A regular reader/commenter sent the following blurb from the "European Society for Catholic Theology".
Have you ever heard of this group? Has anyone?
My interlocutor begins with a dry observation.
Joke of the day: "As Catholic theologians working in the service of the Church …. "
I have added my emphases. Then I will present it again with my added comments.
Extra ET-Newsletter of the European Society for Catholic Theology
17/02/2009This special ET-Newsletter contains a multilingual statement of the Curatorium of the European Society for Catholic Theology on the current crisis [!] in the Catholic Church.
We, Catholic theologians from 20 countries, gathered together in Ghent for a meeting of the Curatorium (Board) of the European Society for Catholic Theology, are deeply concerned by the current crisis within the Church. We are especially worried that the unconditional lifting of the excommunication of four bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X threatens the internal unity of the Church and the credibility of its witness in the world (Gaudium et spes). This considerably weakens the ability of theologians to dialogue with other disciplines in the academy.
Fundamental issues are at stake with regard to the reception of the Second Vatican Council and must be clearly reaffirmed:
• The dynamic character of revelation and tradition, Church teaching and liturgy (Dei verbum, Sacrosanctum concilium)
• The collegial exercise of Church governance (Lumen gentium)
• Full respect for the freedom of conscience and the freedom of religion (Dignitatis humanae)
• The active commitment to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue (Unitatis redintegratio, Nostra aetate)Members of other Christian Churches, with whom we have been in dialogue for several decades, now question whether the Catholic Church will take concrete steps toward fuller communion. Recent events demonstrate that a great majority of Christians have lost confidence that Rome is committed to taking seriously the newness of Vatican II. This crisis of confidence is grave.
As Catholic [?] theologians working in the service of the Church, we hope that every effort will be undertaken to restore confidence in order that the gospel of Jesus Christ may be proclaimed.
Ghent, 15th February 2009.
Okay…. let us go at this again and pull it apart.
First, there is a premise: virtually everyone whom this group likes (basically Protestants) have "lost confidence" in the Church’s commitment to ecumenical dialogue.
What they are really saying is that they don’t like the present trend in dialogue, that is, more and more the Holy See under Pope Benedict is refusing to compromise Catholic teaching for the sake of dialogue. For example, the CDF put out a document clarifying that the Church doesn’t consider some Protestant groups even to be "churches" in the strict sense, it will be possible to have a group of conservative Anglicans come into communion, and it is possible that the SSPX – with their own views of tradition – might really be Catholics too.
Notice that they focused on the lifting of the excommunications of the SSPX bishops as the spark for their "crisis".
The SSPX has introduced into the internal conversation of the Church the need to clarify what the Second Vatican Council taught about a range of issues have to do with religious freedom and ecumenism. If the SSPX can have a voice, they will change the way Catholics will read and receive the Council.
Time and time again I have made this point on this blog. The SSPX represents a terrifying probability that more than one view of the Council is possible, that people can disagree about it and still be Catholic.
Note also their alarm about liturgy.
So, let’s look at this again.
We, Catholic theologians [It might be hard to reconcile this first claim with the CDF’s document on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian.] from 20 countries, gathered together in Ghent for a meeting of the Curatorium (Board) of the European Society for Catholic Theology, are deeply concerned by the current crisis within the Church. [The "crisis" being that their grip on power is slipping. The "spirit" of the Council may no longer be a super-dogma. The "hermeneutic of rupture" may no longer prevail.] We are especially worried that the unconditional lifting of the excommunication of four bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X threatens the internal unity of the Church and the credibility of its witness in the world (Gaudium et spes). [They do not state what the condition might have been, but I am sure it is along the lines of unconditional acceptance of everything these guys think the Council meant, regardless of how our past teaching might seem out of harmony with what they are proposing about the Council. Note also how the reintegration of a separated group, for them, threatens internal unity! Just what is their vision of unity?] This considerably weakens the ability of theologians to dialogue with other disciplines in the academy. [This is cowardly. The Pope’s Regensburg Address and what he did at La Sapienza gives the lie to this craven statement.]
Fundamental issues are at stake with regard to the reception of the Second Vatican Council and must be clearly reaffirmed: [This is the important part. For them, only one reading of the Council, according to the "spirit" they no doubt are privileged to discern, is permitted.]
• The dynamic character of revelation and tradition, Church teaching and liturgy (Dei verbum, Sacrosanctum concilium) [They connect doctrine and liturgy and call it dynamic. But by "dynamic" they mean "changing", in the sense of rupture, not continuity.]
• The collegial exercise of Church governance (Lumen gentium) [They don’t believe the Pope should actually have the ability to govern. They want a reduction of the power of Rome and autonomy for local communities.]
• Full respect for the freedom of conscience and the freedom of religion (Dignitatis humanae) [What they mean here is that people’s own determinations, apart from the teaching of the Church or natural law, should have precedence. They want a man-centered, man-oriented religion.]
• The active commitment to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue (Unitatis redintegratio, Nostra aetate) [What they want is to abandon clear expression of Catholic doctrine for the sake of a false unity. And who are they talking about among these other Christians? What groups?]Members of other Christian Churches, with whom we have been in dialogue for several decades, now question whether the Catholic Church will take concrete steps toward fuller communion. [Gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.] Recent events demonstrate that a great majority of Christians have lost confidence [Who says? These clowns?] that Rome is committed to taking seriously the newness of Vatican II. This crisis of confidence is grave.
As Catholic theologians working in the service of the Church, we hope that every effort will be undertaken to restore confidence in order that the gospel of Jesus Christ may be proclaimed. [In other words, Pope Benedict, stop doing what you are doing.]
Ghent, 15th February 2009.
Right now the liberal progressivists have sensed, as wolves do, that the Pope has been weakened. They are therefore striking at him from all sides.
This organization, to which I doubt anyone very serious has ever paid attention, is another example of how these disciples of rupture, worshiping at the ever shifting altar of a man-centered religion, under the aegis of the Doctor Equivocus, Father Rahner, are striking out at the Vicar of Christ.
That means the Pope is doing something right.
I remember years ago in the corridor of the Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio, I asked Cardinal Ratzinger how he took the constant unfair criticism. I had read that day a terrible article about him in an Italian daily.
He said, "If I don’t read an article like that every week or so, I have to examine my conscience."
If it weren’t so sad and damaging to the faithful, watching them flail around like wounded lampreys might have been entertaining.
PS: I wonder if His Eminence Card. Brady wants to appear at the conference this group sponsors.
