On dissent in the church:
Curran, Charles E.
tapped, as in the growing campaign for international labor union-to-union cooperation can overcome the pressures in a rights, such a sentiment can lead to new bonds with workers ...
...Scripture scholars for-the Jastsg'saera- commentary on Canon 752, recognizes difficulties in translattion orso have publicly disagreed with the teachings that•were ing obsequium but opts for respect...
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...The ing the role of bishops and the role of theologians...
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...In addition,, if the faithful can at times gian functions...
...The good of the church, the credibility of its involved, it seems that such a process should incorporate the teaching office, and the need to protect the rights of all con- contemporary standards of justice found in other juridical cerned call for just ways of dealing with these inevitable proceedings...
...The Christian tradition is a living tradition, and defense of my position...
...I have recognized this fact by consciously referring to dissent from some non-infallible teachings which are somewhat re- a ak moved from the core and central faith realities...
...University of America...
...The early councils of the fourth, fifth, and subtheologian...
...The distinction between infallible and nonwhen they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by a defini- infallible church teaching is absolutely necessary, but not tive act (Canon 752...
...Paper $13.95(t) THE JUST DEMANDS OF THE POOR, Essays In Sodo-Theology, Maria Augusta Neat...
...NOW THAT YOU ARE A CATHOLIC (Revised), John J. Kenny, CSP...
...understanding, and even purification...
...Academic freedom and education and Catholic theology should not ultimately be institutional autonomy mean that any decision affecting pro- decided because of practical consequences for Catholic higher motion, hiring, or dismissal of faculty members must be made education...
...is not involved and we are dealing with the obsequium reHowever, to my surprise, the investigation from the con- ligiosum which is due in cases of non-infallible teaching...
...Christian faith in practice to a small, abstract core...
...First, it is objected strongly to the fact that the cardinal-prefect has comnecessary for the congregation to state its position on public mented publicly on the present case and disagreed in the public theological dissent from non-infallible teaching...
...Peers in judging the competency of a Catholic theologian must give due weight to the teaching of the hierarchical magisterium...
...What about the danger of reducing the The theologians are not the only ones to use this distinction...
...These values and dispositions by • LITERATURE their very nature are somewhat more general and can be more universally accepted as necessary for Christian and human • THE ARTS life...
...In the aftermath given to their increased education and_ rights in all areas, of Humanae Vitae in 1968 some bishops' conferences recog- including religion...
...Disrespect for persons, cheating, slavery, dishonesty, and injustice are always wrong...
...However, life is not so easily compart- justification of monarchy and government from above...
...Reasons must be given which are Address 1. convincing in order to justify the dissent in practice...
...The faculty inquiry committee fully seems to claim that the assent of faith is somehow involved in agreed with the thrust of the argument proposed by the profes- my case...
...The Journey and the Song, Elizabeth Ruth Obbard...
...Here the position proposed by theologians might have There can be no doubt that in the past there has been a strong some practical bearing on how people live...
...I have made it very examined his case in an address to the College Theology clear that I am a believing Catholic and intend to do Catholic theology...
...However, media...
...but on the other hand, one cannot ignore these by peers in the academy and not by outside persons or forces of possible consequences...
...Leader's Guide $12.95...
...As men- media with my position while the case has been in progress...
...So too the members of the church can no longer be conditions one can speak of ,a right of the Catholic faithful to considered as poor sheep...
...10038 from the core of faith and exist at such a level of complexity and specificity that one has to recognize some possibility of Please send the next 6 months of Commonweal to: dissent...
...The natural law is understood to be human reason reflecting on human nature...
...tensions...
...The U.S...
...However, in the light of the new However, the question is can Catholic theology accept the Code of Canon Law with its Canon 812, the same problems American concept of academic freedom...
...Spirit...
...At most the theologian can think in a in this century have theologians made this distinction in such a dissenting way, perhaps even discuss the matter in private and sharp way...
...All must recognize tendency on the part of the hierarchical leaders of the church to that the distinction between the roles of bishops and theolo- look upon the faithful as poor and ignorant sheep who had to be gians would be much clearer if the role of theologians were protected and helped...
...In a very true sense bishops in their 1968 letter proposed three conditions under my present controversy involves more than just the role of which public theological dissent is in order...
