Credo, quia absurdum est
Credo quia absurdum est (Latin "I believe because it runs counter to reason" or "I believe because it is nonsensical (ie because it exceeds the comprehension of reason)") is a popular phrase in the discourse of Christian theology . In concrete terms, the adjective absurdum means “absurd, inappropriate, absurd, without meaning or understanding, senseless, unreasonable, nonsense”.
It is in the context of the discussion of Christian Urthemas the ratio determination of historically contingent revealed religion on the one hand and one from repeatable experiences deductive reason other. For this relationship the sentence formulates one of the two possible extreme determinations: Christian faith is only genuine and plausible in the diametrical contradiction to the knowledge of reason, because incarnation, death on the cross and resurrection of the eternal Son of God contradict every reasonable concept of God in time.
In the 17th century, in the post-Reformation period, he was directed against a dogmatic definition of faith by the official churches.
The formulation was ascribed to Tertullian and Augustine , but is found neither in these nor in the other classical texts of church teaching.
Tertullian's following sentence comes closest to her :
"Crucifixus est dei filius: non pudet, quia pudendum est. et mortuus est dei filius: prorsus credibile est, quia ineptum est. et sepultus resurrexit: certum est, quia impossibile. "
“God's Son was crucified: I am not ashamed of it precisely because it is something shameful. God's Son died: it is entirely believable because it is inconsistent (and cannot be understood); he is buried and risen again: that is quite certain because it is impossible. "
Paul already formulates similarly when he writes:
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are lost; but to us who are saved it is God's power. For it is said in the Scriptures: I will make the wisdom of the wise perish and the wisdom of the wise disappear. Where is a wise man? Where is a scribe? Where is a spokesman in this world? Has not God exposed the wisdom of the world as folly? For since the world, in the face of the wisdom of God, did not know God in the path of its wisdom, God decided to save all who believe through the folly of the preaching. The Jews demand signs, the Greeks seek wisdom. We, on the other hand, proclaim Christ as crucified: an outrageous scandal for Jews, folly for Gentiles, but for those called, Jews and Greeks, Christ, God's power and God's wisdom. For what is foolish about God is wiser than man and what is weak in God is stronger than man. "
use
Outside of the theological and philosophical realm, the term is rarely used; it could, for example, be used as a comment on a story that sounds too improbable for anyone to have made up.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Credo, quia absurdum (1). In: Universal Lexicon. 2012. Accessed April 17, 2020 .
- ↑ a b credo, quia absurdum (2). In: Universal Lexicon. 2012. Accessed April 17, 2020 .
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^ JA Schmerler: Latin-German and German-Latin dictionary .... Verlag JJ Palm, 1794, p. 4. (books.google.de) .
R. Hau: PONS dictionary for schools and studies Latin - German. Pons Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-12-517554-9 , p. 7. (books.google.de) - ↑ Zeno: Dictionary entry Latin-German on "absurdus". Karl Ernst Georges: Detailed ... Accessed April 17, 2020 .
- ↑ A. Regenbogen, U. Meyer (Ed.): Dictionary of philosophical terms. Meiner, Hamburg 2005: credo quia absurdum.
- ^ Meyer's Large Conversational Lexicon. Volume 4, 1906, p. 338. (zeno.org) , accessed April 18, 2009; likewise - also with Latin version: A. Regenbogen, U. Meyer (Ed.): Dictionary of philosophical terms. Meiner, Hamburg 2005: credo quia absurdum.