What Would ‘Indianness’ of New Testament Theology Mean? Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Anthony De Mello, ‘Via Negativa’ and beyond the Accepted Routes in Catholic Theology

Abstract

This article focuses on one specific theological controversy, which pertains to the kataphatic—apophatic debates as a framework for New Testament theology. In the year 1998, theologians from Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a refutation of teaching of Anthony De Mello, SJ. The analysis of the Congregation’s refutation and the consequent debate led to the following hypothesis: Although the teaching of De Mello can be understood as following the apophatic line of thought in Christology and other important topics of New Testament theology, it is also bringing several distinctly Indian ideas and emphasis into the debate. Whereas apophatic theology is concerned with the problem of intellectual knowledge about God, the Indian view is concerned with the question of practical role of language in human attempts to experience the Divine. In both approaches, debates about the role of human thought, as expressed in language, are crucial, but for different reasons and with different aims.