el centro del marianismo de Francisco. Lo que es todavía más sorprendente, sin embargo, es su comprensión “territorial” de Aparecida. Cuando dice que María es la madre de “todos los brasileños”, está aplicando un alcance “territorial” de su religión, como si cada brasileño, a pesar del pluralismo religioso que marca a Brasil fuera, no obstante, un hijo de María.

Esta actitud refleja como es de difícil para una cultura mayoritariamente católico romana aceptar el hecho de que María puede ser la madre de los brasileños católico romanos, pero no de aquellos que pueden tener un gran respeto para la María bíblica pero sin convertirla en alguien digno de ser venerado.

Cuando el papa Francisco habla extensamente de “misión”, “difusión” y “encuentro con Cristo” -un lenguaje que parece muy evangélico- se debe ser consciente que el fondo de todo esto se halla entre Trento y Aparecida. El se mantiene entre el énfasis de la Contrarreforma en un Evangelio sinérgico y la actitud “misional” que puede encontrarse en su concienzudo marianismo.

 

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63. Same Word, Different World. The Roman Catholic Doctrine of Regeneration

(this article appears on Credo Magazine, July 2013, pp. 63-71 and is used here with permission: www.credomag.com)

August 2nd, 2013 

The doctrine of regeneration belongs to the core of the biblical view of salvation and is a term that is shared by all Christian traditions in their respective accounts on what it means to be saved. To be regenerated by God is the act by which God himself re-creates life in a otherwise dead person. Regeneration is, therefore, the entry point of a saved life. Surveying the Biblical evidence, Packer summarizes it in this way: Regeneration “means rebirth (palingenesia): it speaks of a creative renovation wrought by the power of God”.[1] On the surface, the theological meaning of the word is pretty clear and all Christian traditions acknowledge it. The difference between them is not so much on the word itself but the theological “worlds” in which they implant the word in order to make sense of it.

A theological word is not a self-contained unit. Though it carries its own semantic weight, it is also defined by when and where it is found, the web of references which are associated with it, who is involved in enacting it as well as the practices that precede, accompany and follow it. In other words, regeneration as a word can have one meaning which is common to all, but regeneration as a doctrine may point to different theological directions depending on the way it is construed.

In what follows we will explore how Roman Catholicism understands the doctrine of regeneration especially as articulated by the 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church.[2] This magisterial authoritative source is a thoughtful and comprehensive explanation of the Catholic faith and is the best place to come to terms with what the Roman Catholic Church believes about regeneration.

The Vocabulary of Regeneration

One way of pursuing our goal is to examine the vocabulary used by the Catechism as far as regeneration is concerned. There does not seem to be a specific and technical definition of the term, but the Catechism uses the word by associating it with other Biblical and liturgical words and expressions that contribute towards its definition. In doing so it approximately indicates the meaning of regeneration by way of connecting it to similar words.

As a life-giving event, regeneration is related to “new birth” or “re-birth” (e.g. 1213; 1270). Therefore the Catechism translates the Greek-derived word (re-generation) into the birth-related words. In another metaphorical area, regeneration is linked to the transition from darkness to light (e.g. 1250) and to the inner renewal of one’s own self and purification from sin (e.g. 1262). Moreover, regeneration is further associated with entering the kingdom of God (1263). There are Biblical references here and there to support each meaning.

What is most striking however is the relationship that the Catechism envisages between regeneration and the sacrament of baptism. More than its Biblical nuances and theological significance, it is this inherent association that ultimately defines the Roman Catholic understanding of the core of regeneration.