...ends up by destroying the of Catholic theologians writing today explicitly disagree with practice of the Christian life and reduces the faith to a collecthe position of the congregation...
...It is also necessary to recognize the necessary distinction Name between the possibility of dissent and the legitimacy of dissent on particular questions...
...any human decision...
...congregation in all of the correspondence prior to the Sep- 638), all proposed erroneous teachings which were subtember 17, 1985, letter to me from Cardinal Ratzinger...
...bishops and with the vast majority of...
...Past experience was the basis for required assent to official church teaching, but the theologian this judgment...
...Such a scholar must theologize within the Catholic In 1979, after receiving the first set of observations from the faith context and must give due importance to all the loci congregation, I had the feeling that the investigation would theologici, including the teaching of the hierarchical magis- soon focus clearly on the public aspect of dissent and on the terium...
...Paper $7.95 BREAKING OPEN THE WORD OFGOD, Resources for Usingthe Lectionary for Catechesis in the RCIA (Cycle A), edited by Karen M. Itinman and Joseph P. Slnwell...
...does not derive his or her theological office from delegation by In 1968 I acted as the spokesperson for a group of theolothe hierarchical officeholders...
...However, there has been much development in the higher studies must have a mandate from the competent understanding of the exact nature of that teaching office, how ecclesiastical authority...
...activities with one another...
...The three conditions are: The reasons must be seri- counsel, the failure to disclose the accusers and the total record ous and well-founded...
...Academic freedom respects the freedom of the scholar to pursue truth with no limits placed on scholarship other than honesty and competency...
...tapped, as in the growing campaign for international labor union-to-union cooperation can overcome the pressures in a rights, such a sentiment can lead to new bonds with workers capitalist, trading system that push workers toward cutthroat abroad...
...The conclusion logically follows from the not allow the theologian to dissent publicly in these cases...
...FIDELITY, FAIRNESS, & THEOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY AMIN, 17M No- h 40% R VIA nin r];CCi2hnt in the church CHARLES E. CURRAN broader intention of using this case to raise up the important issues which the theological community, the hierarchical Serious theological positions are not very adequately conveyed in wire-service news reports or live TV interviews...
...However, since must rightly wait until these newer developments emerge more the process can result in severe punishment for the person clearly...
...There has not been as about academic freedom exist for all Catholic institutions of much discussion in this area as there should be...
...because the ratio agendi is not a trial, but rather a procedure...
...common trade union program with the genuine, unfettered Only a massive effort at worker-to-worker contact and labor movements of our foreign trading partners...
...Some people have credibility of the teaching office of the church...
...Some bishops conferences explicitly recognized the have never been defined by the extraordinary hierarchical legitimacy of dissent from the papal encyclical Humane teaching office...
...Paper $3.95 PRAYING THE KINGDOM, Towards a Pbitttcat Spirituality, Charles Elliott Paper $6.95 PRIESTS IN WORKING-CLASS BLUE, The World of Worker-Priests (1943-1954), Oscar L. Arnal...
...Moral norms, in my judgment, are not the primary, or the only, or the most COMMONWEAL important concern of moral teaching and of moral theology...
...mentary service Origins) so that readers can have fuller access both to Curran's position and his style of thought...
...Norms exist to protect and promote values, but in practice conflicts often arise in the midst of the complexity and specificity involved...
...In the context of the-inquiry it became clear that public and organized dissent referred primarily to holding a press conference and to position is not held by the vast majority of theologians and has actively soliciting other theologians to sign the original state- not been proposed or defended by the congregation...
...Yet teaching office in the Roman Catholic church and the total that is the way many people have formed their opinions on the people of God need to address...
...Paper $12.95(t) DISARMING THE HEART, Toward a Vow of Nonviolence, John Dear...
...James presenting distinguished American Catholic lay leaders Inaugural Lecturer l iil: l iONORABL1...
...The is permissible and even necessary to preserve and foster the new Code of Canon Law, which came into effect in the fall of values and sacredness of marriage...
...No developed criteria were ever forthcoming...
...The board of trustees did not question the right of a scholar to have or hold private dissent from non-infallible' church teaching...
...Likewise the teaching function gians who ultimately numbered over six hundred and issued a of pope and bishops uses an entirely different methodology public statement at a press conference which concluded that from the teaching function of theologians...
...Moral teaching deals with general perspectives, values, at- • RELIGION titudes, and dispositions as well as norms...
