Truth and Freedom in
the Catholic University
By Dr. Brennan Pursell
No one should be surprised that Pope Benedict XVI, during his meeting with Catholic educators, did not utter the words “Ex corde Ecclesiae” and “mandatum.” The Holy Father, himself a former professor, came as a leader, a guide and a shepherd, not as a controlling, bureaucratic administrator. His speech at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., was vintage Ratzinger: clear and concise, yet dense and thought provoking.
The text stands firmly in line with scripture, tradition, the works of his predecessor and his own corpus. He complimented his audience members where praise was due, but laid out in no uncertain terms what the challenges are and the main ideas behind them. The Holy Father’s view of the situation is as realistic as it is inspiring. I expect he hopes that faculties and administrators across the country will use his speech as the departure point for numerous, substantive discussions about their universities’ identity and mission.
In brief, he exhorted the assembled presidents of American Catholic colleges and universities to make sure that their institutions are today akin to what universities were when they first appeared in the High Middle Ages: communities of scholars and students in search of truth, through reasoned dialogue and analysis of evidence. Everything else about them—student life, sports, administration, et al—is merely supportive or peripheral.
From a faculty perspective, the most problematic word in the definition above is also the most vital, but truth should make no one nervous. It is a sign of the times that faculty usually fall silent and sometimes begin to squirm at the mention of truth, goodness and beauty, especially with regard to mission statements and “learning outcomes.” “You can’t assess those things” is the common retort, or even one hears the relativist mantra, “Everyone has their own truth.” But while people certainly have their own minds, it cannot be that there are five or six billion truths, most of which would be in total opposition to the others. No, we are all united in the common experience of humanity; the truth of simple reality is what undergirds our existence.
No one “has” the truth. It is an infinite mystery, not a mere possession. It is certainly the case that truth in its totality can never be reduced to assessable “learning outcomes,” which are a bureaucratic necessity in our day and age. We must make do with them until they go by the wayside, but in the scholarly enterprise, we must always aspire to something greater. The inherent limits of assessment metrics are no reason to abandon the search for truth in our university communities! Truth is a path, a way of life, and as Catholic educators we must strive to lead our students toward it.
The other main concern some faculty members will inevitably raise against clear statements of commitment to truth in the university setting is, unfortunately, the inviolability of academic freedom. But this is a contemporary and common misconception of the notion of liberty. It is a truism that liberty without limits is merely license. Every single one of us learns from our families that no freedom is totally unrestricted, except for silent thought.
Academic freedom, which is the best environment for the search for truth through dialogue, should allow for anyone, in speech or in writing, to voice any question whatsoever. The ability to question is a quintessentially human trait, and it should be granted total freedom. Questioners show themselves open to correction and willing to persevere in dialogue. To make a statement, however, is another matter.
In the United States, it is not permissible in public settings to deny the Holocaust, deride another person on the basis of race or gender, make sexual innuendos that induce a “hostile” work environment or disturb the peace. Some of the richest and most “liberal” universities in the country have offices and staff members devoted to protecting certain groups from hearing statements, and even questions, that they find objectionable. At Catholic institutions of higher learning, aspects of the Catholic faith should receive similar protection. Statements, declarations, exhibitions and performances that denigrate the Church and all things holy are simply unacceptable. They stifle dialogue. Measures to guard against them are reasonable and not intolerant. Faith needs protection from slander, but not from questions.
Faith stimulates reason and elevates it. Faith allows us to see the unitive nature of truth, goodness and beauty, and the mysterious person who embodies them. Faith provokes good questions. It demands “why,” beyond the “how much,” “what,” “where,” “when” and “how.” All such questions are part of the great and timeless search for truth.
At the start of his pontificate, John Paul II told the faithful, “Be not afraid!” After the great Pope’s death, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger began his homily at the funeral Mass with the words, “Follow me.” May all faculty, students, staff and administrators at Catholic institutions of higher learning hear and heed Pope Benedict XVI. There is no reason why we should not. He is as qualified and brilliant as any number of us put together. And there is nothing to fear.