Juan Manuel de Prada: "We Catholics have to introduce a new way of approaching the study of science".

"Catholics have to introduce a new way of approaching the study of science, be it economic, social or political. This is what the writer Juan Manuel de Prada said at the University of Navarra, as a solution to the problem of current Catholic thinking, which, he said, separates the intellectual life from the life of faith in two watertight Departments . 

The writer and literary critic participated in the roundtable "Un discussion actual: intelectuales, cristianismo y universidad", organized by the high school Core Curriculum of the University and that constituted the act of celebration of the patron saint of the Schools of Theology and Ecclesiastics of Philosophy. He was accompanied by Professor Jose María Torralba, director of high school and philosopher; Juan Arana, Full Professor of Philosophy of the University of Seville; and Miguel Brugarolas, professor of Theology of the University of Navarra. The framework of the roundtable engages with the current conversation about the presence of Christian intellectuals in the public discussion .

The philosopher Torralba spoke of the University as that necessarily pluralistic space in which people can share. A space that, in Catholic educational centers, must be defined by the responsibility to offer students a Education that allows them to understand the Christian vision. "It is necessary to distinguish the role of the University from the outside, where it does not necessarily have to take sides, and from the inside, where it has a direct responsibility because it forms future professionals and public representatives." In turn, Juan Manuel de Prada pointed out the idyllicstatus of a university of Christian inspiration, in which there should not be disciplines dedicated to religion but a Catholic thought that illuminates all subjects. 

Regarding the term Christianity in the discussion, Professor of Theology Miguel Brugarolas affirmed that the Christian's relationship with the world is born from his relationship with God. "The Christian does not Withdrawal to anything authentically human when he fully lives his faith. If man leaves room for God, he only wins". The professor explains that theology is the foundation on which all other knowledge rests: "Theology has in the university the mission statement of wounding thought and the knowledge to reach the transcendent". 

The Full Professor of Philosophy Juan Arana exposed how problematic he found the expression "Christian intellectual". "I prefer to define myself as a Catholic who is dedicated, as a professor, to intellectual activities," he said. The philosopher added the current danger of some Catholics who do not seem to have a preference for engaging in intellectual work. "They are conspicuous by their absence and are not very present in contemporary debates," he added.

Another problem Juan Manuel de Prada exposed is the introduction of ideological conflict in our intellectual life and in our Catholic thinking. "We have introduced ideological poison into our vision of things". In view of this, in the context of the culture wars, what is really needed is to propose a new vision of the world, one that goes beyond the ideological confrontation. This is the proposal that corresponds to Catholics, of whom he said that "we must be clear about our position and not back down, knowing that this change of mentality will not be achieved in two days". Regarding the role of Catholics, the writer pointed out that "our words must provoke a new change, offer a complete and global understanding of reality that recovers the Christian novelty in the face of the ideological readings that are offered to us today".