Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J. F.

Buch: The Way to Nicea

Titel: The Way to Nicea

Stichwort: Einwand: Dogma, Dogmen -> unklar - Bibel -> einfach und klar; Bewusstsein - Differenzierung

Kurzinhalt: It is plain, therefore, that dogmas pertain to religion most of all because they render differentiated consciousness religious

Textausschnitt: 5b So much for the clarity or obscurity of dogmas. We may move on to consider the second contention, that dogmas have little religious significance. This contention is normally coupled with such a glorification of the Hebrew mind, in its ancient simplicity, as to suggest that it was some special gift of God to the Hebrews, sealed with the approval of the scriptures and offered to all future ages as a model to be imitated. (Fs)

5c However, the fact is that the farther back we go towards ancient times, the less differentiated we find the consciousness of all men; the esteemed simplicity of the Hebrews, then, is characteristic not of them alone, but of all the more ancient races. Further, the less differentiated one's consciousness and the fewer the patterns of experience in which one lives out one's life, the less clearly, proportionately, does one grasp the diversity of human actions and the less capable, consequently, is one of drawing distinctions between one sphere of action and another. That is why among primitives the spheres of the sacred and the profane interpenetrate, without benefit of distinction or separation,1 and so those who in secular matters are most religious, in the sphere of religion are most prone to idolatry. The Hebrews themselves were no less inclined to idolatry than were other races; the difference was that their tendency to idolatry was held in check by the inspired teaching of the prophets, proclaimed with vehemence and constantly reiterated. There is little basis, then, for the romantic notion that undifferentiated consciousness is the religious consciousness par excellence. (Fs) (notabene)

6a There is no firmer footing for the correlative assertion that dogmas have little religious significance. For it is the function of religion to orientate and direct the whole of man's living towards God, and therefore, as consciousness develops, so too must religion. The simpler one's life-style, the simpler one's religion will be; but when human living becomes highly diversified and highly specialised, then to its many various aspects there correspond many and various functions of religion. (Fs)

6b It is plain, therefore, that dogmas pertain to religion most of all because they render differentiated consciousness religious- whether we think of such consciousness as already developed intellectually, or as standing in need of intellectual development. For differentiated consciousness reflects on, and passes judgment on religious matters, as it does on everything else, and such judgments affect the whole tenor and direction of life. And so if one argues that there is nothing religious about intellect, one is not serving the cause of true religion, but rather that of secularism. (Fs)

7a But one may say, surely primitives and children can be genuinely religious, and just as surely, religious living does not consist in intellectual exercises. Quite true, but the argument simply misses the point. For religion is not some eternal and immutable Platonic form, with but a single mode of participation for children and adults, for primitives and highly-developed peoples alike. As consciousness develops so too does religion, and so it is fallacious to infer that what is appropriate for children and for primitives constitutes the very essence of religion, always and everywhere the same. Secondly, as we have already said, with the development of consciousness religion takes on many aspects and fulfils many functions; if one particular aspect and function does not constitute the whole of religion, it does not follow that that particular aspect and function is therefore to be denied. (Fs)