Reading an article on ‘the Human Good,’ by Bernard
J.F. Lonergan, in the book, Method in
Theology, I came across a wonderful “Insight,” to make Progress in Life.
At
the outset, I will like to share something about this great author. Bernard
Joseph Francis Lonergan was born in Bucking ham, Quebec, on December 17, 1904.
In 1936, Lonergan was ordained Jesuit Priest in Rome. His important works are, Insight: A study of Human Understanding
and Method in Theology. Lonergan was
made companion of the Order of Canada in 1970; the Catholic Theological Society
of American presented him with the John Courtney Murray Award in 1972; he was
made corresponding fellow of the British Academy in 1975, and he was awarded
nineteen honorary doctorates. Thanks to his wide range of interest in theology,
philosophy, human sciences and human studies, he has been called ‘the Christian
thinker of the twentieth century.’
What
is Progress? Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines progress: the process
of improving or developing or of getting nearer to achieving or completing
something. According to Bernard Lonergan, progress consists in the integration
of four elements:
Ø Be attentive,
Ø Be intelligent,
Ø Be reasonable,
Ø Be responsible.
Let
us see how Lonergan explains each point: Being attentive includes attention to
human affairs. Being intelligent includes a grasp of hitherto unnoticed or
unrealized possibilities. Being reasonable includes the rejection of what
probably would not work but also the acknowledgment of what probably would.
Being responsible includes basing one’s decisions and choices on an unbiased
evaluation of short- term and long- term costs and benefits to oneself, to
one’s group, to other groups. Thus, progress means balanced- growth in these
four areas.
Having
seen the elements of Progress, it is also important to note the threat to
Progress, which is, “Egoism.” It poses a great threat to Progress by
disregarding others, concentrating on short- term benefits and overlooking
long- term costs. Egoism is in conflict with the Progress. Development guided
by group egoism is bound to be one-sided and creates two classes in society,
the have and the have-nots. In other words, egoism causes decline in the
society due to individual or group inattention, obtuseness, unreasonableness,
irresponsibility.
Therefore,
Lonergan proposes transcendental precepts to be followed by individual and
group. They are: Be attentive, Be intelligent, Be reasonable, Be responsible.
These precepts promote Progress, so the refusal of self- transcendence turns
Progress into cumulative decline. Lonergan concludes his article in these
powerful words: “Finally, we may note
that a religion that promotes self- transcendence to the point, not merely of
justice, but of self-sacrificing love, will have a redemptive role in human
society inasmuch as such love can undo the mischief of decline and restore the
cumulative process of Progress.”
Now
the question is: Can you and I be a part of redeeming the world? Can I go
beyond mere Justice and walk the path of self- sacrificing love? Can I
transcend myself, my culture, my tribe, my religion, my nation, to build a true
Progress of the whole humanity?
Yes
we can! No matter from what faith cast, tribe, language, culture, society,
religion, and nationality we belong to. What we need is to: Be attentive, Be
intelligent, Be reasonable, and Be responsible. This is how we can make
Progress in our generation and prepare a way of Progress for the generations to
come.