...the The correspondence between the Congregation for the Docindissolubility of marriage...
...unions able to fashion a their workers...
...However, this Catholic church to other Christian churches and to the true 12 September 1986: 463 Paulist's Harvest of Books for A Fall '86 r<,P >rs if.t• AVAILABLE ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN, How Your "Great Story" Shapes Your Destiny, Tad Guile and Noreen Monroe Guile...
...07430 1-201-825-7300 OCTOBER '86 CHAOS OR CREATION, Spirituality In MidLife, L Patrick Carroll, SJ, and Katherine M. Dyckman, S.IJ.M...
...Creative FATHER CHARLES E. CURRAN teaches moral theology at Catholic Uni- fidelity is the task of the church in bearing witness to the word versity of America...
...Paper $12.9 PAULIST PRESS Mahwah, N.J...
...Paper $6.95(t) THE FOUNTAIN AND THE FURNACE...
...Paper $5.95 ISAIAII AND HIS INTERPRETERS, John J. Schmitt...
...More specifically, the very well be that the court would rule that public funding for question is can and should Catholic theology be responsibly Catholic institutions of higher learning is unconsitutional...
...Paper $8.95 ELIZABETH SETON: Selected Writings, edited by Etiin M. Kelly and Annabelle Melville...
...Even those teachings which have some basis in Scripture (e.g., the indissolubility of marriage, homosexuality) were also said to be based on natural law...
...Also I have consistently spoken sequium religiosum of intellect and will which is due to the about the right to dissent publicly from some non-infallible authoritative teaching of the pope and college of bishops even church teaching...
...Jeanne Tighe and Karen Szentkeresti...
...However, in this day and age it seems many more Those who deny the legitimacy of such dissent in practice Catholic lay people would be scandalized if theologians were would seem to face a difficult ecclesiological problem when forbidden to discuss, publicly important topics of the day such confronted with the fact that the vast majority of fertile Catho- as contraception, divorce, abortion, and homosexuality...
...According to Cardinal Ratzinger, the...
...The congregation, tance to the danger of disturbing some of the faithful with their in its correspondence with me, has not gone into this issue...
...Only nor spoken publicly...
...Cloth $16.95(t) READINGS IN WESTERN RELIGIOUS THOUGHT, The Andent World, edited by Patrick Reid...
...It is safe to say that the vast majority can be legitimately contested, one...
...I have consistently maintained that my dissent has been in accord with these norms...
...The what independent and cooperative in relationship to the hierar- entire investigation centers on my theological writings, so the chical office and not delegated or derivative from the role of only logical conclusion is that public here refers to theological pope and bishops...
...United States strongly insist on the need for academic freedom In addition, there is need for juridical structures which betterand institutional autonomy...
...Paper $12.95 CATHOLIC FAITH INVENTORY, Kenneth Boyack, C.S.P...
...The theologians thus recognized the a distinction tive, non-infallible teaching...
...masturbation, premarital intercourse and homosexual acts...
...However, at the same time I have the fidelity involves a creative fidelity which seeks to preserve in its own time and place the incarnational principle...
...The crux of the problem is to The Cathedral-Basilica Of St...
...Paper $8.95 LIFE AS PARABLE, Reinterpreting the Rdlgfous Life, John M. Lozano, C.M.F...
...between infallible and non-infallible teaching and used it,, among other purposes, to explain why certain earlier errors in DISAGREE WITH Cardinal Ratzinger's attempt to smooth church teaching did not refute the Vatican I teaching on papal over somewhat the clear distinction between fallible and infallibility...
...The difference between higher and lower education is that in higher education there is no indoctrination and the principles of academic freedom are reconcile the existence of academic freedom and insitutional observed...
...Paper $6.95(t) WILL IT LIBERATE...
...Paper $4.95(t) FIRST CORINTHIANS, An Introduction and Study Guide, John J. Kiigallen...
...hierarchical office in protecting and proclaiming the faith, but The September 17, 1985, letter from Cardinal Ratzinger theology is a scholarly discipline distinct from but related too calls upon me to retract my positions in the following specific the proclamation of the faith by the hierarchical teaching areas: contraception and sterilization...
...are some very significant limitations involved in it...
...Paper $9.95 WORLD SCRIPTURES, An Introduction to Comparative Religions, Kenneth Kramer...
