Sensus Fidei

Paper delivered at the American  Academy of Religion, Atlanta 21
th-24th November 2015, at the seminar 'What is  point of Synods?'
organized by the Ecclesiological Investigations Group.

The theology and the practice of synodality in the Catholic Church are reviewed in the light of Pope Francis’ encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, of his recent declaration that “The path of synodality is that which God expects of the Church of the third millennium” and of his highly symbolical gestures in connection to the two sessions of the recent synod on family. Pope Francis is slowly overcoming a one-sided approach to collegiality through a practice of synodality which re-establishes the link between conciliarity and local churches and tries to root ecclesial discernment in the prophetic character of the whole people of God.

The article reflects on the theologian’s identity today through the prism of him/ her “being grounded in the Church”. The author analyses the faith of the theologian (sensus fidei) in the context of belonging to the faith of the Church (sensus fidelium), while limiting his analysis to some emphases and challenges that theology is facing. The starting point of the article is the objective pole of the sense of faith and an analysis of sensus fidelium as a theological place (locus theologicus) of the theologian’s activity. In his analysis, the author utilises the most recent documents of the International Theological Commission that engaged with this topic: La teologia oggi: prosspetive, principi e criteri, published in 2012, and Il sensus fidei nella vita della Chiesa, published in 2014. By going about this task, the author’s goal is not to provide an overview and an analysis of these documents, but to situate them in a wider context of critical exploration of the identity of the theologian. Hence, the author presents criteria for understanding sensus fidelium in the work of the theologian. The second part of the article discusses the subjective pole of sensus fidei, but limits the discussion to the epistemological aspect of this issue. This aspect is related to the theologian’s responsibility to study foundations of theological knowledge – the Divine revelation. In this sense, the role of sensus fidelium in the theologian’s work is manifested in the transition from scientia to sapientia of faith through the theologian’s “unrest of thought”. The third part of the article reflects on the issue of distinct charisma that the theologian bears in his/her ecclesiastical office, but, again,limits the reflection to the theologian’s responsibility for dialogue with the people of God and the Magisterium of the Church, as well as with other scientific disciplines. As a conclusion, the author presents eight functions of sensus fidei that demonstrate its importance for the ecclesiastical dimension of the theologian’s faith.

Keywords: theology, theologian, sense of the faith, sensus fidei, sense of the faithful, sensus fidelium, ecclesiality of theology as a science, theologian’s faith, discernment.

Pope Francis believes that the Church of the third millennium must be Synodal, an ‘inverted pyramid.’ This prophetic and courageous step in Church reform by Pope Francis is in close continuity with the ancient and rich synodal tradition of the Early Church and the unfinished agenda of the Second Vatican Council. In a hierarchical Church the Pope and Bishops are privileged listeners to the Holy Spirit and are mandated to teach the people of God, whereas in the sSynodal church the magisterium listens to the Holy Spirit speaking to them through the people of God (LG 12) as well and, thus, includes a two-way process of common listening to the Spirit and communal discernment (sensus fidei) by the entire people of God who journey together to evangelize and bring about the Kingdom of God.  It is a revolutionary move towards de-centralisation of the Catholic church which opens up fresh questions about the role of pope and papal primacy, the juridical status of the local and regional bishops’ conferences and the participation of the laity, especially women, in doctrinal formulation and ecclesiastical administration. In this article, I seek to outline and explain Pope Francis’ vision of a synodal church on the basis his own teachings.

Keywords: Catholic Church; Church Governance; Collegiality; Communion; Ecclesiology; Hierarchy; Listening Church; Papal Primacy; Pope Francis, Sensus Fidei; Synodal Church; Synodality

