San Antonio, Texas, May 18, 2009 / 22:43 pm
While addressing graduates from the University of the Incarnate Word, Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of San Antonio, noted how education isn’t just about professional knowledge, but the knowledge that upholds truth. He also discussed the importance of maintaining the truth in a society filled with relativistic ideals and policies.
Explaining that education does not mean enlightenment, the archbishop drew a comparison of today’s society with the attitude of Pontius Pilate when he questioned Jesus Christ.
"Pilate was not uneducated. But he was educated in such a way that he could not recognize the truth—even when the truth was standing right in front of him." He continued, "Our society today is a lot like Pontius Pilate—it doesn’t recognize the truth. …Our culture believes instead that there are many truths—as many different truths as there are individuals, and that it’s wrong to try to decide or judge among these."
He also alluded to the concept of the "dictatorship of relativism," and how as a result the society "not only allows evils such as abortion, it also protects them under law."