Scandal of Truth

The Scandal of Truth by Jean Danielou SJ, translated by WJ Kerrigan, 154 pages

In this short series of connected essays, famed Jesuit theologian Jean Danielou argues not only for the continued relevance of religion in the modern world, but the necessity of the demystification of a variety of substitutes for religion, ideologies such as communism and capitalism, but also scientism and aestheticism.  The world does not lack faith, but it too often places its faith in the wrong things.  A true humanism, one which respects the human intellect, must allow for the existence of Truth, otherwise the intellect has no purpose.  Even in practical work, the existence and nature of this Truth, far from being irrelevant, is of paramount importance.

Danielou wrote from a post-war continental perspective, which necessarily effects the issues he chooses to address - particularly the appeal of Marxism and Sartrean existentialism.  Likewise, at the time The Scandal of Truth was published Danielou was serving as a peritus at the Second Vatican Council, which brought in another set of concerns - including ecumenism and religious freedom.  The central themes of the book, however, are always relevant - that Truth will always be both a necessity and a scandal.