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Document Details : Title: Gott begegnen in der Welt Subtitle: Schöpfung als Ort der Gotteserkenntnis nach dem I. und II. Vatikanum Author(s): WEBER, Hubert Philipp Journal: ET-Studies Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Date: 2010 Pages: 283-296 DOI: 10.2143/ETS.1.2.2126622 Abstract : The 'new atheism' movement argues that belief in creation has been made obsolete by the results of science. Science and its theories are seen to be in opposition to belief in God, the creator of heaven and earth. One of the many causes for this idea is attenuated concepts and theological misunderstandings about creation. The First and Second Vatican Councils did not provide direct concepts/outlines about creation, but both use theological concepts in their arguments. The First Vatican Council asked whether and how a 'natural' knowledge of God is possible from looking at created things and enquired about their origin and goal. This conception presupposes belief in God the creator, described in the first chapter of the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius. Atheism is not an object of discourse in this Council’s texts. The Constitution’s arguments for the opposite position come from inside Catholic theology and they use concepts marked out as 'semi-rationalistic'. So Dei Filius does not provide any help in discussions with atheism but shows first of all that knowledge of God has a rational structure. The Second Vatican Council quotes the text of Dei Filius in Dei Verbum, talking about revelation and the knowledge of God with one small but important change: the passage on 'natural' knowledge is introduced after questions about supernatural revelation. In the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, atheism is described as a phenomenon with various forms and different origins and is 'deserving of closer consideration' (Gaudium et Spes 18,1). A serious dialogue with atheism that assumes knowledge of the natural sciences demands a well founded theology of creation. Dealing with 'the autonomy of earthly affairs', the Council acknowledges the laws and value of science and postulates that it will never truly conflict with faith, for every reality has its origin in the one God (Gaudium et Spes 36,2). This idea is based on a theology of creation. The following analysis of selected texts shows a continuity from the First to the Second Vatican Council. Neither Council presents an elaborated theology of creation but presumes a confession of faith in God, the creator of heaven and earth. |
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