“To understand our faith -- to theologize in the Catholic tradition -- we need philosophy. We must use the philosophical language of God, person, creation, relationship, identity, natural law, virtues, conscience, moral norms if we are to think about religion and defend it. Theology has some terms and methods of its own, but its fundamental tools are borrowed from philosophy. The growth of religious fundamentalism and the collapse of religious education mean theology is more urgently needed in universities -- especially Catholic ones -- than ever before.” PhilosophyGodReligionCatholicUniversityTheologyCatholicismFundamentalismDenominationsCatholic Tradition Book:God and Caesar: Selected Essays on Religion, Politics, and Society Source: God and Caesar: Selected Essays on Religion, Politics, and Society
“As well as being essential to theological study, philosophy is an indispensable tool for communicating theology, for evangelization and catechesis. A faith based on how warm and comfortable you feel and how "affirmed" you are by your community is pleasant, but there is no guarantee that it is true. Fides et ratio make clear that philosophy's central tasks are to justify our grasp of reality, of truth, and to make cogent suggestions as to life's true meaning. Being able to say something compelling on these topics -- reality, truth, and life's meaning -- is critical in winning young and old alike to the faith. A theology that incorporates philosophy's work in these areas will be faithful to the teaching of the Church and able to stand up to the most rigorous secular arguments and the ideologies of the age.” PhilosophyTruthFaithTheologyCatholicismEvangelizationCatechesis Book:God and Caesar: Selected Essays on Religion, Politics, and Society Source: God and Caesar: Selected Essays on Religion, Politics, and Society