Signs of the times : theological reflections

220 Pages·1993·13.705 MB·English

by  Juan Luis Segundo

T HEOLOGICAL
Reflections

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Signs of the Times
1
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Signs of the Times
Theological Reflections
JUAN LUIS SEGUNDO
Edited by
T.
Alfred Hennelly, S.J.
Translated by
Robert R. Barr
□ RBIS BOOKS
Maryknoll, New York 10545
The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll) recruits and trains people for
overseas missionary service. Through Orbis Books, Maryknoll aims to foster the international
dialogue that is essential to mission. The books published, however, reflect the opinions of
their authors and are not meant to represent the official position of the society.
Copyright © 1993 by Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Segundo, Juan Luis.
Signs of the times : theological reflections / Juan Luis Segundo :
edited by Alfred T. Hennelly ; translated by Robert R. Barr,
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
Contents: Theology and the social sciences — Capitalism-socialism
— Conversion and reconciliation from the perspective of modern
liberation theology — Human rights, evangelization, and ideology —
The shift within Latin American theology — A note on irony and
sorrow — On absolute mystery — The option for the poor —
Revelation, faith, signs of the times — Ignatius of Loyola — The
legacy of Columbus and the hierarchy of Christian truths.
ISBN 0-88344-791-6 (paper)
1. Liberation theology. 2. Catholic Church —Latin America.
3. Catholic Church —Doctrines. 4. Sociology, Christian (Catholic)
5. Latin America —Church history —20th century. I. Hennelly,
Alfred T. II. Title.
BT83.57.S443 1993
2302046 — dc20 93-941
CIP
Contents
Introduction by Alfred, T. Hermelly, S.J. 1
Part I
Building the Kingdom of God
1. Theology and the Social Sciences 7
2. Capitalism-Socialism: A Theological Crux 18
Part II
Unmasking the Idols
3. Conversion and Reconciliation in the Perspective of Modern
Liberation Theology 37
4. Human Rights, Evangelization, and Ideology 53
5. The Shift within Latin American Theology 67
Part III
Focus on Christology '
6. A Note on Irony and Sorrow 83
What Has Happened to Liberation Theology in Its More than Twenty
Years?
7. On Absolute Mystery 97
Part IV
Paths for the Future
8. The Option for the Poor 119
Hermeneutic Key for Understanding the Gospel
9. Revelation, Faith, Signs of the Times 128
10. Ignatius Loyola: Trial or Project?
11. The Legacy of Columbus and the Hierarchy of Christian
Truths 176
Notes 193
Index 205
v
■
I 11 I
'
Introduction
* /
As the twenty-first century and the third millennium of the Christian era
begins to dawn on the world’s horizon, it is more and more apparent to
theologians throughout the planet that the most enduring and widespread
theological movements at least since the Second Vatican Council have
emerged as the various theologies of liberation. One of the earliest to erupt
and flourish has been the Latin American liberation theology, but other
dynamic approaches have also arisen, such as women’s, black, and Asian
liberation theologies, among others. The articles in this volume, however,
are all products of the Latin American movement, and are selected from
the work of one of its earliest and most prolific authors, Juan Luis Segundo.
For readers who are not familiar with the background of this writer, it may
be helpful here to provide a sketch of his career. It will be brief, for Segundo
has always been much more interested in communicating his theological
insights than in the details of his biography.
The author was born on March 31, 1925, in Montevideo, Uruguay. Most
of his life has been spent in Montevideo, working as a chaplajn with various
lay discussion groups on contemporary issues in theology, as well as in the
social and cultural sciences. The interaction and dialogue with these groups,
moreover, have widened out to a much broader world audience: he has
produced a stream of articles and books that have been translated into the
major languages of the world. It is quite appropriate that the Spanish title
of his first five-volume series was “An Open Theology for an Adult Laity.”
It is surprising and somewhat ironic to note that Segundo has never
taught in a university in Uruguay, although he has been assiduously wooed
by and has taught in such prestigious universities as Harvard, Chicago,
Toronto, Montreal, Birmingham, Sao Paulo, and many others in Latin
America. His articles and books have been used as texts and resources in
countless other universities throughout the world, especially in the United
States and Canada. Truly, “No prophet is acceptable in his own country”
(Lk 4:24).
Another important factor in the author’s life was his decision in 1941 to
enter a religious order, the Society of Jesus or Jesuits. Jesuit spirituality
and traditions have deeply influenced his work. In the course of his phil¬
osophical studies in the Jesuit seminary of San Miguel in Argentina, he
also initiated a lifelong dialogue with the philosophies of existentialism
(especially that of the Russian Nicolai Berdyaev) and phenomenology.
1
2
Introduction
These studies have stamped an indelible imprint on all his later writings,
as is readily apparent in his first published work, Existentialism, Philosophy,
and Poetry: An Attempt at Synthesis (1948).
Like many of his compatriots, Segundo journeyed in 1951 to Europe for
his theological studies in the theological faculty of St. Albert. Europe was
universally acknowledged at that time as the world center of Christian
thought. Later he became much more critical of European theology, sifting
out its weaknesses as well as its accomplishments. Above all, he was
indebted to two great scholars: Leopold Malevez, for his systematic studies
on the universality of grace, and Gustav Lambert, for his understanding of
the gradual development of revelation in the Bible. Another extremely
important influence outside the university was his contact with the writings
of the Jesuit priest-scientist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Teilhard’s evo¬
lutionary ideas reecho as a leitmotif throughout the entire corpus of Segun-
do’s work. At the same time, Segundo had no hesitation in updating and
criticizing the French priest’s philosophical, theological, and even scientific
ideas: amicus Pierre, sed major arnica veritas.
In 1963 Segundo defended two theses before a jury of the Sorbonne of
Paris. These were Berdyaev: A Christian Reflection on the Person and Chris¬
tendom: A Utopia? For this, he was awarded the highest classification for
the Doctorat es Lettres in theology.
In 1959 Segundo returned to Montevideo for good, with later trips to
Europe only to defend his theses. In 1965 he founded and became director
of the Peter Faber theological and social center in Montevideo, as well as
editor and chief contributor to the center’s monthly periodical, Perspectives
on Dialogue. In 1971 both were abruptly shut down by the Uruguayan gov¬
ernment, apparently because of its anger at his critical reflections on the
volatile Uruguayan politics at that time.
Since then, aside from relatively brief intervals at the universities already
mentioned, Segundo has devoted his time to working with lay communities
and continuing his stream of articles and books. Among his principal works
in English are included: five volumes in the series Theology for Artisans of
a New Humanity (1973-74), The Liberation of Theology (1976), The Hidden
Motives of Pastoral Action (1978), another five-volume series on Jesus of
Nazareth Yesterday and Today (1984-88), Theology and the Church (1985),
and Liberating Dogma: Revelation, Paith, and the Signs of the Times (1992).
On the basis of these works and a number of others still untranslated,
Segundo can be considered the most original and the most profound of the
Latin American liberation theologians. His books are sometimes considered
complex and difficult reading by English-speaking readers, but the only
solution to such objections is to plunge reflectively into his works; exponents
of speed-reading may well be disappointed. A book that touches on most
of the important themes of his theology is The Liberation of Theology, which
may be the best place for interested readers to begin.
Since his thought is complex and long-range in its implications, and firmly