Finally, for Caputo, an important distinguishing aspect of religious truth is what it does to an individual. Religious truth has transformative properties.
The important question is not “What is the object of my passion?” but rather, “What would my passion have me do?” or, to spin St. Augustine, “How do I love when I love my God?” Religious truth develops humility and open-mindedness. It does so because the object of passion, of love, the impossible, is always beyond knowledge. Once cannot claim to absolutely know. There is always some room for doubt, what Caputo calls awareness of the “tragic sense of life.” This doubt is a good thing for faith does not exist without it. If one absolutely knew, there would be no need for faith.
Acknowledging that you don’t really know, allowing room for doubt, is part of faith. When a person understands that he or she does not possess full understanding, that person will exhibit humility. He or she will be aware that there is additional knowledge that he or she does not possess. They will not, therefore, be puffed up on the pride of what they do know, but will be humble in the knowledge that there is much yet they do not know. In addition, the religious person will be open-minded. They will accept that while they may not know something, another person may. They will be receptive to the input of others, to new knowledge, knowledge that challenges their limited knowledge.
This humility and open-mindedness is only the beginning of Justice, which is the correct response to the impossible becoming possible, or the hyper-real. Religious truth yields activities which are just.
Good Lovers
Caputo, On Religion
Finally, for Caputo, an important distinguishing aspect of religious truth is what it does to an individual. Religious truth has transformative properties.
The important question is not “What is the object of my passion?” but rather, “What would my passion have me do?” or, to spin St. Augustine, “How do I love when I love my God?” Religious truth develops humility and open-mindedness. It does so because the object of passion, of love, the impossible, is always beyond knowledge. Once cannot claim to absolutely know. There is always some room for doubt, what Caputo calls awareness of the “tragic sense of life.” This doubt is a good thing for faith does not exist without it. If one absolutely knew, there would be no need for faith.
Acknowledging that you don’t really know, allowing room for doubt, is part of faith. When a person understands that he or she does not possess full understanding, that person will exhibit humility. He or she will be aware that there is additional knowledge that he or she does not possess. They will not, therefore, be puffed up on the pride of what they do know, but will be humble in the knowledge that there is much yet they do not know. In addition, the religious person will be open-minded. They will accept that while they may not know something, another person may. They will be receptive to the input of others, to new knowledge, knowledge that challenges their limited knowledge.
This humility and open-mindedness is only the beginning of Justice, which is the correct response to the impossible becoming possible, or the hyper-real. Religious truth yields activities which are just.