...Thus, for example, in the light of the situation present at the church as a visible human community - the people of God the time of the issuance of the encyclical Humanae Vitae in with a hierarchical office...
...action...
...In the past the Supreme Court has ruled such public funding is acceptable for Catholic higher education but not for Catholic elementary and high schools...
...One could ment...
...Thus my position all along has been willing to recognize the possibility of even public dissent in that I have never denied an infallible teaching of the church...
...artificial contraception is infallible from the ordinary teaching those on religious freedom and the relationship of the Roman of pope and bishops throughout the world...
...I they have the right to know what theologians are discussing...
...The PLAYS ON FILM Catholic theologian must teach Catholic theology as such...
...The Catholic theologian, certitude...
...These theologians likewise recognized the'possi- non-infallible teaching, but his remarks show the need to say bility of dissent from such non-infallible teaching at times, but something in addition to the distinction between infallible and did not explicitly justify public dissent...
...The plays involve low budgets: they require no special Such protection is not only good for the discipline of Catholic effects, only one or two sets, and role-starved actors willing to theology, but also is good for the total church as it strives for take pay cuts to perform in literate screenplays...
...MARIO M. CUOMO Governor of the State of New' 't ork ''Those' Who Love the World: Catholics and the Conitnonweal" October 2, 1986 8:00 p.m...
...writing today see the role of the Catholic theologian as some- However, the meaning of public is never developed...
...Cathoof God need this information to make their own moral deci- lic ecclesiology well illustrates this approach by insisting on sions...
...At the spondence that I have been dealing with the non-infallible time of Vatican Council I and later it was also pointed out that hierarchical teaching office.This position was accepted by the Popes Liberius (d...
...The new Code of Canon Law central to the faith as distinguished from those things that are clearly distinguishes between the assent of faith and the ob- more removed and peripheral...
...2. Public dissent from some non-infallible teachings 1. Role of the theologian The correspondence from the congregation indicates that...
...Hence the focus of the present inquiry is on the style and method whereby some faculty members expressed personal dissent from papal teaching" and apparently helped organize additional public dissent to such teaching...
...The congregation 5. Academic freedom, theology, & was unwilling to accept these norms...
...Many and probably the majority of Catholic theologians the problem is public dissent and not just private dissent...
...On the other hand, the limits and imperfecVitae issued in 1968...
...The general context for the entire case is that of the Roman Curran controversy...
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...In There can be no doubt that much of the friction between my correspondence with the congregation I repeatedly asked theologians and the hierarchical magisterium has occurred on them for criteria which should govern public dissent in the more practical questions, including moral issues touching on church...
...prefect of sequent centuries illustrate how in matters touching the very the congregation, there is an inherent contradiction if "one heart of faith - the understanding of God and of Jesus Christ who is to teach in the name of the church in fact denies her - the living church felt the need to go beyond the words of the teaching...
...Paper $8.95 LIFE JOURNEY AND THE OLD TESTAMENT, An Experiential Approach to the Bible and Personal Transformation, Conrad E. L ileureux...
...position taken by the congregation that the only acceptable Cardinal Ratzinger himself has called the distinction beform of dissent on these issues is that which is neither written tween infallible and non-infallible teaching "legalistic...
...development in Catholic documents within the last few years...
...even if such plays address a limited audience, the producers see it as a sure one, the so-called "white-wine-and-brie" T HE ACADEMIC FREEDOM of Catholic institutions and of crowd...
...Where plant shutdowns and runaway shops, and other steps to imfirms are foreign-based and governments suppress labor, U.S...
...the phrasing of the canons with regard to the indissolubility of In response to this new focus of the inquiry, the subject marriage, the attempt not to condemn the practice of economia professors at Catholic University, through their counsel, of the Greek church and the somewhat broad understanding of pointed out the changed focus but went on to show that such anathema sit at that time of Trent argue against the infallible public and organized dissent in the popular media was a nature of the Catholic church's teaching on the indissolubility responsible action by Catholic theologians...
...These are important topics, but they are adopt the somewhat independent and cooperative understandprimarily illustrative of the more fundamental issues involved...
...and it must not give scandal...
...Moreover, creative fidelity to the word and work of Jesus...