Le questioni del metodo presentano oggi una nuova sfida per la ricerca teologica ed esigono un attento discernimento in mezzo alla varietà di approcci esistenti. Infatti i nuovi indirizzi di ricerca teologica, ad esempio quelli della teologia della liberazione, femminista o teologia delle religioni, hanno riacceso il dibattito sul metodo. Il corso intende ripercorrere la questione del metodo nella teologia, affrontandola dal punto di vista storico e sistematico, nonché cogliendo le nuove prospettive alla luce del rinnovamento del Concilio Vaticano II ed esaminando le domande e i rischi presenti nella discussione odierna. Nel percorso sistematico si affronteranno, tra l'altro, le fondamentali questioni delle fonti di teologia e del rapporto tra la fede e la ragione, tra il Magistero e la teologia e il sensus fidei, nonché il concetto stesso del dogma e delle qualifiche dogmatiche, etc. Lingua di insegnamento Italiano Learning Outcomes (LO) -Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire 1. Studiare in modo sistematico la questione del metodo teologico, come base di ogni corretto procedimento speculativo teologico. 2. Discutere le questioni contemporanee legate al metodo teologico, nonché le sfide poste da vari nuovi approcci metodologici applicati nel percorso teologico. 3. Sviluppare la capacità di compiere ricerca teologica mediante la redazione di un lavoro scritto o l'esposizione delle questioni teologiche oralmente.

Sabemos que, por sucesión apostólica y porque detenta el carisma seguro de la verdad, el Magisterio es el primer sujeto que suele pensarse en el progreso de la Tradición, pero no hemos de olvidar que también existen otros dos sujetos de la inteligencia de la fe que son de suma importancia: la comunidad de creyentes (“sensus fidei”) y el teólogo. Este último, por su «carácter crítico» –función refleja de la fe–, es referencia elemental en el proceso de transmisión de la Palabra, porque es quien verifica los gestos, las experiencias, los argumentos y convicciones de lo que se cree, abriendo puertas a formas de expresión siempre nuevas.

La intención del presente documento no es el de absolutizar una función sobre otra, sino ponerlas en una relación fecunda que asegure la transmisión «íntegra y viva» de la Revelación, haciendo efectivo el conocido «acontecimiento lingüístico eclesial», donde el “sensus fidei”, la teología y el Magisterio, caminan en estrecha relación, en íntima reciprocidad, según la función profética de Cristo, de la cual habla enfáticamente el Vaticano II, propiamente en los textos de Lumen Gentium 12 y Dei Verbum 8.

De l’interprétation chrétienne multiséculaire selon laquelle les juifs n’ayant pas reconnu le Christ de Dieu venu dans la chair en la personne de Jésus, Dieu s’est constitué un « nouveau peuple »  assimilé plus ou moins explicitement à l’Église, découle la conviction chrétienne incoercible que, pour être agréables à Dieu, voire pour être sauvés, les juifs doivent être incorporés à cette Église par la foi au Christ. De longs siècles d’un enseignement patristique et ecclésial coulé en formules invariables dans une tradition liturgique immuable, dont est nourrie la foi des fidèles, ont conféré à ce «narratif» théologique le statut d’un credo quasi dogmatique.
Toutefois, l'auteur croit devoir obéir au dictamen de sa conscience, qui le pousse à affirmer sa foi dans le rétablissement, déjà réalisé, du peuple juif.

Synodality is so much more than the current pope's pet project or a passing fad. 'It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the church of the third millennium.' 1 The challenge of synodality-to walk together as the whole people of God-is consonant with fundamental convictions that find expression in the New Testament. Scripture, therefore, offers a rich resource for helping us to imagine the life and mission of the church in a synodal key. And that which we can imagine, with the Spirit's help, we can become. In this article I look at an image from St Paul and a story from the Acts of the Apostles, asking what light they shed on our own synodal journey.

How then do we cut through the present tension
and polarization we find influencing the Church and the world? How do we deal genuinely and humbly with the factors leading to our current cultural and ecclesial decay through the eyes of faith? These contemporary challenges show the need to develop a theology of ordinary prophecy in the life of the Church as it relates to her life, the lay apostolate, the priesthood, and the teachings of the Magisterium.

