A Call for a "Cristic Enlightenment"
The Llght of reason rooted in Mystery A proposal to reconcile modernity and transcendence, beyond the lacerations of Our Time
by Antonio Staglianò, President of the Pontifical Academy of Theology
The legacy of the Enlightenment—reason, freedom, progress—is undeniable. It has shaped rights, science, and democracy. Its shadows, however, are equally profound: reason reduced to an instrument of domination with a presumed absolute self-sufficiency, unbridled individualism, a disenchanted world, emptied of meaning by the instrumental reduction of reality. The term—Enlightenment—immediately evokes the fight against obscurantism, the exaltation of human reason, the drive for emancipation and progress. Is a different path possible? Is it possible to recognize the value of those demands without falling into their traps? Is a different "Enlightenment" possible?
From these questions, the Cristic Enlightenment arises, a bold synthesis that does not deny modernity, but transfigures it in the light of the Gospel.
Not a return, but a fulfillment: the Cristic Enlightenment is not a nostalgic return to the pre-Enlightenment past. It is not an oxymoron, but a theological-philosophical and existential journey that performs an act of profound gratitude for the achievements of the historical Enlightenment—freedom of thought, the critique of superstition, the yearning for justice—while also bringing about a radical metanoia, a fundamental conversion. Reason is not diminished, but rooted. Its light is not extinguished, but illuminated by a greater Light. In short, while recognizing the historical merits of the Enlightenment—the fight against superstition, the affirmation of human dignity, the drive for emancipation—it is necessary to overcome its radical critical issues through a specific gesture: rooting human reason in the divine Logos, the creative Reason incarnate in Christ. Reason is not impoverished, but liberated from its self-referentiality. As John Paul II wrote in Fides et Ratio: "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises toward the contemplation of truth."
The Christ-based Enlightenment is therefore a bold proposal for our time: to overcome the faith-reason dichotomy and rediscover an integral humanism rooted in Christ.
Initially, we can identify five pillars of a fruitful synthesis.
The first pillar is the valorization of an open, non-absolute, and therefore "rooted" reason (one that has roots beyond self-sufficiency): reason is a gift from God, capable of truth precisely because it is open to Revelation. It is not a self-sufficient idol, but a light that finds fulfillment by allowing itself to be "illuminated" by the Logos. It is the abandonment of the myth of total rational autonomy, for a humble and questioning reason. It is, therefore, a lofty, non-reductive vision of reason. It is not a self-sufficient idol, but a divine gift. Its capacity for truth reaches fullness not by closing in on itself, but by opening itself to the source from which it comes: the divine Logos, the creative and redemptive Reason incarnate in Jesus Christ. It is the encounter between the natural lumen of human reason and the Lumen Gloriae of Revelation that allows a deeper and truer understanding of humanity and the world. As Augustine taught and reiterated in Fides et Ratio, faith does not cancel out reason; it purifies, elevates, and completes it.
The second pillar, the identification of Truth as agape Love, goes beyond knowledge as domination: authentic knowledge is not power, but recognition of the intrinsic value of others and of creation. Ultimate truth is relational, revealed in the Triune God and in the Incarnation. To know is to enter into the logic of gift, communion, and service. This second cornerstone subverts the purely instrumental or dominating concept of knowledge. Ultimate truth is not a cold equation or a given to be possessed: it is Love (agape). Authentic knowledge is wisdom that discovers the profound meaning of being and others in the logic of gift, a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity and the Incarnation. To truly know means to recognize the intrinsic value of the person, of creation, and to orient every action toward communion and service. It is a knowledge that engages the heart and transforms life.
The third pillar, a dynamic conception of Freedom for the common good, beyond individualism: freedom is not arbitrariness or isolation—risky temptations of Enlightenment emancipation—but the ability to adhere to Good and Truth. It is realized in concrete fraternity and "social friendship" (as Pope Francis calls it in Fratelli Tutti), overcoming the individualism that tears at the human fabric. The Cristic Enlightenment proposes a responsible and relational freedom. True freedom is not the absence of constraints, but the ability to freely adhere to Good, to recognized Truth. It is fully realized in building authentic bonds, in the practice of universal fraternity and social friendship, overcoming all selfishness. It is the freedom of God's children, called to build the Kingdom together..
The fourth pillar is a new vision of a "re-enchanted" world, beyond disenchantment: against the ruthless demythologization and reduction of the world to mere manipulable material data, the sacramental dimension of creation is rediscovered. The world is a sign of the Mystery, a trace of the Creator. Creation is not a machine, but a sign, a language that refers to the divine Mystery. Everything, in its concreteness, can become an epiphany, a transparency of the divine. It is not a return to magic, but the ability to read the Creator's traces in the depths of things, "re-enchanting" existence with a contemplative gaze.
The fifth pillar is the tireless work for Integral Progress, beyond technocracy: true progress is not merely technical or economic, but the ethical, spiritual, and relational growth of every person and of all humanity. Progress is neither idolized nor demonized. It is understood as the integral growth of the person and of humanity. Not merely technical or material advancement, but ethical, spiritual, and relational development. It is oriented toward a concrete utopia: the construction of a "civilization of love" and "universal peace," where the dignity of every human being is respected and promoted in its entirety, in harmony with creation. It is the Christian response to the challenges of globalization and dehumanization: the concrete utopia of the "civilization of love" (Paul VI), where human dignity is at the center, in harmony with creation.
The Cristic Enlightenment, ultimately, is a call to be fully ourselves: rational creatures and believers, free and responsible, rooted in history and open to transcendence. It is the invitation to be, as the Gospel demands, "the light of the world" and "the salt of the earth." Not by denying the achievements of modernity, but by illuminating them from within with the wisdom of the Cross and the Resurrection. Not by retreating to the sacristy, but by embodying in history, in service, in concrete charity, that Light which is Christ.
In an age marked by new dogmatisms (scientific, economic, ideological), by digital loneliness, by ecological crises, and by a profound thirst for meaning, the Cristic Enlightenment offers a precious compass. It does not offer easy answers, but rather indicates a method: a humble and open reason, rooted in the Love that is Truth, capable of re-enchanting the world and directing progress toward the true good of humanity, the whole human being, all human beings. It is an intellectual and existential challenge for anyone seeking a way to recompose the broken unity of humanity and build a future worthy of our dignity.
Cristic Enlightenment is more than a theory: it is an existential attitude. It invites us to live our faith without fear of reason, and reason without pride toward Mystery. It is the proposal of an integral humanism (Jacques Maritain) where Christ, "Light of the People," illuminates every fragment of humanity. In a West torn between skepticism and fundamentalism, this bold synthesis—rooted in the great tradition from Augustine to Rosmini, from the Second Vatican Council to Benedict XVI to Pope Francis—points to a third way: reason open to the Infinite, which transforms the world starting from Love. Not to conquer, but to serve. Not to explain everything, but to adore the Mystery that saves us. Can it become a compass for the crises of our time? Leo XIV's opening words offer hope for building a world at peace in love with the peace of Christ, "disarmed and disarming."
To sign the call, please send an email to stampa@path.va