...hasten to add that the individual members also have a right to The right of the faithful in this matter definitely colors one's know what is the official teaching of the church and should be approach to public theological dissent and to the dangers of conscious of the dangers of finitude and sin that can skewer scandal brought about by such dissent or the lack of it...
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...366), Vigilius (d...
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...All tickets will be mailed in advance of the lecture...
...More information is ivailabic by calling: ('71 h) t3E52 4d(12 or ti55-(,390 12 September 1986: 469 ant practical consequence at the present time concerns the financial threat to the very existence of Catholic higher education in the United States...
...The Way of Tears and Fire, Maggie Ross...
...The cynics might be surprised at the countries' recognition of organizing and bargaining rights for solidarity that could result were U.S...
...Paper $3.95 MEISTER ECKIHART: TEACHER AND PREACHER, Bernard McGinn (ed...
...Paper $9.95 COUPLES PRAYING, A Special Intimacy, Gene O'Brien and Judith Tate O'Brien...
...Roman Catholicism recognizes that revelation was Since that time there has been some water over the dam...
...In a sense, under certain Leo XIII...
...Appardecisions having direct juridical effect in the academy...
...Logic demands that the more specific and complex the reality, the less is the possibility of certitude...
...Such teachings are thus somewhat removed from the TEACHERS & STUDENTS core of Catholic faith as such...
...The primary question of public dissent thus was not also maintain that the Catholic teaching on divorce is infallible regular theological publication but the use of the more popular by reason of the teaching of the Council of Trent...
...In principle, they seem to allow for no public theological fended the infallibility of the pope...
...Such a distinction helped to explain that official teaching on some THE CENTRAL POINT at issue in the controversy is the possi- issues had been wrong and had subsequently been corrected bility of public theological dissent from some non- (e.g., the condemnation of interest taking, the need for the infallible teaching...
...The existence of this pastoral teaching standing is found in Canon 812 of the new Code of Canon Law: function of pope and bishops in the church must be recognized "Those who teach theological subjects in any institution of by all...
...Public dissent by a Catholic theologian would then be called for not only because theologians must 4. justice & fairness of the process discuss with one another in the attempt to understand better Catholic theology has always emphasized the incarnational God's word and to arrive at truth, but also because the people principle with its emphasis on visible human structures...
...One set of problems stems from the fact that the congregaThe present case raises questions of justice and of the tion is the prosecutor, the judge, and jury...
...However, it is necessary to point out that in all these issues my position is quite nuanced...
...conditions is that the dissent be such as not to give scandal...
...but greater importance must be dissent from certain non-infallible teachings...
...Today the leaders of Catholic higher education in the Catholic theologians...
...on the part of the members of the church...
...ently independently, a number of producers decided that such There is no doubt that academic freedom gives some added plays could be turned into films at small cost for a sure return...
...Within the church all can and should agree that the disciples CHALLENGE & SENSE of Jesus are called to be loving, faithful, hopeful, caring people who strive to live out the reality of the paschal mystery...
...Catholic colleges and universities receive a large amount of financial help in different forms from the public monies of the state...
...t Paper $3.95 HEALING MINISTRIES, Conversations on the Spiritual Dimensions of Health Care, Joseph H. Pichter, S.J...
...Some maintain that this is the case only for a very general a greater openness in American academe today to few ecclesiastical faculties or universities such as the Catholic accept the adacemic respectibility of disciplines like theology...
...Justin Taylor...
...I insist that the question of the academic I will briefly describe how I think 'academic freedom and freedom and institutional autonomy respecting Catholic higher Catholic theology are compatible...
...r sa7 Ma Blvd...
...I have always pointed out in the corre- intention of procreation to justify conjugal relations...
...Competency for the Catholic theologian demands that one theogogize within the pale of the Roman Catholic faith...
...Much of the following discussion will center on what is often The more theoretical documents seem to indicate a recognition called today the ordinary magisterium of the papal office...
...Paper $6.95(t) A PAGE A DAY FOR LENT 1987, Barbara Sullivan, C.S.J...
...555) and Honorius (d...
...Paper $7.95(t) THE LAITY TODAY AND TOMORROW Edmund Flood, Q.S.B...
...Values should be Catholic institution, this seems to be a violation of academic very important in all the human disciplines...
...This for a somewhat independent and cooperative role of theoloterm ordinary magisterium understood in this present sense gians, whereas the legislative documents understand the has only been in use since the nineteenth century...
