What is more valuable? Faith or reason?
By Orlando Fedeli - Small exposition on rationalism and irrationalism
Letter from Donato on October 29, 2002
Donato, 24, Graduation in progress, on São João da Boa Vista - SP,
Please, I would like to know if, nowadays, it is possible to talk about a relationship between faith and reason? Of the two concepts, which is the most prominent in human history? Is something being done to strike a balance between this binomial?
Thank you in advance for your attention!
Regards,
Donato (Seminarian)
Response from Orlando Fedeli
Dear Donato, salve Maria!
Your question must be answered, first of all, by removing the temporal limitation you placed: the relationship between faith and reason, with the supremacy of Faith over reason — is obvious !!! — remains always the same.
Faith consists in accepting the truths that God, Absolute Truth has revealed to us, and that the Church confirms. As God is infinitely truthful and wise, He cannot deceive, nor be deceived. Therefore, everything that is of Faith is absolutely certain.
On the other hand, reason has been given to us by God Our Lord to research and know natural truths. Science seeks to understand the laws that God placed in nature. Since God is the author of these laws, and since God is the revealer of the truths of Faith — being impossible to ever be a contradiction in God — the truths of Faith will never be in contradiction with scientific or rational truths.
If there is any contradiction (in between faith and science), it can only be because of the error of human science, never ever on the part of God or the Church, who are infallible. And that's what history has shown. Whenever Science has tried to deny Faith, it has been proven wrong. Take, for example, the question of spontaneous generation. There were fossil forgeries to prove man's ape-like origin. See the current confusion of the evolutionist doctrine, which got into, and is now stuck, in a swamp of contradictions.Â
There are two opposing errors as to the value of the reason:
Rationalism
Irrationalism
Rationalism claims that human reason is capable of understanding everything. This is absurd.
Every man understands that his intelligence is limited. If every man has limited intelligence, it is impossible for humanity to have unlimited intelligence.
Even an unsuspecting author like Karl Popper confessed that:Â
"Rationalism is an irrational faith in reason."
This irrational "Faith" in reason is manifested in marxism, positivism, cartesianism, and in Liberation Theology which is, as the ex-Friar Boff confessed, marxism in Theology.
Irrationalism is born out of the failures of rationalism and scientism. It is an exaggeration in the opposite direction, irrationalism denies any value to reason.
In modern times, Luther called reasoning (intellect) "the crazy harlot." This denial of the light of reason, which God has placed in every man who comes into the world, leads to anti-rational movements and philosophies. A typical example of modern irrationalism was Nazism. Other examples of irrationalism can be found in the supposedly mystical and Pentecostal sects, which place emotion, feeling above reason. Today, we have a clear example of this irrationalism, in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the CCR, which does not accept arguments. Pentecostals (even Catholics) place sentimental personal "experience", above Faith, Truth and Reason. Hence the irrationalism of charismatic manifestations.
In short, reason does have value, but it must always be subordinated to faith.
Faith is a light superior to reason. It allows us to "see" what reason cannot reach, but sometimes, in certain problems, it can glimpse.
Hoping to have helped you, I subscribe,
in Corde Jesu, semper,
Orlando Fedeli