Commonly known as Saint John Henry Newman or simply cardinal, Newman was an English poet and theology expert throughout his life. His priesthood began in the Anglican Church, and later on, he became a Catholic priest. After several years of service, he was appointed a cardinal. In 2019, years after his death, he was canonized by the Catholic Church into sainthood. While still alive, Newman held controversial talks regarding religion and practices by the Anglican and the Catholic Church. While his position changed significantly over time, the man argued extensively to justify it. Newman’s opinions had such strength that kept people questioning ideas they considered to be true, especially on matters of the church and religion. His teachings focused on speaking the truth without fear of controversies. This paper seeks to discuss Newman’s differing opinions on religious practices in the Catholic Church from 1839 to 1841.
Newman’s literary legacy includes poems and several books. One of the books he wrote was Apologia Pro Vita Sua, which focused on his opinions of the church at that time. In this book, Newman’s theological views were controversial, although it is clear that he was well informed about the topics discussed. Newman did not try hard to convince his audience, who were non-Catholics, in his beliefs. He instead dwelt more on the sincerity of his life while still making his opinions known. As a result, he gained many admirers, including people who did not entirely share his perspective. For example, he wrote about his understanding of being liberal. He claimed that liberalism on its own was simply a false thought that needed more weight. He, therefore, argued that the search for truth not only involves liberty but also devotion and faith.
I partially disagree with this assessment. While supporting one’s philosophy with religious belief and devotion is an understandable and respectable practice, I cannot agree that it is the best way to search for the truth in the world. Liberalism, as the modern understanding of the ideology dictates, uses the ideas of civil liberty and equality to support the well-being and prosperity of people on the individual and institutional levels. Many people tried to combine this concept with other systems of understanding the world and society, forming different branches of liberal thought. In the context of religious liberalism context, faith may represent some people’s freedom and noble ideas, but it is important to recognize that this does not apply to all individuals. For some, religious faith is insufficient to form an understanding of the world, or actively damaging to their life. Historically, religion was often used to restrict specific groups of people, which harshly contradicts ideas of social justice and reformation. If particular parts of the population are systemically experiencing injustice or mistreatment based on faith, I feel that religious belief may not be the best supplement to liberalism. Expecting each person to find the truth and meaning of their lives through faith also seems reductionist and inflexible to people’s circumstances and ideas. I feel that the ideas of religious and Christian belief should be approached separately from the liberal outlook.
References
Newman, J. H. (1968). Apologia pro vita sua: Being a history of his religious opinions. W.W. Norton & Company.