Province News

Truth? What is That? A column by Fr. Ken Overberg, SJ
Friday, April 18, 2003

Fr. Ken Overberg, SJ
Fr. Kenneth Overberg, SJ, a professor of theology at Xavier University, writes this column for Cincinnati's Catholic Telegraph. A collection of his essays, focusing on the consistent ethic of life, titled 'Creating a Culture of Life' has recently been published by Thomas More Publishing.

During our recent celebration of Holy Week, we heard again the encounter between Jesus and Pilate. John’s gospel describes part of the scene this way: Jesus said, “‘Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’” (18:37-38)

This scene is vital not just for Good Friday but for every day as we struggle to live moral lives. What we ought to do as faithful disciples of Jesus is not always perfectly clear. What is truth--about relationships with spouses and neighbors and people who are different from us, about health care and treatment of the dying, about economic systems, about the war in Iraq and its impact on so many lives?

So we search for truth in forming our consciences. But whom do we believe? Movies and music? TV and radio? Advertising? Politicians and the government? The Church? The Bible? We hear so many different messages telling us what life is all about. What is truth?

An example of the challenge is highlighted by John Drescher’s article, “Psychology of Warfare,” published months before the war against Iraq (and recently summarized in IJPC’s newsletter). Drescher describes seven points, used by both sides in a war. 1) Persuade people that we have been attacked. This increases support and enthusiasm for fighting a war. 2) Demonize the other side, picturing the enemy in the worst possible way. 3) Emphasize patriotism to the point that anyone who dares to raise a question is portrayed as unpatriotic and is denounced. 4) Control the news; emphasize what favors the war. 5) Rally religious leaders to sanction war publicly. Stress the combination of God and country. 6) Promote propaganda; no war can be carried on long without it. 7) Continually stress that the country is doing what justice demands.

The first casualty in war is truth.

Whom do we believe? What is truth? The war and all the debates and disagreements about it can remind us that forming our consciences demands hard homework--listening to a variety of perspectives and convictions, praying, discerning the truth carefully even as we acknowledge our own and others’ prejudices.

If we are interested in searching for the truth about the war (as well as about other significant social and economic and political issues, all of which have moral dimensions), we need more than mainstream media and government spokespersons. We need to hear the poor, oppressed, attacked. We need to hear scholars who can help us interpret Scripture. We need to hear Church leaders and the long tradition of social teachings.

Here are some internet sources to help in this search for truth: www.vatican.va; www.usccb.org; www.paxchristiusa.org; www.voice4change.org; www.ijpc-cincinnati.com; and their many links. Some print sources: the magazines America and Commonweal; materials from Pax Christi and Bread for the World; books on Catholic social teachings (such as Catholic Social Teaching and Movements by Marvin L. Krier Mich and Doing Faithjustice by Fred Kammer, S.J.).

Many of these sources can also help us hear Jesus. Earlier in John’s gospel (8:31) Jesus says: “If you live according to my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” According to whose teachings are you living?