What is simply a conscience? Fr Prof. Andrzej Kobyliński on the teaching of Cardinal Newman and Benedict XVI

Cardinal John Henry Newman's teaching on conscience is 1 of the most crucial and most interesting elements of his intellectual legacy. It importantly influenced Joseph Ratzinger's knowing of conscience. The Polish philosopher, Fr Andrzej Kobyliński, writes about this.

The prof. discussed this subject in an article entitled “Conscious Conscience in the Writings of John Henry Newman and Romano Guardini”, which was published in 2023 in the volume “Ethic of work and Value” published by the UKSW technological Publishing House.

As Andrzej Kobyliński emphasized, the concept of Cardinal Newman is frequently misinterpreted. It is identified with the individualistic knowing of conscience, promoted by many thinkers referring to the intellectual heritage of Enlightenment.

"Yes, Newman emphasized the greatness and independency of conscience, spoke decisively of the necessity to act always according to conscience, pointed out the individual dimension of human being, but at the same time emphasized that conscience has a solid and lasting spiritual and metaphysical foundation. In fact, the English thinker rejects the autonomous knowing of conscience," wrote the author.

"Newman entrenches conscience in God and natural law, criticizing both the concept of individualistic, self-referenced and collective or mass conscience, characteristic of societies governed by dictators or enslaved by totalitarian systems," he added.

« The essence of Newman's concept of conscience was contained primarily in a short treaty entitled « Letter to Prince Norfolk» . For the English thinker, “conscience is the voice of God”. Newman praises the greatness of human conscience. In his concept, conscience is the law of our spirit, but surpasses it; it reproves us, allows us to know work and duty, fear and hope. He is the forerunner of Him who, in the planet of nature as well as of grace, speaks to us through the veil, instructs us and directs us," noted the philosopher at the University of Warsaw.

“Newman emphasizes that the voice of conscience, its universality and categoricality are not natural. The creator of conscience cannot be man, but individual more perfect than him. Only God can be our legislator and our judge. His cry reaches us in the voice of our conscience," he pointed out.

It besides implies obedience to God.

“There is no uncertainty that man feels his subjection to certain moral principles, specified as: don’t kill, don’t steal, aid others, etc. specified rules are duties, imperatives, commandments that must be respected unconditionally. Man feels that the fundamental moral principles oblige him not due to the fact that he so wants society or a circumstantial group in which he lives, but due to the fact that it is simply a commitment of a strict interior character, which has its roots in God," he said.

The author recalls that Newman's thought was well known to Joseph Ratzinger. He was especially acquainted with her through the activities of the Newman global Friends Center in Rome; he had previously met Newman during his studies.

In 1990, in a speech given at the 100th symposium. the anniversary of the death of the large convert, Ratzinger talked about the influence of his thoughts on his views. Ratzinger indicated that Newman's personalism was never individualism. Rather, it was an answer to the false collectivism and totalitarianism. Newman's teachings besides influenced the knowing of the primacy of the Pope.

“The freedom of conscience, Newman told us, is not identical to the right to renounce conscience, to ignore the Lawgiver and the Judge, to be independent of invisible obligations. Thus the conscience in its actual sense is the basis of the papal authority; its power comes from a revelation that completes a natural conscience that is not perfectly enlightened, and the regulation of moral law and conscience is its raison d'ętre," Ratzinger said.
As Pope Benedict XVI, he opposed the modern knowing of conscience, which is in fact pure relativism and boils down to desire.

"Newman's concept of consciences is something diametrically different. For him, “conscience” means the ability of man to truth: the ability to admit precisely in the decisive spheres of his life – religion and morality – truth, the only truth. Conscience, the ability of man to admit truth, at the same time requires him to prosecute the truth, search it and surrender to it where it meets it. Conscience is simply a capacity for fact and obedience to truth, which reveals itself to a man seeking it with an open heart. The way of Newman's conversion is the way of conscience; it is not the way of affirming subjectivity, but, on the contrary, obedience to the fact which gradually revealed itself to him. In support of the claim that the concept of Newman's conscience is identical to the contemporary subjective knowing of conscience, his words are frequently cited, according to which, if he were to propose a toast, he would rise him first in honor of conscience and then the pope. But in this statement, “conscience” refers to the yet binding power of subjective intuition. It is an expression of the availability and binding force of truth: this is the primacy of truth. The Pope can be given a second toast, due to the fact that his task is to require obedience to the truth," Benedict said.

“Newman says that the foundation of conscience is natural law, which forms the form of the existence of God’s law in the intelligent creation. The English thinker rejects the autonomous knowing of conscience. It takes root the conscience in God and almost natural, subjecting extremist criticism to both the concept of individualistic, self-reference, as well as the collective or mass conscience, character" – Kobyliński recaptulates.

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