Introduction

Human society comprises people of many beliefs and religious families but also an increasing number of non believers. Gaudium et Spes (19) lists some fourteen different types of unbelief which fall into four "families" (Gallagher 1983:26-27). First, are the intellectual forms, usually dependent on scientific positivism, then the humanist approaches which suggests that positing a deity is an infringement on human freedom, thirdly we have approaches which respond to a distorted or false image of the God of revelation, and finally a more passive group of those who fail to discern the necessity for religious beliefs in the modern world and so lapse for lack of interest.

The dignity of human life

The starting point for the Church’s ongoing relationship with non faith is found in the basic belief in the dignity of all people and in the search for the truth about what it means to be a human being. Our common humanity unites us since all of us are created in the image of God who sent his son for the salvation of all nations. This view is very different from notions of human dignity found in humanist and materialist social systems. Cardinal Cardijn, the founder of the Young Christian Workers used to say "Each young worker is worth more than all the Gold in the world" something which encouraged workers and challenged the prevailing social values in the world’s largest gold producer, South Africa. Unfortunately, Christians have not always been faithful to their teaching. In an intervention to the Second Vatican council, Cardinal Seper of Yugoslavia laid some of the blame for the emergence of atheism on the Church itself, especially when Christians support and foster, in the name of Christ, social and political regimes which are destructive of human dignity (Gallagher 1983: 26).

In the institutions and organisations of the human family, the Church cooperates with all who promote a culture of human life in all its dimensions. However modern culture has reduced the notion of life to the scientific and the measurable: to genes and memes, and so is unable to assert the deeper aspects of what it means to be human. Pope John Paul (Address § 2) in responding to this problem has called for a

renewed thinking which returns to its original meaning, with all of its force, the anthropological significance of natural law, and of the related concept of natural right. In fact, we are discussing whether and how it is possible to "recognize" the distinguishing characteristics of the human being, which form the basis of his right to life, in its various historical formulations. Only on this basis, can there be a true dialogue and authentic collaboration between believers and non believers.

The search for truth

Indeed the human quest for truth provides a point of intersection between the Church and the non believer. In Fides et Ratio (17) Pope John Paul affirms that "intelligence enables everyone, believer and non-believer, to reach ‘the deep waters’ of knowledge (cf. Prov 20:5)". Here then is an important site of encounter with non belief where the Church has to develop an understanding of the Faith which truly addresses the concerns of the people of this generation (GS1). For this reason the Pope goes on to encourage Christians "to illumine the range of human activity by the exercise of a reason which grows more penetrating and assured because of the support it receives from faith" (FR 106). In presenting a coherent vision which brings a depth of understanding to the question of human life predicated on the truths of faith, the Church challenges the views of those who predicate truth on a position which admits of no God, a view which in scripture is referred to as foolishness (Ps 14:1; Prov 1:7).

Evangelisation

Finally the Church’s response to non-faith must also be one of evangelisation. Such evangelisation has to be perceived as good news by the recipient and for that reason the principal form of it is likely to be in the witness of Christians in their daily lives and commitments. Witness is the principal means of bringing good news to those who have not yet heard it (EN 21). It is usually only later that it can be followed by a more explicit proclamation of the motivation for this way of life (EN22).

References

Address Address of Pope John Paul II to the Participants at the VIII General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Wednesday, 27th February 2002.

EN Evangelii nuntiandi. Apostolic exhortation of his holiness Pope Paul VI to the episcopate, to the clergy and to all the faithful of the entire world on evangelisation in the modern world. Rome, 8 December 1975.

FR Fides et ratio. Encyclical letter of the supreme pontiff John Paul II to the bishops of the Catholic church on the relationship between faith and reason. Rome, 14 September, 1998.

Gallagher M P 1983. Help my unbelief. Dublin: Veritas

GS. Gaudium et Spes: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Vatican II.

Stuart C Bate OMI

Professor of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry

St Augustine College of South Africa

Johannesburg

28 November 2002