The purpose of the course is to enable the students to have a healthy relationship between reason and faith. The study of the encyclical Fides et Ratio of Pope John Paul II will give the awareness that though both reason and faith follows its own path, they agree each other for giving meaning to their respective contents and that a separation between them will lead to mutual loss. After presenting the historical, philosophical and theological background and the general structure of the encyclical, we concentrate on the important themes like the revelation of god’s wisdom, the relationship between faith and reason, the Magisterium’s interventions in philosophical matters, the interaction between philosophy and theology etc. as presented in the document. Our study concludes with an assessment of the document Fides et Ratio.
- Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio on the Relationship between Faith and Reason, Vatican City, 1998.
- Berti, E., “Philosophy is one of the Noblest of Human Tasks”, in L’osservatore Romano, (English Edition), No. 47, 25 November, 1998, 10-11.
- Cottier, G., “Crisis of Meaning Proves the Encyclical’s Timeliness”, in L’osservatore Romano, (English Edition), No. 44, 4 November, 1998, 10.
- Sauch, G., “Document: Stray Reflections on ‘Faith and Reason’,” Vidyajyoti, Vol. 63, No. 2 (February 1999), 144-151.
- McCool, G.A., “From Leo XIII to John Paul II: Continuity and Development,” International Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 40, No. 2, Issue No. 158 (June 2000), 173-183.
- Panthanmackal, G., “Fides et Ratio,” Indian Journal of Spirituality, Vol. 12, No. 1 (January-March, 1999), 138-146.