Amy Sinclair: "History will judge us for the barbarity of abortion".Stephen BarrThe thesis of the conflict between science and faith is a myth generated by the polemics of the end of the 19th century".Fermín LabargaAnachronism is lethal for judging history".A few days ago the Holy Father Francis surprised us once again with a few words completely unexpected letters -at least for me- addressed to students, researchers, teachers and those interested in the history of the Church and in general in the historical disciplines within the Church. In fact, the Holy Father's accurate words also apply to civil history in general. Certainly, history is necessary in order to build a solid civilization and to "better interpret social reality".
Precisely, in this changing time, we are at the end of one stage and the beginning of another of which we can barely glimpse more than a few very general characteristics (globalized, supportive, feminist, digital, spiritual). Pope Francis continues relentlessly, as part of his program of governance inspired by the Holy Spirit, touching on all issues of particular interest for the sake of a true and profound renewal of the Catholic Church, with the illusion of launching it into an apostolic mobilization and a more important spiritual influence in the whole world.
History as a teacher of life
Undoubtedly, history is truly a teacher of life and, as such, should be investigated, studied and listened to in order to learn the countless lessons it has to transmit to us and, of course, to the following generations.
To this end, it is essential that History and historical disciplines in general be included in the formation plans of Universities and formation centers, catechesis at all levels and an important and widespread publication of texts on paper and in digital format, which reach all Catholics and all people of good will to be studied with rigor.
It is necessary, the Pope reminds us, to know how to present the facts properly framed in the spatio-temporal coordinates of each era we are dealing with, through a rigorous screening of the documentation and, finally, with a correct anthropology that takes charge of the circumstances in which they took place.
Prejudices and ideologies
Furthermore, and this is vehemently pointed out by Pope Francis, we must avoid "ideologies of different colors that destroy everything that is different" and, therefore, be as objective as possible without falling into the usual anachronisms: interpreting past events with today's mentality, without using the appropriate hermeneutics.
The Holy Father reminds us that it is important to avoid prejudices or a priori judgments, with which documents are sometimes read with animosity or jealousy, as well as false "good things", as the saying goes, "everything in the past was better". Failure to discover the roots of the problems would prevent us from drawing the true lessons of history, which are necessary "so as not to stumble twice over the same stone".
In this way we will be able to acquire and transmit to all Christians what the Holy Father calls "a real historical sensitivity", which will lead us to read historical novels, study the documents of the magisterium or the archives of the archives, writing history and not legends.
Black legends
The Holy Father alludes indirectly to the black legends, or roses, that are easily constructed in society. On the one hand, some use these legends, based on objective facts that are skillfully used, to attack the Church and her spiritual goals. On the other hand, some hide problems and facts that are difficult to explain in order to sweeten the real history of the Church.
For example, the Holy Father recalls at some length how the genealogy of the Lord in the Gospel of St. Matthew does not eliminate those characters who led an unseemly life, despite the fact that they were to be the Lord's distant relatives.
There is no doubt that, in this field of history, there is a great difference between wisdom and erudition. The former, wisdom, is a gift of the Holy Spirit, one of the most appreciated, with the gift of discernment, which is the mature fruit of study, of contemplation of matters so as to be able to get to the bottom of questions and see where is the error to be purified, or the lesson to be learned, or the honor to be restored according to justice, or the punishments and medicinal penalties to be applied. In short, the Holy Father reminds us, it is important to avoid hasty judgments and first impressions when investigating history.
No fear of the truth
It is not enough to accumulate data, dates and papers. It is necessary to calm the mind, to get into the mentality of the time, the currents of thought, the preceding magisterial decisions and, above all, the "sensus fidelium" to, with the help of the Holy Spiritto point out a line of interpretation that the documentary collections will endorse: "We never advance without memory, we do not evolve without a complete and luminous memory".
It is very interesting the vision of the Church that the Holy Father has been underlining in different moments, as a field hospital or when he speaks of a "mother Church to be loved just as she is". In the Church, the Holy Father stresses, God's mercy and forgiveness are preserved, since the infinite merits of the Lord's Passion and death have been given to her.
Finally, the Pope encourages historians to live together and dialogue more, to exchange points of view and to review the pertinent documentation with objectivity and a desire to approach as closely as possible the pastoral actions that were taken, seeking the good of souls and their eternal salvation. At the same time, we cannot hide the errors of men and the inconsistencies of faith and life that on many occasions caused mistrust in the Church.
