By Mathew Thankachen O. Praem. –
The very word ‘Dogmatic’ refers to “theoretical”” ideological” in contrast to “Pragmatic” or experiential. While the Western spirituality emphasizes Dogmatic, the Indian spirituality gives stress to Experience or “Anubhava”. The term dogmatic theology is popular, not so dogmatic spirituality.
In the modern world where men and women deserts Dogmatic teachings of the Institutional Church, it is paramount importance to stop the flow of the young generation behind Sadhus and Sanyasis (seers and god men) in search of peace of mind and God – experience.
In the life of Jesus, we find the translation of ‘Revelational, personal experience of the Abba (the communion with the Father”) as loving, forgiving, unifying, restoring etc. reflected and communicated in his mission of loving the sinners, forgiving the widow caught in adultery, restoring life and light through healing the sick and calming the sea and so on. Thus, his ‘Revelational, dogmatic, theoretical experience of God as Father was communicated with the people he came into contact, transforming Dogmatic Revelation into Dogmatic spirituality or Pragmatic spirituality. At the successful healing by the Apostles, Jesus thanks the Father,” Thank you Lord of heaven and earth for revealing it to the little children”, signifying “Revelation in action”,” contemplation in Apostolate”. Here, Faith and life is blended.
The people of his time found him “a great prophet, a teacher, son of man, son of God”. Even the thief crucified with him said, “He was truly Son of God”. When the faith revealed through a set of ideals, dogmas which makes an impact on the “spirit” to enable and ennoble it to reach out to God and man, dogmatic theology transforms into Dogmatic spirituality. Thus, a revelational insight churns the heart and moves it, rendering the arid soul fertile.
A Melting Pot of Intellect and Faith
Following Christ, his life and teaching closely, the early Christian community was the embodiment of Christ himself that the pagans could call them “saints”, “Way” and so on. Some exclaimed how nice it is for “brothers dwelling in unity”. Thus, the historical development of the growth the Church from a miniscule community into a magnificent church is the fruit of the translation of Dogmatic spirituality into pragmatic spirituality. While Dogmatic spirituality provokes intellect, Pragmatic incites the heart. As a matter of fact, two major domains of spirituality were presented exclusive of each other while they are complementary by nature, intellect and will (Volition) nourishing each other. Spiritual and moral integrity is the “meeting point” of head and heart.
In Europe, until the middle ages, the communal experience of Revelational (Dogmatic) and Pragmatic (Volitional) spirituality as lived out by Christ that culminated in his passion, death and Resurrection gave them “integrity unity in their personal, family, ecclesial and national life. The Church and society flourished during this period.
With the ‘Age of Reason’ paved way for ‘scientific tempo’ and ‘individual impetus’ in man’s life, annihilating the volitional, pragmatic spirituality. Man became an island’ saying, “am I the keeper of my brother”??? Reformation, counters Reformation, Renaissance struggled to grapple with this issue. With advent of “individualism” and “psychology” as an autonomous science from 19th c, “the divorce of head and heart, rationalism and spiritualism reached its zenith”. Man began to challenge the “faith, tradition, morality and the teaching of the Church”. They dug the “grave of God” and “death of humanity”. They sought a “new heaven and a new earth” beneath the bower of Scientific achievements which itself made another attempt to “divorce between science and Religion in the later stage’.
The Culture Churning
In a survey done in the US on Catholic vocation to priesthood, it was observed the Norbertine Abbey of St. Michael’s, California is the most flourishing one, coincidently, the most conservative. Even an Indian woman writer, the late Kamala Suraya was fascinated to the Islam, annulling her Hindu culture. It speaks something of human nature. There is a zigzag motion, spiraling up between Liberty and Rigidity, Dogmatic and Pragmatic, individualism and communalism, mono theism and polytheism, darkness and light. It also indicates man by nature is “restless”. The greater the emphasize on diversity, individualism, identity, liberty, the deeper will be the chasm and conflict within and interfaces of social order.
A Battle of Cultural Spirituality
Today, we experience it in the form of terrorism and wars on the one hand and degeneration of moral values on the other. In the OT., we see the conflict among various tribes and clans as the result of ‘poly theism ‘and greater moral, material prosperity and unity in the “monotheistic culture” of Davidic era.
Even the growth of Christendom in the Constantine period is alleged linked to the political unification, resulting from Religious unification. History vindicates that Religious Rigidity is as dangerous as Religious Liberalism. The best course for the Church would be to emphasize “Liberty” the etymology of which has originated from “Libber” (Bible) which means “the Book” that contained the “Truth”. And no wonder, Jesus said, “I am the way Truth and Life” and “the Truth will set you Free”.
Connecting the Indian Ethos
Even the Indian thought of Sathyam, (Truth), Sivam (God) Sundaram (Beauty) and the resulting experience of Sat-Chit- Anand (Experience of Bliss of Truth) has a Biblical resonance. This truth is “embedded in man in the form of conscience i.e. the image and likeness of God”. The human tendency to be “tied down to the root” is termed (Rigidity) while “wandering around in search” is called (Liberty). Hence, Rigidity is the rest/ serenity one feels while wandering in the name of Liberty to find the Truth is experienced as restlessness. Thus, Liberty contains Rigidity and vice versa. Many men don’t conceive this dynamic process of Liberty, Truth and Rigidity.
In a recent statement, Pope Francis said that even the “Atheists could attain heaven provided they do good”. The world took it as a “liberal statement”. A deeper thinking will show that no one can do good without God. Even Jesus asks, “Why do you call me good”. He further said, “Whoever is not against us is with us”. The fact that an atheist can do good, despite they don’t proclaim with their lips but by their heart and action shows they are better Catholics than those profess with lips, seldom by deeds. In one of my article on the ‘God of Atheists’, it is stated, “When the God of Religion dies, the god of Atheists is born”. The pope’s “liberal statement” is thus linked and rooted to a truth, an expression of his conscience which demands a challenge to every baptized catholic. Freedom in itself is not free if not linked to the “Rigid factor”, the Divine presence in man, expressed as “conscience or moral rigidity against moral relativism.
In the history of the church and in the presentation of the theologians these two factors (nature in man) has been presented in dichotomy. The complementarities were ignored as in the case of Science and Religion. As a result, those engaged in Liberalism ultimately find restlessness and meaninglessness, and leave the Church. Many Brazilians who join evangelical congregations say that fundamentalism has brought meaning to their lives, and that they no longer identified with the Catholic Church. There are 44 million such Pentecostals in Brazil. They too are attracted by the rigid and conservative nature of this movement.
The Dogmatic/ rational blend of spirituality taught and lived out by Pope Benedict became a “counter terror” to the Atheists and Gay Associates (LGBT). He even set up an office for “Dialogue” with the Atheists in Paris. Yet they hardened their hearts as in the time of Pharos of the Old. Now comes Pope Francis both by his name and deed, spreading “the art of the heart”, truly, the “Incarnational or pragmatic spirituality”. While Dogmatic spirituality produces “rigid factor” in human psyche, the Volitional, pragmatic spirituality “binds human hearts” through social, human solidarity, the true “caritas”, the emanation of Divine love.