Fundamental Theology

FUNDAMENTAL THEOLOGY. - It is customary to give this name to the entire introductory part of sacred doctrine, as opposed to special theology. But while the latter is clearly defined in its object, its method and its principle, fundamental theology, on the other hand, is still in the process of formation; it has not yet reached that definitive shape which belongs to a science in the modern sense of the word, because as a distinct treatment it was constituted relatively late, beginning in the 17th century. This explains the great divergence that exists among authors when it comes to establishing the method, the aim, and above all the object and the field of investigation of fundamental theology. In general all agree in assigning to it the task of proving the fact of Christian Revelation and its infallible preservation in the Roman Catholic Church, and of treating certain preliminary theological questions which, according to very many modern authors, among them A. Tanqueray, R. Garrigou-Lagrange, L. Billot, H. Dieckmann, A. C. Cotter, G. Van Noort, J. Brunsmann, C. Mazzella, J. M. Hervé, etc., concern the intimate constitution of the Church and the sources of divine Revelation. It is easy to conclude from this that fundamental theology thus conceived consists of two parts clearly distinct from one another in aim and in method.

The first part, which embraces the two treatises De vera religione or De vera Ecclesia Christi, is identified with apologetics, whose aim is precisely to prove by way of intellectual demonstration, built on historical and rational elements, the divine and revealed origin of the Christian religion (Christian demonstration) and of the Catholic religion (Catholic demonstration). The second part has the purpose of studying in the light of Revelation the intimate nature of the Church and the sources from which it draws the divine truth that it is authorized to transmit to the peoples: Sacred Scripture and tradition. It is clear that in this second part fundamental theology is a theology in the strict sense, whereas in the first it is so only in the broad, analogical sense, insofar as this name extends to all those disciplines which have any relation, even a purely extrinsic one, to sacred doctrine and which in the current university order belong to the faculty of theology (exegesis, Christian archaeology, liturgy, Church history, etc.). The appellation fundamental is derived from the fact that in both parts it establishes the foundation of theology, with this difference, however, that while in the first part this foundation is only extrinsic, like a support that holds up the building from the outside without properly belonging to it, in the second it is intrinsic and forms one thing with the building. This is why J. Brunsmann defines fundamental theology as « the science that demonstrates and defends in the light of reason (in the first part, apologetics) and in the light of Revelation (in the second part, theology) the religious foundations of the Catholic faith » (Lehrbuch der Apologetik: I. Religion und Offenbarung, Vienna 1924, p. 1).

Fundamental theology also receives other names, which are useful to know, also because they bring to light its different aspects and its various functions. It is sometimes called general theology (H. Hutter) because it treats of Revelation in general, considered in its credibility, in its organs and in its sources, as opposed to special theology, which studies the individual dogmas, the individual revealed truths. Others prefer to call it propaedeutic to theology (C. Pesch, J. V. de Groot), or supernatural logic (J. Didio), or even doctrine of the principles of theology (A. Schill). As for the term apologetics (Al. v. Schmid, H. Felder), it should be noted that it has too narrow a meaning, insofar as apologetics is distinguished from fundamental theology as the part is distinguished from the whole. In fact fundamental theology, besides apologetics, treated with a purely rational method, comprises other questions studied in the light of faith, such as, for example, the dogmatic treatises on the intimate constitution of the Church and on the sources of divine Revelation. Likewise less exact seems to us the designation fundamental dogmatic theology (A. Tanqueray), because in it one establishes not only the foundations of dogmatic theology, but also those of moral theology and of the whole of revealed doctrine. For the same reason the title general dogmatic theology (P. Minges, F. Egger) is to be discarded. From this one understands, also so as not to generate confusion, how the use of the name fundamental moral theology (T. J. Bouquillon) is to be avoided for designating the first part of moral doctrine, which treats of human acts, of morality, of conscience and of laws, of the virtues and of sins in general; to which corresponds special moral theology, which considers in detail laws and obligations, virtues and sins in particular.

The importance and the necessity of fundamental theology result from the fact that no dogma could be studied as a revealed truth and deepened by human reason, if it were not first accepted by faith and therefore considered in the light of faith. Now this necessarily presupposes the general demonstration of the credibility of Revelation and the use of a special methodology, adequate to supernatural or revealed truths. The Protestants maintain the contrary, especially F. Schleiermacher, A. Ritschl, K. Barth, and H. Dodwell, whose principal work, which appeared for the first time in 1742, bears the title: Christianity not founded on argument.

Emanuele Chietini