Andaleon, Karen Gaile L. LS FormEssay 2

The Role of Faith and Confidence in Creation of Meaning to Life: A Synthesis of Gaudium et Spes and Nietzsche’s Philosophy

1. Compare and Contrast: Gaudium et Spes and Friedrich Nietzsche

The quest for living is the search for meaning. We human beings continue to search the

meaning in everything we do. We seek the depth of the things that occur to us. Some of us rely on

faith. Others believe we create this meaning.

The two philosophies in Gaudium et Spes and Friedrich Nietzsche deal with the depth of

one’s life. Both focus on the guidelines how to achieve a good life. They present their own

assertions relying on system they continuously uphold. They mention the sources of strength

which will make human beings powerful.

However there are more differences with the two philosophies one focusing with the

relevance of Church while the other dealing in the absence of faith. Gaudium et Spes emphasizes

about the great role of Church in bringing meaning to the life of people. It believes that through

Christ man is offered light and strength. It is the faith that puts light on everything and it directs

the mind to solutions which are fully human. Gaudium et Spes asserts that because of body and

soul, man is one. Man has the responsibility to treat his body sacred as good and honourable

since God created it. Because of sin man engages himself to destructive ways of demeaning his

body and soul. Man is given the freedom and abusing it would lead to destruction of the sanctity

of his body and soul. Conscience is considered to be the most secret core and sanctuary of a man.

In Gaudium et Spes God has allowed man to remain under the control of his own decisions to

seek his Creator spontaneously and to come to him freely. Man is personally motivated and

prompted from within and not by blind internal impulse or external pressure. Gaudium et Spes

teaches that man has been created by God for blissful purposes beyond earthly misery. Gaudium

et Spes also tackles that atheism conceals rather than reveals the authentic face of God and

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religion. Atheists claim that freedom cannot be reconciled with the affirmation of a Lord who is

the author and purpose of all things. Gaudium et Spes believes that the Church professes that all

men, believers and unbelievers alike, must work for the rightful betterment of this world. Being

part of the council he stressed on reverence for man that everyone must consider his every

neighbour without exception as another self. Gaudium et Spes asserts that human institutions

must labor to minister to the dignity and purpose of man. Men can work to better the

circumstances of their lives through a monumental amount of individual and collective effort.

Gaudium et Spes emphasizes that it is only through God that answers can be known to the

several questions we human beings keep on asking ourselves.

This belief is different from Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy as manifested in his

writings such as Beyond Good and Evil. Nietzsche claims that aesthetics is the most promising

alternative religion. Nietzsche wrote philosophy in a manner calculated to provoke serious

thought than to give formal answers to questions. Unlike the philosophy of Gaudium et Spes

which has respected the system of the Church in creating the meaning of life, Nietzsche believes

that building systems lacks integrity since honest thought must challenge precisely these self-

evident truths on which most systems are built. Nietzsche believes that philosophers must be less

pretentious and pay more attention to questions of human values than to abstract systems. He is

the proponent of the phrase “God is dead” as he was influenced by the incontrovertible fact that

belief in God has declined to a point which gives the confidence to assert such phrase. He rejects

the existence of spirit. He thought about both the collapse of religious faith and the belief in the

Darwinian notion of a relentless evolution of the species. Unlike in Gaudium et Spes which puts

paramount importance to the Church as source of truth for Nietzsche considers Christianity as

the most fatal and seductive lie that has ever existed as the greatest and most impious lie.

Nietzsche claims that Christianity contradicts nature when it requires the people to love his

enemies because it is nature’s injunction to hate his enemies. He criticized the spiritual people of

Christianity who performed services in Europe by giving comfort and courage to the suffering

because this led to the deterioration of the European race. Nietzsche proposes revaluation to

reject the traditional morality because he treats traditional morality as perversion of original

natural morality. He focuses on the internal power within individuals which is capable of shaping

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and creating events unlike Gaudium et Spes which claims Christ who serves as the cause of the

environment.

Pope Paul VI’s notion of Will of Power is represented by the Church who recognizes

Christ as the source of life. On the other hand Nietzsche’s notion of the Will of Power is

represented in the attitudes and behaviour of the Superperson. Nietzsche’s Superperson

represents the highest level of development and and expression of physical, intellectual and

emotional strength. The Superperson will be the very embodiment of the spontaneous

affirmation of life. Unlike in Gaudium et Spes which claims that it is Christ who is the source of

meaning in our life for Nietzsche it is the self that would create this meaning. One does not have

to depend on Church or Christ to seek answers to his questions about life.

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2. Benefits and Disadvantages of Each Position

Gaudium et Spes may serve as inspiration for Christians because it reminds them what

they should do to achieve a good life. Pope Paul VI’s position is helpful in establishing

conformity with the Church’s teaching. Gaudium et Spes strengthens the foundation of Church’

teaching. It reminds people the importance of following Christ’s teachings. Its advice on having

good family, culture, economic development and international relationship motivate people.