...However, these issues and agree- trine of the Faith and myself never explicitly goes into this ment with my positions on these issues do not constitute the question as such, but the congregation is operating out of a major points of contention in the dispute between the congre- derivative understanding of the role of the theologian while I gation and myself...
...ences have recognized the possibility of public theological Infallible teaching itself is always open to development, better dissent from some non-infallible church teaching...
...taught and researched in the context of academic freedom and If the Vatican congregation or any ecclesiastical authority institutional autonomy...
...One significant aspect of the question deserves mention here because of some recent developments - the understanding and translation of obsequium religiosum...
...by theologians but also by official documents and by the new As important as the concept of infallible teaching is, there Code of Canon Law...
...The f central issue involved in the controversy between the Congre- I gation for the Doctrine of the Faith and myself is the possibility City, State, Zip_ Z1 I prefer a full year's subscription at $28.91 12 18 of public theological dissent from some non-infallible teaching which is quite remote from the core of faith, heavily dependent L as--a - -M===== 12 September 1986: 467 on support from human reason, and involved in such complex- contraception under some conditions and ceasing to be memity and specificity that logically one cannot claim absolute bers of the Roman Catholic church...
...Obsequium has often been translated as submission or obedience...
...the manner of the dissent must not to the accused, and the lack of any substantive appeal process...
...Values, attitudes and dispositions are much more important and far-reaching for • POLITICS the moral life than are norms...
...Private dissent apparently means something that is critically, thematically, and systematically Christian faith and not written and is not spoken publicly...
...lic social teaching itself has changed in the twentieth century Elsewhere I have defended the fact that on some issues a and accepted the need for and importance of democratic politiloyal Catholic may disagree in theory and in practice with the cal institutions...
...bishops in 1968, in the light of the Problems have also been raised against the existing procedures controversy engendered by Humanae Vitae, proposed three from the viewpoints of the secrecy of the first part of the conditions for justifying public dissent from non-infallible process, the failure to allow the one being investigated to have teaching...
...ness of the process, and academic freedom for theology and The cooperative model does not deny the official role of the Catholic institutions of higher learning...
...4 A few months later the object of the inquiry had definitely changed...
...Lumen Gentium, the Constitution on the Church of the Second In my own comments about this case, I have been careful Vatican Council, recognizes this distinction between infallible not only to use the distinction between infallible and nonand non-infallible teaching and the two different types of infallible teaching but also to talk about what is core and assent which are due (No...
...competition with one another...
...Here an updating of the older theological notes would be very useful...
...and work of Jesus...
...The shift in the of marriage...
...Free will offering will be taken the evening of the Peter Turner Forum The Cathedral Pavilion_ Saint James is located in the Downtown Business Section of Brooklyn, immediate to crossing the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges...
...places today, and theologians must be able to enter into the The importance of recognizing this possibility and even discussion even to the point of dissenting from some official right on the part of the faithful greatly affects how the theolo- Catholic teaching...
...The role congregation, in a letter to me, has defended its procedures of the theologian by definition will often be that of probing...
...prove working and living conditions around the world...
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...However, some points theological dissent and, at the present time, even public dis- which have never been attacked, such as the existence of God, sent...
...Thus the COMMONWEAL issues under consideration in this case are quite far removed 15 Dutch St., New York, N.Y...
...it is exercised and what is its relationship to the other functions It seems there has been an interesting, even contradictory, connected with the office of pope and bishops in the church...
...Howcase...
...among others, had an obligation to tell this to Catholic spouses...
...Orsy also recognizes the proposed by the biblical commission in the first two d hdes of possibility of legitimate public dissent from some authoritathis century...
...question or impugn the teaching authority of the church...
...Despite my intentions, I still might be wrong...
...Scripture, to understand better and more adequately the revelaFrom the very beginning I am conscious of my own preju- tion of God...
...Paper $2.95(t) WAR: A CALL TO THE INNER LAND, Eberhard Arnold...
...One of these theologians in the church...
...Thus, the same filmmaking-by-demography that has Catholic theology is an important theoretical question with led to all the movies for designated age groups (children, many practical consequences...
...Paper $7.95 DARK INTIMACY, "for Those In Difficult Prayer Experiences, David J. HHassel, S.J...
...Tickets must be requested in advance...
