Ephemeral Facts in a Random Universe: Pope Benedict XVI's Defense of Reason in 'Caritas in Veritate'
Abstract
Stollenwerk, Daniel J In this essay on the social encyclical Caritas in Veritate, the author looks at Pope Benedict XVI's defense of reason in an age that has lost its faith in reason. Benedict insists we are faced with a choice between being closed within immanence - which leads to an irrational rejection of meaning and value - or open to reason that leads to the transcendent. Pope Benedict, the author concludes, is a contemporary apologist, claiming that Christianity is not only the most reasonable of worldviews, but also necessary for the very survival of humanity