Recently I reported the current word-on-the-ecclesiastical-street regarding B16’s forthcoming first encyclical, which will reportedly be titled Deus Charitatis Est ("God Is Love") and involve a meditation on the obvious theme of the title, which is drawn from 1 John.
When I reported this, I was a little suprised at the disappointment some expressed in the combox, and so I thought (before getting to some new rumors regarding the encyclical) I’d issue a word of encouragement.
Upon learning the title of the encyclical, I wasn’t disappointed at all, for these reasons:
- There are some interesting questions theologically about what is and isn’t meant by the affirmation that God is love, and we could (maybe) be looking at some doctrinal development depending on what B16 chooses to do.
- The titles of first encyclicals often aren’t exhaustive of what the documents discuss. For example, JP2’s first encyclical was called Redemptor Hominis ("Redeemer of Man"), but the encylical wasn’t just a meditation on Christ the Redeemer. IT CONTAINED A BLUEPRINT FOR JOHN PAUL II’S ENTIRE PONTIFICATE. That was to be expected–at least somewhat since first encyclicals to at least announce the pope’s program of governance (though it’s really amazing to read Redemptor Hominis and see in it the seeds for basically everything JP2 did in the next 26 years). We should expect the same of B16’s first encyclical. No matter what it’s called, he should be expected to tell us his program of governance.
- It seems to me that the title reflects this. In fact, I smell a "bank shot" to borrow a term from billiards. He wants to send a positive, open impression that corresponds to his own outlook (he talks about love and joy a lot in his prior interviews) but at the same time stress that the fact that God is love is NOT a license to do or believe anything that you want–that love makes real demands and involves sharing the truth with people. Thus "God is love" is likely to be the avenue of attack he has chosen against the "dictatorship of relativism" that he spoke of after the death of JP2.
So don’t expect this to be just a contentless meditation on God and love of the sort that you’re likely to hear from the pulpit on Sunday morning!
Remember: You heard it hear first.
Now, let’s turn from the speculation and get to the rumors!
Catholic News Agency is reporting:
The Italian daily “La Stampa,” announced today that the Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical, that other source already mentioned would be versed in the theme of Charity, could be released in the beginning of January, probably on January 6, day of the Solemnity of the Epiphany.
Again according to La Stampa, the Encyclical will bear the date of December 8, 2005, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, an emblematic date not only for its Marian character, but also because it coincides with the 40th anniversary of the closing of the Vatican II Council.
A source in the Vatican, commented to CNA that the date of release announced by La Stampa is only an approximation because the Holy See usually doesn’t release important document on holidays, as the Epiphany is at the Vatican or in many European countries. “It is more probable that the Encyclical will be released later in January, although the exact date is given only a few days before,” said the source.
The title of the Encyclical, again according to La Stampa, centered on the theme of Christian Charity and the Love of God will be “Deus Caritas est,” (God is Love), taken from the fourth chapter of the First Letter of Saint John [SOURCE].
I hope it is focus’s on Charity and Logos–and is still in December! Would like to see it under my Christmas tree! 🙂
I’m not at all concerned about a “fluff” encyclical… it’s not at *all* in keeping with Benedict’s character.
I have no doubt that it will be a tour de force.
Jimmy,
Had you heard that it was going to be “Deus charitatis” or “Deus charitas” (you used the genitive but Catholic News Agency the nominative…)?
pax!
I meant to write Caritas. Caritatis is a typo. I make those all the time in English, so they’ll certainly happen in Latin if I’m typing on the fly and don’t proofread myself.
Jimmy,
I’m just trying to read as much of the document now as I’m able. 😉
God bless!
Wow. Are we so jaded and stuffy that we would turn up our noses at an encyclical about God’s love?!? The greatest saints made it a vocation of contemplating the depths of infinite love. I, for one, think we need to be reminded again and again and again and again that God is love. It is in the deep knowledge of God’s love that draws us and gives us courage to give our complete self back to God in love.
I would *love* 8^> to see a document on love!!
Clueless,
I’m looking forward to anything and everything which comes from our good Pope, but I can understand why people might be unimpressed so far. This has nothing to do with the Pope or the excellent encyclical which he will certainly be blessing the Church with, but only the resounding drone of insubstantial homilies we’ve all heard far too much of, purportedly on the same theme. The good news is that Papa Benedict will be reminding our generation of preachers what this truth actually means.
Vivat Papa!
Scott
I confess! I turned my nose up (just a little) at a letter on anything other than the liturgy. My motives were purely selfish…I was hoping for a great letter on the liturgy for my class next semester. However, I have since confessed my selfishness and now embrace the notion of a letter on God’s love. I think Jimmy is right: this could be a fantastic way into an attack on relativism.
Fr. Philip Neri, OP
Maybe it’s main point will be that Love is NOT God.
A little over a week ago, I found myself busily typing out something as to what I’d say to moral relativists and secular humanists and atheists, if only they would listen. It was to explain why there is so much strife in the world.
While calculating the things necessary to develop “morality”, among MANY things, I ended up hitting on absolute truths and the fact that God is love–one of the absolute ideals, and how we operate from absolute ideals whether a person acknowledges it or not. I covered human nature (Natural Law), logic, science, absolute ideals, faith, and non-self-contradicting theology as essential elements to comprise a moral system, and why people often use this system whether they are willing to acknowledge it or not. (Even atheists have faith in things, though it is often misplaced faith). I also show where science and human logic have their limitations. The conclusion of course, is that Catholicism embraces each element in their proper doses and in an intelligent, air-tight way that outshines all other systems.
I was able to tie a LOT of issues into this idea of God’s being Love, as well as show how other moral systems are lacking when there is a failure to acknowledge such absolutes as foundations of morality.
I intend to keep working on this because I’d like to make something easy to understand, and make any corrections as necessary, make some additions, and perhaps blog it.
I cannot wait to see what Benedict does with this “God is Love” encyclical. Have no fear! I think Jimmy is correct about the way this will unfold into a cogent argument against moral relativism, and will enlighten many people. Our morality is binding to the idea of God’s being Love in all ways–sometimes the ways are more apparent than at other times, but it always is–and we can use these explanations as very powerful arguments which have a lot of support.
Teaching from the standpoint of what “God is Love” means and does not mean, centering the message around Love, is an extremely effective way for Papa Benedict to go. An honest soul cannot hate Love, or the messenger of Love.
P.S. I’ve been away from home; apologies if there are updates to this topic that I haven’t read about yet!