THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE MEMORY

Abstract

I first encountered the term "divine memory” in an essay on historical responsibility by Spanish historian Manuel Reyes-Mate Rupérez. Reasoning that forgotten injustices may never be rectified, he resolves that an all-encompassing, eternal memory (“divine memory”) must precede any meaningful discussion of the establishment of absolute justice for forgotten, often deceased victims of injustice. In this thesis, I extend aspects of Rupérez’s logic to develop the doctrine of divine memory, an historiography that places the pursuit of absolute truth about the past, and its meaning, back onto the table as a viable option for the historian to consider in her efforts to practice her craft responsibly, and to benefit mankind through her work. To substantiate this effort, I draw from traditions which presuppose both the existence and value of absolute truth, and which privilege the value of every individual human being, foundationally resting on the Christian intellectual tradition, especially as manifested in natural law philosophy. This doctrine does not deny that there are other options available to the historian beside the pursuit of truth, however it demonstrates the harmful potential of certain other options through a brief examination of Friedrich Nietzsche’s historiography and his ideological legacy of relativism. Ultimately, this thesis posits the pursuit of truth as the best path available to the historical profession, most effectively guiding the influence of the historian away from humanity’s detriment and toward its betterment.