Dictatorship of Relativism, The: Pope Benedict XVI's Response by Jankunas Gediminas T

Author:Jankunas, Gediminas T. [Jankunas, Gediminas T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: ST PAULS / Alba House
Published: 2011-02-04T05:00:00+00:00

4. The Dictatorship of Relativism

As previously stated, the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice homily publicized the dangers of relativism to a worldwide audience. David Bloor observes: “Cardinal Ratzinger may have provided the best publicized denunciation of relativism in recent times, but his is only one of many, lesser condemnations.”682 It is worthwhile to have a closer look at what was said in the homily regarding this topic. Ratzinger began by reaffirming Christ’s saving role in this world, presenting him not just as the announcer of God’s mercy to all, but as being that mercy himself in his own person. Therefore, “encountering Christ means encountering the mercy of God.”683 Once again, we are reminded that faith is not about encountering or choosing certain ideas, but involves the encounter with the real person of Jesus Christ, the living God, in whom all that matters for people to know and to believe is embodied.

Cardinal Ratzinger was in no way naïve when he mentioned evil in his homily. He spoke of God’s divine mercy as putting a limit on evil ruling this world: “Christ’s mercy is not a cheap grace; it does not presume a trivialization of evil.”684 Addressing the always-burning issue of theodicy, the existence of evil is a way to keep people humble and open to God’s care and love. However, because Jesus died on the Cross and rose to life, evil does not have the final word and therefore our journey through this valley of tears is filled with hope.685 Certainly, the idea of this world being a place of tears disquiets modern thinkers, but on further self-reflective introspection, one comes to the realization that this is not one’s true home. Man is just a homo viator in this world and not its permanent citizen.

Cardinal Ratzinger continued his homily by quoting St. Paul and what it means to be an infant in faith. It means to be “tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery (Eph 4:14).”686 This passage is relevant today, for it points out how relativism first originates in human trickery, and thus becomes a product of one’s own making, which reflects infantilism found in one’s faith.687 The following passage by Ratzinger gives a brief and accurate summary of what relativism is, where it comes from, and what it actually does in the contemporary world:

How many winds of doctrine have we known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking? The small boat of the thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves – flung from one extreme to another: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth. Every day new sects are created and what St. Paul says about human trickery comes true, with cunning that tries to draw those into error (cf. Eph 4:14). Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism.

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