As noted in the previous article, Immanual Kant provides key philosophical principles that have found their way into our modern thought, especially our views toward faith and reason. When Kant speaks about the “Kingdom of God”, he is proposing more of a moral ideal in which we become a community that is just and virtuous, founded on principles from practical reason and moral autonomy, and not so much from external influences like the Church and Divine Revelation.
Doing a little research on the development of this view of the Kingdom of God, which he proposed as something essential for society, it appears that Kant saw this as something that would come about somewhat gradually over time. He writes the following interesting point which will set us up for rest of our reflection:
Once this transition has been grasped through mature reflection, it is carried out—insofar as this is something that human beings are to do—through gradually advancing reform. As for revolutions that might shorten this process, they are left to providence and can’t be deliberately created without damage to freedom. (Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason)
In the next paragraph of Spe salvi, Pope Benedict turns his attention to another significant figure, Karl Marx. Though he also recognizes the same need for a transformation in the modern world, he is not so willing to wait for the gradual transformation which Kant seems to expect. Rather, he saw the need for a more immediate and dramatic change. Here is how the Holy Father describes it:
After the bourgeois revolution of 1789, the time had come for a new, proletarian revolution: progress could not simply continue in small, linear steps. A revolutionary leap was needed. Karl Marx took up the rallying call, and applied his incisive language and intellect to the task of launching this major new and, as he thought, definitive step in history towards salvation—towards what Kant had described as the “Kingdom of God.” (Spe salvi, 20)
Marx was calling for a more radical revolution that would speed up the process to get where society needed to be, according to the general trend of thinking that was emerging. This revolution, unlike Kant’s view, would require more than just a moral development that was more individualistic in nature. It would require radical changes affecting the whole collective of society and thus would need to engage the world of politics as well. The Holy Father will offer more thoughts on the influence of Marx in the next paragraph, but I think this suffices to show the significance of his contribution to this disturbing trend undermining the traditional teachings of the Church on faith and hope.
This Sunday, the Church in many parts of the world celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord into Heaven. This event reminds us that our ultimate destination as human beings, made for communion with Him, is Heaven, not this earth. True peace and happiness cannot be found in this world. No revolution that focuses exclusively on this world will suffice. Nevertheless, that does not mean that we simply abandon the world and just wait it out until Jesus comes again. No, we remain committed to preparing this world for the coming of the Kingdom by ordering all things according to His most perfect and peaceful rule, so that when He comes again in glory, all might welcome Him as the goal for our existence and the hope for what we shall be and experience for eternity in our homeland in Heaven.