Commentary: QRC on the Conservatives and Liberals

Nowadays, we often hear in the media about this particular priest would be conservative or liberal. In fact, we get to hear this with more emphasis on the preparation stages of the conclave to the eventual election and inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI. The media would then highlight, "Oh no, another conservative Pope ..."

But then if you try to think about it, what does it mean to be "conversative" or "liberal"? Somehow, it has lost its meaning throughout these past few years, but let's try to understand its real essence put into present-day context.

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During my 7 days doing theology and philosophy studies for laymen (all of us being full-time professionals in our respective secular industries), I've come across some ideas which would help us identify what it means to be conservative and liberal. Thus, I'll create what I'll call a "quick reference card" or QRC concerning these two categories.

To be conservative, the principle that is valued most is truth.

To be liberal, the principle that is valued most is freedom.

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A true conservative person believes that truth is the most important thing in this world. This is quite straightforward when we observe faithful Catholics and brand them as "conservative". These Catholics are conservative of the doctrine of the Catholic Church, which is regarded as truth. At this point, it doesn't matter if they fully understand the contents of truth; what matters to them is that it's true and should be defended as such.

A true liberal person believes that freedom, more specifically human freedom, is the most important thing. This is why people who are "outgoing" and are respectful of the individual choices of other people are often branded as "liberal". Such people believe that man, being good and given the capacity to discover the world with his God-given faculties, will find fulfillment in his actions based on free choice. Any form of coercion denies man such perfection.

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Putting people in only either one of the two categories is a manifestation that the concepts of truth and freedom are not understood fully. Both of them are not incompatible with one another; in fact, they support each other.

We can find this in Scripture (for the benefit of the theologically-minded) when our Lord said that "the truth shall make us free" in the Gospel of John.

If we go to classical anthropology, man has both intellect and will. The object of the intellect is the truth and man does not will anything freely without the guidance of the intellect. In fact, without the intellect, any action ceases to possess a true human character.