Sacramental Regeneration

As it is well known the Catechism is structured according to the order of the Apostles’ Creed (the profession of faith), followed by the presentation of the sacraments (the celebration of the Christian mystery), the Christian life including the ten commandments (life in Christ), and the life of prayer which is centered on the Lord’s prayer. In this overall framework, it is interesting to notice where regeneration is theologically placed and treated. It is not found in the section on the work of Christ nor in the section on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but instead comes to the fore in the second part which deals with the sacraments of the Church. Doctrinally, then, regeneration, though organically related to the work of the Triune God, is specifically attached to the sacramental ministry of the Church. From a systematic point of view, the Roman Catholic theological map places regeneration under the rubric of the liturgy of the Church rather than in the chapter on God’s salvation.

More specifically, it is the sacrament of baptism that plays a fundamental role in bringing regeneration about. It is in the context of baptism that the Catholic doctrine of regeneration is spelt out.

 

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua),and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word” (1213).

The final quote comes from the 1566 Roman Catechism (II, 2, 5) which was published as a result of the Council of Trent. Notice however that no Scriptural reference is given to support the doctrine, but rather it appears as the combination of different Biblical words which are give a sacramental bent. Such an absence of Biblical support is telling. Indeed, there is no Biblical evidence to support such a weighty doctrinal statement. In the Catechism, baptism is seen as the sacrament which accords freedom from sin and re-birth as children of God. As regeneration is the result of baptism and baptism is administered by the Church, it is syllogistically evident that regeneration does not happen as an act of God’s grace alone, to be received by faith alone, but as an act mediated by the sacrament of the Church who enacts its intended result.

Expanding its teaching on baptism as that which effects regeneration, the Catechism goes on to say that

This sacrament is also called “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit (1215).

 

This time the language comes directly from Titus 3:5, but fails to indicate that the Biblical passage puts the “washing of regeneration” in the context of God’s goodness and loving kindness, stressing that we are not saved because of “works done by us” but out of “His own mercy”. The focus of the whole passage is God alone working out His loving plan of salvation without any contribution on man’s part nor on the church’s part – any work of any kind. In the Catechism, however, it is the sacrament that “signifies and actually brings about” regeneration. It is the act of baptism that causes the new birth to occur ex opere operato (from the work done). The emphasis has shifted from the merciful God who regenerates out of His sovereign grace to the baptizing Church who performs the sacrament of regeneration. In other words, a major shift has taken place: from the graceful act of divine salvation to the participation of the Church in the saving act, and from the free gift of God to the ecclesiastical sacrament ministered by the priest.

According to the Catechism, the time of regeneration is when baptism is administered. It is the baptized person that is regenerated and therefore enters the sacramental life of the Church in whose sacraments he/she will receive the fullness of salvation.[3] It is through baptism that the person is forgiven  from all sins (1263), made a new creature, adopted as a son of God, becomes a member of Christ, a co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit (1265). It is in baptism that the person receives “sanctifying grace, the grace of justification” (1266)[4] and is incorporated into the Church (1267-1270). It is baptism that is the sacramental bond of the unity of Christians (1271), therefore warranting the Roman Catholic view that Christian unity is based on baptism (even though the majority of the baptized ones do not show any sign of regeneration).

The “Sacramental Economy” and Evangelical Confusion

This view of baptismal regeneration is part of the Roman Catholic view of the sacraments. The Catechism defines this theological framework as the “sacramental economy” of the Christian faith (1076). If one reads what the Catechism says about regeneration without grasping what the “sacramental economy” means, one will completely misread it. To put it succinctly, the “sacramental economy” is a view that binds God to act through the sacraments and therefore through the Church.[5] Everything that God does, He does through the sacraments. His grace comes to us through the sacraments. His salvation reaches us through the sacraments. His work impacts us through the sacraments. The problem is not the recognition of the Biblical importance of the sacraments, but their exclusivity in terms of what God can do. In the background of the sacraments, there is always the Church that administers them, having therefore a fundamental role in mediating God’s actions. The word regeneration means new birth received from God, but the world of the “sacramental economy” makes it a Church affair because God is believed to bind Himself to work only through the sacraments of the Church. His grace is always a mediated grace through the Church.

