Who and How "Faith seeking undestanding"?

[Semisi Kava]

Ko ha kaveinga matu'aki malie he mala'e 'oe fie'ilo 'Otua. Kuo lahi ta'u hono 'oange 'ae langilangi ko 'eni 'oe fakakaukau ni “Faith seeking understanding” kihe masi’i ko ‘Anisalema (Anselm) ka ‘oku ou ki’i tokanga atu pe ki he’etau fanau lautohi fakasapate he neu fanongo atu koe sulu ko Abeard.  Ko hono toho ko ia ‘oe fo’i fakakaukau ni meia Abeard ‘oku hangehange ne ki’i “fefonotaki” pe “aleaalea fakafufu” (intrigue) because Anselm never used the word “theology” in any of his writings and was born a generation before the word began to be used in Europe. Koe sulu ia ko Abelard that introduced the word to the Latin west and gave it a professional and technical meaning: reasoning about faith that proceeds in accordance with the principles of methodological doubt. Koe founga ni na’a ne uesia a Aquinas, and was harmonized with negative theology in his thought. Such styles of theological method challenge the common acceptance of the Barthian slogan, ‘faith seeking understanding’, in today’s theology.[1]

 

Na’e hanga ‘e hotau kaimelie fakalotukalafi ko ‘eni ko Karl Barth ‘one feinga ke fakapapau’i ‘ae tefito’i fakamamafa moe tukunga talanoa ‘oe “Theology” as one faith seeking understanding ‘i he’ene anga’i ‘ae tohi ‘a  Anselm[2]  This definition has since met with such approval that it is now difficult to find many professional theologians that would disagree with it pea ‘oku ‘ikai ko e poini ia ‘oku ou fie fakamamafa ai mahalo pe some other time. This is intriguing because in the long period between Anselm and Barth the phrase faith seeking understanding is curiously uncommon. Even more tantalizing is the fact that Anselm himself would not have described theology as faith seeking understanding; actually, it would have been impossible for him to do so because he was born a generation before the word “theology” began to be used in Europe. Anselm never used the word “theology”. Whatever faith seeking understanding was for Anselm, it could only be described as theology anachronistically and, I think, rather inaccurately. Perhaps the widespread use of this methodological slogan in both protestant and catholic circles today may best be interpreted as evidence of the extent to which contemporary theology continues to be influenced by the remarkable rhetorical power of Barth’s work

 

Theology was not faith seeking understanding, rigidly following dogmatic a priori axioms. It was doubt, enquiry and truth - a liberal programme that rejected religious authorities in favour of an openness to the infinite mystery of God. Sio ange ki he fo’i Vulgate mistranslation ‘ia ‘Aisea 7:9 ”kapau ‘e ‘ikai te mou tui ‘e kimoutolu, tala atu ‘e ‘ikai te mou tu’u kimoutolu”‘ (Unless you believe you will not understand’) This means that theology, properly described, sees that faith does not precede understanding; rather, understanding precedes faith.[3] Na’e fuofua fokotu’u mai he sulu ko ‘eni ko Abelard ‘ae lea “theology” ‘i he senituli 12 precisely ko hono ‘uhinga ko ‘ene vakai ki he fakangatangata ko ia ‘oe fakakaukau ‘oe faith seeking understanding. ‘I hono fakama’opo’opo he sulu ni ‘ene fakakaukau na’a ne provides us with a near millennium old alternative theological vision to the dominant model of today. What he saw was that an openness of mind and serious, responsible questioning is necessary, intellectually and spiritually, when the mind engages with Christian teaching. Mite!!Take the wonder out of theology, and you risk being left with mere church dogmatics! ‘Ouaaa!

Ko hano vaka’i mo muimui’i ofi e fakakaukau ni ki hano fakamatalai’i ‘ae theology pet “Tala ‘Otua” pe ko ia ‘oku liliu ‘e Dr. Moulton koe “Lotu kalafi” koe faith seeking understanding is open to some radical questions pea ‘oku ou fokotu’u atu e ngaahi fehu’i ni na’a ala tokoni pe ki he’etau tepile talanga.  Does the "agnosticism" over authorities implied in disputation reflect that Christian "agnosticism" beloved by negative theologians? Can a case be made that the sense of uncertainty introduced by the discovery of tensions and contradictions in the tradition reinforce negative theology in the period?

Abdul

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[1] Bernard of Clairvaux, letter 190, vol. 8, p. 24, lines 24-5, in Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. Leclercq, C.H. Talbot, H. Rochais (1957-77).  

[2] Vakai kia K. Barth, Fides Quaerens Intellectum (London, SCM Press, 1960). 

[3] Vakai kia Augustine, The Trinity, 14.3

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[Sisilia Thomas]

Malie tama á e taalanga mo e fakatau manava!  Íkai ke u laveí ko ho hingoa ko Abdul, anga pe au ki ho hingoa Semisi Kava! Naé úhinga éku lave kia Anslem ko hono óhake á e "Faith seeking Understanding".  Ka ko e fakatonulea ia á e kau teolosia toko lahi ki he Tala-Ótua (theology), kau ai mo au.  Pea óku íkai ko ha taimi eni mo ha feituú ke u óatu fakaikiiki ai á e foundation/s éku Tala-Ótua.  Ka kuo u ósi lau pe é au é ngaahi tohi á e kau mataotaoo, pea toki faifai ai pe éku kií munomuna ia ááku í he tuliki óku ou fokoutua atu ai.  Kaikehe kuo maalie fau á e mahua mai á e fuúfuúni koloa ko ena meiate koe, masií.  Ó kai ai pe á e manu vaivai í he fangota á e lulutai (malie!) Kataki ó fakatokangaí ange óku faikehekehe á e "Faith seeking Understanding" mei he 'Faith seeks Understanding'.  "seeking" (like "uniting") is present continuous tense, thus implying on the seeking is continuing.

 

Fakafetaí kuo kií hooloa e úhaa, he ne mau ósi teuteu pe ki he lova ki he lelue! Ófa atu, Sisilia.

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From: Semisi Kava <semis...@yahoo.com.au>
To: tasil...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 1 April, 2009 1:20:16 PM
Subject: [tasilisili] Who and How "Faith seeking undestanding"?

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