Apostolic Letter : Blessed John Duns Scotus

Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to the International Congress of Cologne on the Occasion of the VII Centenary of the Death of Blessed John Duns Scotus

Rejoice, city of Cologne, that there was a time when you once held within your walls John Duns Scotus, a most devout and learned man who, on November 8, 1308 passed away and went up to the heavenly home. You [Cologne] hold his mortal remains with both great admiration and veneration.

Our Venerated predecessors, Paul VI and John Paul II, have exalted him abundantly. We, too, now wish to honor him with worthy praise and, at the same time, invoke his protection.

It is right and praiseworthy that we now celebrate the seventh centennial of his holy death. Because of this happy occasion, articles and whole works in honor of Bl. John Duns Scotus are currently being published in different parts of the world. They are also Congresses taking place. Among them is the upcoming solemn Congress in Cologne which will take place from the 5^th – 9^th of the next month of November. We, too, consider it a duty of our service in this circumstance, to address some words about this distinguished man, who showed himself so meritorious in his contribution that it redounds to the progress of the doctrine of the Church and human science.

In fact, he combined piety with scientific research according to this his prayer: “May He, who is the Beginning of all beings, grant me to believe, taste, and express whatever is pleasing to his majesty and whatever raises our mind to the contemplation of him.”[1] Moreover, with his usual ingenuity, he penetrated into the secrets of natural and revealed truths, drawing from them such doctrine as to be called, “Doctor of the Order”, “Subtle Doctor”, and “Marian Doctor”, thus becoming the founder/initiator of the Franciscan School, and a light and example for all the Christian people.

We desire, therefore, to call all learned men and women as well as all believers and non believers to the path trodded by Scotus, a path that underscores the harmony between faith and reason; a path that defines the nature of theology, which is oriented toward life and love, rather than mere speculation. When doing this work [of harmonizing faith and reason], he allowed himself to be guided both by the Magisteriumof the Church and from a healthy critical sense in the knowledge of the truth. He was convinced that science has value insofar as it is realized in deeds.

Solid as he was in the Catholic Faith, he made all efforts to understand, explain, and defend the truths of the faith through the light of human reason. Therefore, he did nothing except exert himself to show the harmony between natural and supernatural truths which issue from one and the same Source.

Next to Sacred Scripture, which is divinely inspired, comes the authority of the Church. It seems that Scotus followed the saying of St. Augustine when the latter stated, “I will not believe the Gospel if I do not first believe the Church.” [2] In fact, it is not rare when our Doctor underscores especially the supreme authority of the Successor of St. Peter. According to him, “Even though the Pope cannot dispense from the natural and divine right (because his power is inferior to either one of them), nonetheless, because he is both the Successor of St. Peter and the Prince of the Apostles, he has the same authority as that of Peter.”[3]

Therefore, the Catholic Church – who was entrusted by Christ, her invisible head, to the Vicars in both the blessed Peter and his successors, and guided by the Spirit – is the authentic custodian of the deposit and rule of faith. The Church is a solid and stable criterion of the canonicity of Sacred Scripture; and she has, in fact, “established which books are to be considered authentic in the canon of the Bible.”[4]

Elsewhere, he affirms that because “the Scriptures have been expounded on with the same Spirit with which they were written, it must then be held that the Church also expounded on them with the same Spirit with which Faith has been handed down to us, guided by the Spirit of truth.”[5]

Even after having proven with various arguments drawn from theological reason that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin, Scotus, nonetheless, was ready to abandon this persuasion, if ever it was not in harmony with the authority the Church. He states, “if it is not in contrast with the authority of the Church or with the authority of Scripture, it must then seem probable to attribute to Mary what is most excellent.”[6]

What he underscores most of the primacy of the will is that God is, first of all, charity. Duns Scotus has this charity, this love, before him when he wants to lead theology to one goal, that is, to a practical theology. According to his thought, God, “being love and charity”,[7] communicates outside of himself the rays of his bounty and love with the greatest liberality”.[8]

In reality, it is out of love that God “has chosen us before the creation of the world to be holy and immaculate in love in his presence, predestining us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ” (Eph 1, 3-4).

Faithful disciple of Saint Francis of Assisi that he was, Blessed John contemplated and preached assiduously the Incarnation and salvific Passion of the Son of God. Yet, the charity or love of Christ is manifested in a special way not only on Calvary, but also in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, without which “all piety in the Church would disappear and we would not be able to give to God – if it were not for this Sacrament –that Latria form of worship that is due to him alone”. [9] This Sacrament, moreover, is a sacrament of unity and love. By means of it, we are induced to love one another mutually and to love God as the supreme good. And just as this love, this charity was the beginning of all things, so in heaven our beatitude consists in love and charity, for “the eternal, blessed, and perfect life is simply volition or delight”.[10]

Having preached from the beginning of our service especially on charity, which is God himself, we attest with joy that the doctrine by which the blessed Scotus gives to this truth is unique. Hence, we consider that it should be studied and taught to the maximum. Therefore, supporting willingly the request made by our Ven. Brother Joachim Meisner, Cardinal of S.R. Church, Archbishop of Cologne, we issue this Apostolic Letter by which we desire to honor John Duns Scotus and invoke his heavenly intercession for us.

Lastly, to those who, in any way will take part at this International Congress and other initiatives that will be promoted to honor this distinguished son of St. Francis, we impart, from the depth of our heart, our Apostolic Blessing.

Given at St. Peter in Rome the 28^th of October, 2008 on the 4^th year of our Pontificate

Benedict XVI

[1] Duns Scotus, Tractatus de primo Principio, c. 1, (ed. Muller M., Friburgi Brisgoviae, 1941, 1).
[2] Idem, Ordinatio I d. 5, n. 26 (ed. Vat. IV 24-25).
[3] Idem, Rep. IV d. 33, q. 2, n. 19 (ed Vives XXIV 439 a).
[4] Idem, Ordinatio I d. 5, n. 26 (ed. Vat. IV 25).
[5] Ibid., IV, d. 11, q. 3, n. 15 (ed. Vives XVII 376 a).
[6] Ibid., III d. 3, n. 34 (ed. Vat. IX 181).
[7] Ibid., I d. 17, n. 173 (ed. Vat. V 221-222).
[8] Cf Idem, Tractatus de primo Principio, c. 4 (ed. Muller M., 127).
[9] Idem, Rep. IV d. 8, q. 1, n. 3 (ed. Vives XXIV 9-10).
[10] Ibid., IV d. 49, q. 2, n. 21 (ed. Vives XXIV 630 a).