Christian faith is also strengthened in Gaudium et Spes. Through Gaudium et Spes one would

realize the importance of the Church in helping them maintaining the sanctity of their life given

by Christ. Through it people can seek hope in humanity. It can lead to a faithful community

believing that through Christ and Church everything will serve its purpose meaningfully. Pope

Paul VI makes us believe that in all the events we experience whether bad or good we can rely to

Christ to be able to accept them and understand them. He helps believers to hold on to their faith

to achieve security and happiness. It is in Christ that happiness can truly be achieved.

On the other hand, Nietzsche’s philosophy is beneficial for modern thinkers who do not

believe in dogmatic system. This is helpful for secular institutions because despite lack of

spiritual motivations these institutions can find meaning in the things they pursue. His

philosophy tends to focus on the inner strength of an individual. He did not rely on any other

source of human power beyond oneself but only from the individual himself. His ideas are

beneficial in increasing one’s confidence. It gives a person the greatness to do things and

overcome the adversities he may encounter. His philosophy is helpful for people who are not

brought up believing in a certain Church.

There are also disadvantages in the philosophies presented. Too much reliance on

Christian teaching such as in Gaudium et Spes can be disadvantageous for it can be a room for

believing in every teaching of the Church even when it is already irrational. This can make

people just follow what the Church says in the hope of a good life. It becomes disadvantageous

when people do not really understand the things obligated by the Church. This can also be a

room for shallow faith because believers may only become too focused on the goal of a good life

and neglect the rationale behind it. Gaudium et Spes may also result to closed-mindedness of the

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people. Because of the claims presented by Pope Paul VI believers may discriminate ideas of

other people which are not in accordance with the Church’s doctrine. This can also be a room to

prejudice other non-believers and consider every act done by them to be immoral or sinful. If an

act done is not in accordance with the teachings of the Church one may discriminate other

despite the goodness of the act performed by the person.

Nietzsche’s philosophy may bring too much confidence to an individual which may result

to resistance in asking guidance from other people and to divine being. It can bring egotism

denying that we owe reverence to immense forces beyond ourselves. Too much freedom and

independence can also poison one soul. A person may continue doing his act in the belief that he

is doing it to be the Superperson. He may be engaged into acts which harm other people and

because of his adoption of Nietzsche’s philosophy he may lose concern with the people around

him thinking he is doing it rightly in the pursuit of his revaluation of moral system.

Nietzsche’s phrase “God is dead” is controversial especially for Christians because

saying this is tantamount to vanity of their Christian faith. His attack to the Church and its

teachings may shake the faith of the believers. It may also result to isolation because of his

emphasis to inner strength and the Superperson. People may believe that they do not need other

Supreme Being to have a good life. His failure to include God as foundation for life can lead to

hopelessness and human despair.

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3. Synthesis/ Endorsement

Being a Christian I prefer the philosophy of Gaudium et Spes because it serves as

guidance for people. It reiterates the importance of preparing one’s self for marriage because it is

crucial in bringing up children and molding them to good individuals. It reminds the important

role of parents in rearing their children. Marriage is a sacred thing that must be done with

prepared minds and hearts. Gaudium et Spes formulates the evolution human culture must have

to develop whole human person and help man in his performing his duties. It also creates depth

to the acts done by people because Gaudium et Spes reminds the Christians who are actively

participating in socio-economic development the assurance that they do this act for the prosperity

of mankind and peace of the world. It gives more meaning in the every actions people do.

Through this philosophy we visualize ourselves as person who can have a good life as long we

live in accordance with Christ’s teachings. It reminds us believers that in everything we do it is

Christ that would give us meaning. This philosophy gives us hope because the things we do have

worth and with our faith we can achieve the security and happiness that we deserve. Doubts can

be removed through our faith. Our fear can be overcome through the guidance the Church gives

us.

Nietzsche’s philosophy has merits in terms of the value it gives to an individual. His

philosophy must be used by a person to envision himself as capable of accomplishing great

things in life. One is able to entrust himself. This can be integrated to the faith people have. With

confidence in one self one becomes secured in the things he does. In security one becomes

capable of sharing himself to other people. Confidence in one’s greatness must be moderated to

avoid aggressiveness. Confidence in one self can also serve as an inspiration for other people

because confident people have more tendencies of achieving success and happiness in life. Fears

can be overcome through confidence. Life challenges can be hurdled with certainty if one carries

this moderate confidence.

With faith in Christ and confidence in oneself life happiness is more likely to be

achieved. Good relationship with the people around us can also be achieved. Positive attitude can

also result by possessing faith and confidence. The two must be balanced to be able to achieve

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the society we hope to have. Being faithful and confident must be exercised accordingly to create

the projected selves we are longing for.

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References: 1.Stumpf, Samuel and James Fieser. Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy

2. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Gaudium et Spes.

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