This point is crucial even beyond the specific topic under consideration. When Evangelicals deals with Roman Catholic theology, they tend to overlook the “sacramental dimension” of the Roman Church. They analyze common words, common concerns, and common language in an atomistic way and may come to the conclusion that the old divisions are over because the language is similar.

For example, this is the case in the book Is the Reformation Over? by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom.[6] In a useful chapter which highlights the contents of the  Catechism of the Catholic Church, the authors argue that “evangelicals can embrace at least two-thirds” of it (119), and that it stems from “common orthodoxy” based on the ancient Trinitarian and Christological creeds. Later, they admit that when the Catechism speaks of Christ, it interweaves Him to the Church to the point of making them one (147; 149), which is unacceptable for Evangelicals who consider the exaltation of a created reality an instance of idolatry.

So, on the one hand, there is an apparent “common orthodoxy” and on the other, there is a profound difference on the doctrines of Christ, the Church, salvation, etc. Therefore, here is the key question: how can Evangelicals accept “two-thirds” of the Catechism if this document speaks of the (Roman Catholic) Church whenever it speaks of Christ, the Spirit, the Trinity, and regeneration? Evangelicals find it difficult to discern the “sacramental economy” in the Roman Catholic teachings and the result is that they easily misinterpret them, limiting their analysis to surface matters, failing to grasp the whole. Yet, the sacramental economy keeps the system together and makes it coherent. If one fails to appreciate it, he misses the whole point of it.

In dealing with Roman Catholicism, especially in times of mounting ecumenical pressure, Evangelical theology should attempt to go beyond the single, detached statements and seek to get a grip on the internal framework of reference Roman Catholic theology uses. Roman Catholic theology is more than the sum of its words. It is rather a complex, yet coherent system based on the “sacramental economy” whereby God is bound to act through the sacraments of the Church.

The Dividing Line

Surveying the tenets of the Evangelical Faith, J.I. Packer and Tom Oden remind us that “Evangelicalism characteristically emphasizes the penal-substitutionary view of the cross and the radical reality of the Bible-taught, Spirit-wrought inward change, relational and directional, that makes a person a Christian (new birth, regeneration, conversion, faith, repentance, forgiveness, new creation, all in and through Jesus Christ)”.[7] Regeneration is this inward change wrought by the Spirit that brings life to those who were dead in their sins. For the Catechism, this is a defective definition in that it lacks the reference to the “sacramental economy” whereby the Church that administers the sacrament of baptism that brings about regeneration. The Roman Catholics in defining regeneration use the same words but put them in a different world, that of a “sacramental economy”, one that has precluded Sola gratia. So the difference between the Evangelical and the Roman Catholic understanding of regeneration does not lie in some exegetical detail or theological minutia. Instead, it centers on nothing less than how God works out his work of salvation.

 


[1] J.I. Packer, God’s Words. Studies in Key Biblical Themes (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Co., 1988) p. 149.

[2] Quotations will be taken by Catechism of the Catholic Church (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1994). The electronic text can be found at http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM.

[3] This whole section of the Catechism echoes or quotes the Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 11.

[4] These terms here are confusing for a Protestant reader: “sanctifying grace” is defined as “the grace of justification”, therefore significantly blurring sanctification and justification. Ecumenical advocates tell us that the 1997 unofficial document “The Gift of Salvation” and the 1999 official Roman Catholic-Lutheran “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” reached a substantial agreement on sola fide. The reality is that the Catechism (which is far more authoritative than the just mentioned texts) keeps on confusing sanctification and justification, as the Council of Trent had done in the XVI century.

[5] In a more technical way, the Catechism speaks of the “sacramental economy” as “the communication of the fruits of Christ’s Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church’s sacramental liturgy” (1076). One would need another article to begin to unpack this dense sentence.

[6] M.A. Noll and C. Nystrom, Is the Reformation Over? An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005).

[7] James I. Packer – Thomas C. Oden, One Faith. The Evangelical Consensus (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2004) p. 160.