Pope Benedict Releases New Encyclical
The pope has released a new encyclical entitled Spe Salvi, which is a theological reflection upon hope. Here is the summary (another one here) from Catholic News Agency. I am going to read the entire document and comment as soon as I get time.
For now, the Pope’s introduction interests me:
According to the Christian faith, “redemption”—salvation—is not simply a given. Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, trustworthy hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey. Now the question immediately arises: what sort of hope could ever justify the statement that, on the basis of that hope and simply because it exists, we are redeemed? And what sort of certainty is involved here?
See, I have a problem with the first sentence. If salvation isn’t a given, and redemption is only offered to us as a trustworthy hope, then what of Paul’s firm statement in Romans 8:38-39? No, Paul was certain of salvation the same as any Christian can be sure of his own eternal security. That immovable certainty is what we are talking about, in answer to the Pope’s final question.
I agree with the Pope’s statement that the present, harrowing though it may be, is livable if we are working toward something. And the goal of being with God more than justifies the effort of our journey in this life. The only hope I can think of that would justify bearing this fallen world is certainty–a certainty found in a true contextual understanding of “hope” in the Bible, not in the “hope” of the modern world.
I hope the rest of the encyclical is stronger than the introduction.