...Thus there is in freedom...
...In response to this state1983, and the apostolic constitution of ecclesiastical faculties ment, the trustees of the Catholic University of America on and universities, Sapientia Christian, understand the role of September 5, 1969, mandated an inquiry in accord with acathe theologian as primarily derived from the hierarchical teach- demic due process to determine if the Catholic University , Commonweal: 462 professors involved in this dissent had violated by their declarations and actions their responsibilities to the university...
...Isounions can use labor rights laws to challenge our own govern- lated in protectionist huddles, American workers can accomment to make foreign aid and trading rights contingent on those plish none of those goals...
...Fidelity to the tradition does not mean merely dices and biases...
...Paper $9.95 HOW not TO SAY MASS, Guidebook for All Concerned with Authentic Worship, Dennis C. Smolarskl, S.J...
...Five issues will be considered: the role of the theologian, ever, Vatican Council II in its general ecclesiology and in its the possibility of public theological dissent from some non- understanding of theologians can be interpreted to adopt a infallible hierarchical church teachings, the possibility and more cooperative and somewhat independent understanding of right of dissent by the Christian faithful, the justice and fair- the role of theologians vis-a-vis the hierarchical magisterium...
...Seating is limited...
...The accepted principles of academic freedom recognize that even tenured faculty Screen members can be terminated if they are incompetent and the judgment of incompetency is made by academic peers...
...3. The Christian faithful & dissent There is a third aspect or issue which has not received the HE POSSIBILITY for legitimate dissent in practice by the attention it needs - the possibility and legitimacy of dissent T faithful also affects the matter of scandal...
...Howif the reasons are serious and well-founded, if the manner of ever, in the present discussion the distinction between infallithe dissent does not question or impugn the teaching authority of the church, and if the dissent is such as not to give scandal...
...teachings...
...Within this large area of what is non-infallible and not MERIT SYSTEM central to the Christian faith, it is necessary to recognize various degrees and levels of relationship to faith...
...Paper $7.95(t) CATHOLIC EVANG[LIZAT1ON TODAY, A New Pentecost for the United States, edited by Kenneth Boyack, C.S.P...
...111107430 1-201-825-7300 church of Jesus Christ...
...The hierarchical magisterium is Heart, Children of a Lesser God, and others) that will always free if it deems it necessary to point out the errors and premiere as films in the next six months, the result of a strange ambiguities in the work of a theologian, but it cannot make but happy twist in Hollywood production strategies...
...non-infallible teaching...
...However, the pastoral letter also recognizes the pope and bishops, and because even infallible teaching the legitimacy of public theological dissent from such teaching itself is open to development and further interpretation...
...but I Society...
...However, the universal binding Six months for $9 for new subscribers force of specific concrete material norms cannot enjoy the same degree or level of certitude...
...If there is such a possibility, then the individual dissent in practice and remain loyal Roman Catholics, then members of the Catholic church have a right to know about it...
...Thus, if there were no academic freedom and inautonomy with the truth claims made by the Catholic church stitutional autonomy for Catholic higher education, it might and its hierarchical teaching office...
...A very sequently rejected through theological dissent...
...gregation never moved explicitly into the direction of the However, it is very clear that the congregation maintains that manner and mode of dissent and even at times the use of the obsequium religiosum due to non-infallible teaching does popular media...
...For this reason I have remained tion of doctrines...
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...Last May, before the final decision by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Father Curran Catholic church and Catholic theology...
...God's revelation has been handed over and the College Theology Society...
...protection to the rights of the Catholic theological scholar...
...abortion and euthanasia...
...I have strenuously maintained that the assent of faith sors, and the professors were exonerated in this hearing...
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...Set $9.95 net CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS, An Introduction to Faith in Our Time, Kathleen R, r%vVVIL~~ti ?Ischer and Thomas N. Hart...
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...can declare someone no longer a Catholic theologian and From the viewpoint of the American academy, there is a unable to teach in the name of the church, and thereby prevent greater awareness today of the bankruptcy of an older insis- that professor from continuing to teach Catholic theology in a tence on being value free or value neutral...
...The hierarchical teaching office must promote such crea- designed to generate a careful and accurate examination of the tive and faithful theological activity, while at the same time it contents of published writings by the author...
...When one affirms that non-infallible doctrines, write private letters to the proper authorities explaining the even though they make up part of the teaching of the church, reasons for one's dissent...