Sažetak:
U članku se razrađuje teza da dijalog čini, premda ne jedinu, ali bitnu dimenziju krš‑ ćanske vjere i način njezina ostvarenja. Dijalog obuhvaća sve njezine subjekte i nji‑ hove međuodnose: Boga – čovjeka – Crkvu – svijet. Autorica tezu razvija na pozadi‑ ni poimanja dijaloga kao namjerno uspostavljene komunikacije među ravnopravnim sugovornicima, u kojoj biva međusobno uvažavana različitost drugoga i koja smje‑ ra uspostavljanju jedne zajedničke stvarnosti ili konsenzusa. U drugom dijelu rada pokazuje se da dijalog ima svoje temelje u samome Bogu, koji se na dijaloški način objavljuje čovjeku u svrhu njegova spasenja. O toj raznolikoj božansko ‑ljudskoj ko‑ munikaciji, koja u oba smjera doseže svoj eshatološki i egzemplarni vrhunac u Isusu Kristu, pripovijeda povijest spasenja te ona postaje uzor za svaki drugi dijalog koji se iz vjere ima voditi s ljudima kroz povijest. U trećem dijelu produbljuje se eklezijalna dimenzija božansko ‑ljudskog dijaloga, jer je Crkva u povijesnospasenjskoj dinamici poslana nastavljati dijalog s Bogom i u Božje ime dijalog s ljudima ad intra i ad extra. U zadnjem dijelu problematizira se odnos Crkve kao nastaviteljice dijaloga vjere prema (samo)kritičnosti i pluralnosti kao suvremenim vrijednostima, ali često i zaprekama za ostvarenje dijaloga. To su izazovi kojima Crkva ne može izmaknuti i koji njoj samoj mogu poslužiti kao kriteriji obnavljanja i rasta da bi mogla ostati autentična svjedoki‑ nja Božjega dijaloga s ljudima u vremenu.

Abstract
The article deals with the thesis that dialogue is an essential, although not the only, dimension of Christian faith and a way of its realization. Dialogue incorporates all its subjects and their interrelations: God –human being – Church – world. The author develops the thesis against the background of the understanding of dialogue as an intentionally established communication among equal interlocutors in which differences are mutually respected and that aims at establishing one common reality or consensus. The second part of the article demonstrates that dialogue has its foundation in God himself, who has revealed himself to the human being dialogically so that the human being could be saved. Within this manifold divine‑human communication, which reaches, in both directions, its eschatological and exemplar pinnacle in Jesus Christ, the whole history of salvation narrates and it becomes the paradigmatic example of every other dialogue that is led out of faith with people throughout history. The third part deepens the ecclesiological dimension of the Divine‑human dialogue because in the historical‑soteriological dynamics the Church has been sent to continue the dialogue with God and in God´s name with people ad intra and ad extra. In the last part, the relationship of the Church as the one that continues the dialogue of faith towards (self)‑critique and plurality as contemporary values (but also often barriers for the realisation of dialogue) is being discussed. These are the challenges that the Church cannot avoid and that ought to be perceived as criteria of its own renewal and growth, so that the Church might remain authentic withness of God´s dialogue with human beings in time.

Estratto del saggio "Chi annuncia la misericordia di Dio? Alcune premesse teologiche per lo sviluppo di una più ampia partecipazione omiletica dei battezzati laici", pubblicato in E. Bianchi, C.U. Cortoni, F. Mandreoli, R. Saccenti, Anche i laici possono predicare?, Magnano 2017

Recientemente, se ha venido debatiendo acerca de la calidad del magisterio de nuestro Papa Francisco. Hay quien se pregunta si, de hecho, subvierte la doctrina. Proponen analizar la teología del Papa. Hay quien ha propuesto un análisis de su magisterio, o juzga acerca de su catolicidad.
A cada uno de aquellos a quienes parece que las olas hacen naufragar la barquilla de Pedro –como en tantas otras épocas–, habría que decirle: ¡Hombre de poca fe! ¿Por qué dudas? (Mt 14, 31b): El Pastor eterno de la Iglesia ha prometido, a su Vicario –sea quien sea–, su asistencia constante (cf. Lc 22, 32), de modo que, por el carisma de infalibilidad, nunca propondrá a los fieles, de manera vinculante, como materia de fe o de moral, algo que no estuviese de acuerdo con su auténtica evangélica enseñanza.

Book blurb: "Deeply challenging the theological status quo, this important work searches for a new theological and ministerial paradigm in our time of massive social, economic, and geopolitical change. Guided by liberation theology and even more by his remarkable experience with south African indigenous groups and popular religion, Cochrane believes that theology's future role will be to listen to the "local wisdom" of religious people at society's margins, to widen the circle to encompass its public relevance, and to leverage the insights at the margin to displace the center."