Name that speaker!

What major public figure recently said this:

"At the heart of Paul’s effort in Athens was an appeal to reason. He did not seek to impose his beliefs, nor exploit anxiety or fear. Rather he had learned that his faith in Christ was compatible with the mind’s capacity for reasoned thought. Indeed it complemented it. Some today propose that faith and reason are crudely opposed, with the fervour of faith replacing good reason. This reduction of both faith and reason inhibits not only our search for truth but also the possibility of real dialogue. In contrast, as Pope John Paul memorably said: ‘Faith and reason are the two wings on which the human spirit soars.’ (Fides et Ratio n.1)

This dialogue needs to go beyond the superficial and the slogans. Respectful dialogue is crucial today and I salute all who seek to engage in it. In this the media have such an important part to play, not by accentuating difference and conflict, but by enhancing creative conversation. Let us be a society in which we genuinely listen to each other, in which sincere disagreement is not made out to be insult or harassment, in which reasoned principles are not construed as prejudice and in which we are prepared to attribute to each other the best and not the worst of motives."

 

If you already know for sure…  leave the fun to some others.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in I'm just askin'.... Bookmark the permalink.

21 Comments

  1. Khaled says:

    Pope Benedict XVI?

  2. kate says:

    Yes,I know- just been reading those very words!

  3. youngcatholicstl says:

    Yeah, my thought was teh same as Khaled.

  4. Mary Ann says:

    Know for sure…thank you EWTN…;-)

  5. Angels stole my phonebox says:

    I know! I know!… do I get a prize?
    Angels stole my phonebox of the UK

  6. Geoffrey says:

    It’s sounds familiar… like I’ve heard it recently… hmmm…

  7. Christopher Milton says:

    My first thought was Archbishop Dolan….

  8. Eric says:

    But… didn’t Paul’s attempt to evangelize the Athenians using reason fail? Isn’t that why he began to preach Christ crucified, foolishness and stumbling block, but powerful tool for conversion?

  9. Noel says:

    Am I thinking recently = today?

  10. Jim of Bowie says:

    I won’t say because I’m pretty sure I heard it in a magnificent event on EWTN today.

  11. Andrew, medievalist says:

    Some Scouser? ;-)

  12. Noel says:

    What’s wrong with Scousers??

  13. Franzjosf says:

    What is ‘creative conversation’ and how does it avoid difference and conflict? For that matter, why are those two things BAD? Sounds like something retired Archbishop John Quinn would say.

  14. Franzjosf says:

    “I won’t say because I’m pretty sure I heard it in a magnificent event on EWTN today.” -Jim of Bowie

    Oh, no. I hope not. I hope his name doesn’t start with ‘N’.

  15. Theresa says:

    It sounds a lot like the words Bishop D’Arcy gave at the Notre Dame Baccalaureate Mass last weekend. But it doesn’t fit the readings of that day. Plus, I don’t know of the good bishop of Fort Wayne/South Bend counts as a “major public figure”!

  16. Theresa says:

    No, on closer look that is definitely not Bishop D’Arcy, though he spoke about Faith and Reason — Something we are hearing a lot about these days, with varying points of view, varying degrees of credibilty, and varying degrees of understanding.

  17. Hidden One says:

    *Googles*

    Ah, it WAS him! Sweet!

  18. My first thought was President Obama but then no – not the first paragraph. Was it new Archbishop in Britain?

  19. ssoldie says:

    Schmidt and Perkins-‘Faith and Reason” very good reading also “Right and Reason -A Fagothey, and watch EWTN.

  20. Jonathan says:

    Clearly someone who does not wish to call a spade a spade and venerates obfuscation. Could be Arch. Vincent Nichols, President Obama or indeed Fr. Jenkins. It is rather meaningless tripe which reminds me of the inadequate student that leaves me thinking I don’t understand enough and then I look at the name and I realise the problem is not me.

  21. Chris Garton-Zavesky says:

    Fr. Jenkins. Fr. McBrien. Cardinal Mahoney. Abp Niederauer. Speaker Pelosi — something about the disingenuous quote out of context.

Comments are closed.