Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati: A Discourse on His Philosophical and Theological System with an Imprint of Fundamental Rights

Abstract

Rosmini’s works and philosophical ideals purport to propitiate Catholic theology with the susceptibilities of modern day political and social thought. With regard to his instruction from Pope Pius VII, Rosmini found himself wedged between the obligation to renew Catholic philosophy and finding his work on the Index. The former is of much concern according to the tenor of this study. In his task for renewal, Rosmini engaged the theological and philosophical principles of the “ideal being” in order to postulate man’s relationship with God, the Absolute Being. In order to determine and materialise such relationship, Rosmini was forced to evoke the principles of anthropology, cosmology and ontology. This path will steer Rosmini to actuate a Christian tradition in which fundamental rights will be maintained. Rosmini beliefs that in a Christian culture the role between man and God must be firmly established. He would make us belief that his model is inspired by the (divine) light of reason. Although man has some divine qualities (such as the soul or reason which was infused by God into man) he cannot be God. Man would though be able to use these divine qualities bestowed upon him by God to conduct good relations with each other in society and to uphold the fundamental rights of others. This will engendered also a respect of one’s fundamental rights even the government or State. Only a Christian society could accommodate this notion in full.