Methodology of Fundamental Theology. Demonstratio Christiana

Summary

The article addresses the issue of demonstratio christiana in fundamental theology in three parts. First, traditional grounds for revelation fulfilled in Jesus Christ are demonstrated (1), followed by the contemporary presentation of the Christological treatise (2). Finally, a possibility of presentation of Christological and ecclesiological facts in harmonized categories is suggested (3).

The aim of the study is to show the essential elements of theological anthropology contained in the scientific work of Fr prof. Marian Rusecki. The problem is presented and resolved in five points. The following issues were presented in turn: man created by God (1); the Christ dimension of the human person (2); Homo Paschalis (3); the anthropogenic dimension of Christianity (4) and showing the meaning of life as a task for fundamental theology (5). Rusecki’s constitutive belief, which is the core of the above anthropological themes, is that understanding the mystery of man is possible only through divine Revelation. The definitive truth about man has its source and explanation in the Logos, Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Therefore, the professor’s anthropology can be described as theological, Christocentric and ecclesiological. Particularly interesting are the elements of paschal anthropology, in which the issue of homo Paschalis was highlighted. Rusecki’s postulate that fundamental theology even more clearly undertakes to study the issue of the meaning of life, which is crucial for man, is also reasonable.

University and the Church need each other. Following the example of Christ incarnated, Christianity “incarnates” the spiritual. The Church and theology need university and cooperation with other sciences to be able to “incarnate” Christ’s issue into our world. Th e university, on the other hand, needs the Church and theology because otherwise it would be deprived of cultural and spiritual foundation: there is no alternative to a discussion about Christ (God and a human). Theology is sometimes defined as scientia fidei; it is determined by the mind and faith. It’s a discussion about God, but due to the Christ event it is also a discussion about mankind. Th erefore it has the form of a dialogue, a discussion. The dialogue is always held in a specific context (nowadays postmodern), in which theology not only has to ask but also answer the question about the meaning. In this sense it is wisdom. Theology as a discussion has to approach the most urgent human problems. These include agnosticism towards which Benedict XVI suggests the “veluti si Deus daretur” rule, relativism in case of which theology cannot stop asking about truth, despair in case of which theology reminds about God, in whom there is no darkness.

Joseph Ratzinger binds together the triptych “theology – the university – science” by the common issue of a search for the truth and the service to the truth. Theology is being done “in the Church and with the Church”, it belongs to the Church and depends upon her. Thus, theology is ecclesial in its essence, it teaches not in its own name but on behalf of the Church.

The ethos of the university – particularly of a Catholic university – consists in the common witness to the truth and in forming the transcendent dimension of man. Thus, the service to the human person is expressed by the university in developing “a new humanism” as a response to cultural and spiritual desires of the humankind. The mission of the university is not only its service to knowledge but also to the education, which means bearing witness to the truth that has been found.

According to Benedict XVI both theology and the university with science should know how to unite the two ways of knowing – faith and reason into one common tone, with its unique enhancing of reason. In a characteristic way Ratzinger gives special attention to rationality which leads to the ultimate Truth.

This paper focuses on three issues. First, it is about the context and environment of pre-Nicene theology. It is emphasized that pre-Nicene theology did not neglect ca-techetical and liturgical reflection (ad intra) while at the same time successfully ente-red into a critical and creative dialogue with both the Semitic and Greco-Roman world where first Christians lived (ad extra). For contemporary theology its means that it cannot reject historical reasoning, placed in space and time. The second part stresses that, in spite of different situations and all historical and cultural contexts, theology before Nicea was above all an understanding of Sacred Scripture to which the key is the Risen Christ as the source and definitive fulfilment of the inspired writings. Finally, the third part of the paper focuses on the existential and spiritual experience from which pre-Nicene theology originated. For this theology the Gospel of Christ is not just the rule of faith but also the rule of life. This leads to a conclusion that a contem-porary theologian is a to take up an existential-personalistic reflection on Revelation using the historical-hermeneutic method .