...office...
...manuals of the twentieth century before Vatican II...
...closed at the end of apostolic times, but revelation itself The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has develops and is understood in the light of the different historiurged me to "reconsider and to retract those positions which cal and cultural circumstances of the hearers and doers of the violate the conditions for a professor to be called a Catholic Word...
...A Catholic theological role as derivative and delegated from the hierarchimust recognize the pastoral office of teaching given to the pope cal teaching office...
...Commonweal is reprinting major portions of this text maintain that my positions are totally acceptable for a Catholic (which also appeared in the July 31 issue of the NC docutheologian who is a believing Roman Catholic...
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...This distinction is thus not only accepted sufficient...
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...12 September 1986: 461 In carrying out its call to creative fidelity to the word and ing office and functioning by reason of delegation given by the work of Jesus, the church is helped by the papal and episcopal hierarchical teaching office...
...This paper is presented from my own per- repeating the very words of the Scripture or of older church spective and therefore is bound to serve as an apologetic or teaching...
...nized that dissent in practice from the encyclical's teaching Perhaps at times theologians, who often associate with condemning artifical contraception could be legitimate and did people who are well-educated, will fail to give enough impornot cut one off from the body of the faithful...
...Ladislas Orsy, in a recent Commonweal: 466 ble and non-infallible is very important...
...higher learning...
...few Catholic theologians have maintained that the teaching on Vatican Council II changed many earlier teachings such as...
...The English text of the Code of Canon Law found in the commentary commissioned by the Canon Law Society of America and authorized by the executive committee of the National Conference' of Catholic Bishops in the United States translates obsequium as respect...
...Paper $8.95 MIRACLES AND ME, Poems for Children, Christy Kennealiy...
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...The issues are not just abstract questions about Scandal in the strict sense is an action or omission which which people speculate, but they involve concrete decisions provides another the occasion of sinning...
...Also documents from bishops-confer- tions of any infallible teaching have been rightly recognized...
...Problems arise in scandal is the wonderment and confusion which are caused by these areas precisely because they involve more than specula- a certain action or omission...
...theological journals as being legitimate, but objected to the use However, in the September 17 letter Cardinal Ratzinger of the popular media...
...The Catholic theologian to be such must give the manner and mode of dissent...
...This same vision and understanding of restricted to the realm of speculation, with no effect on what the ordinary common people also lay behind an older Catholic people do in practice...
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...The U.S...
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...Bishop Christopher Butler was, to my knowledge, the first to translate the word obsequium as respect...
...Infallible Some theological manuals and many contemporary theolo- teaching, especially of the extraordinary type by pope or gians understand the obsequium religiosum owed to authorita- council, has usually come in response to an attack on or a tive, non-infallible teaching to justify at times the possibility of denial of something central to the faith...
...The Catholic tradition in moral theology has insisted that its moral teaching is based primarily on natural law and not primarily on faith or the Scripture...
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...Thus, one must be carebishops in their 1968 pastoral letter "Human Life in Our Day" ful when speaking about infallible teaching both because some pinpoint that in non-infallible teaching there is always a pre- things might pertain to the core of faith which have at least not sumption in favor of the magisterium - a position held by been infallibly taught by the extraordinary teaching function of most theologians...
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...Francis Sullivan, in his book on magisterium . . . claims that "submission" and not "due respect" is the proper translation of obsequium, but the Gregorian University professor still recognizes the possibility and legitimacy of public dissent from authoritative, non-infallible teaching...
...How- EXTREMITIES and 'Night Mother are the first of about ten ever, the ultimate decision with juridical effects must be made recent (and decent) plays (including Crimes of the by peers in the academy...
...surprised even to the present day that the Congregation for the It is true that the sharp distinction between infallible and Doctrine of the Faith was proposing such a restricted notion of non-infallible teaching is recent, for it became prevalent only legitimate theological dissent from such non-infallible teach- at the time of the First Vatican Council (1870), which deing...
...sexuality...
...This insistence on the rational nature fi of Catholic moral teaching recognizes such teaching can and should be shared by all human beings of all faiths and of no faith...
...and bishops, but also to realize that this teaching function has There is no doubt that from the nineteenth century until been exercised in different ways over the years...
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Vol. 113 • September 1986 • No. 15
