The Cologne declaration
THE COLOGNE DECLARATION AUTHORITY OUT OF BOUNDS INTRODUCTION "The Cologne Declaration" was signed on the Epiphany by 163 German-speaking theologians from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and...
...To come to the defense of poor churches, to lead rich churches out of their entanglements, and to promote the unity of the church, these are goals that we understand and which we support...
...The teachings of the church are not all equally certain or of equal theological weight...
...Objections against authorizing someone to teach, or final decisions in these matters, must rest on legitimate reasons and be substantiated in accordance with recognized academic norms...
...But the German-speaking churches, in particular, have been disturbed by episcopal appointments made in opposition to local needs and traditional practices...
...1. In view of Rome's recent episcopal appointments around the world, but especially in Austria, Switzerland, and here in Cologne, we declare: Local churches have traditional, even codified canonical rights, to share in decision making...
...The power to withhold official permission to teach is being abused...
...there are degrees of theological certitude and a "hierarchy of truths...
...This value may not be undermined by forbidding people to think and speak...
...Ecclesial obedience in service of the gospel requires a readiness for constructive opposition (see the Code of Canon Law, 212, 3...
...It is much more the case that in arriving at its interpretation of the truth, the teaching office is dependent on the conscience of the faithful...
...Conscience is not an executive assistant to the papal teaching office, as it might appear in the aforementioned addresses...
...Moreover, we regret the intense fixation of the papal teaching office on this single problem area...
...most have been dogmatic and systematic theologians...
...As a result, critics of the papal teaching on birth control find themselves condemned for "attacking fundamental cornerstones of Christian doctrine.'' Indeed, their very appeal to the...
...Many people in the church are convinced that the norms for birth control in the encyclical Humanae vitae (1968) represent a moral position that does not replace the responsibility of the faithful to their own conscience...
...If the pope does what does not belong to his office, he cannot demand obedience in the name of Catholicism...
...The autocratic methods manifest in recent episcopal appointments stand in contradiction to the gospel spirit of brotherhood, to the positive, postconciliar experiences of freedom, and to the collegiality of the bishops...
...To simply gloss over the tension between teaching and conscience leads in the end to a devaluation of conscience...
...Arbitrariness in this area puts the continued existence of Catholic theological faculties at state universities at risk...
...Similar debates have occurred in appointments to the Sees of Chur (Switzerland), Vienna, and Salzburg and further disagreement is expected over coming appointments elsewhere in Austria...
...One of the critical achievements of Vatican II-the opening of the Catholic church to collegiality between pope and bishops-is being stifled by recent Roman efforts at centralization...
...Respect for and the dignity of the papal office require that p$wmbe exercised in a judicious, jpuuier in dealing with established institutions...
...Similarly, the various degrees of certitude that may be attributed to theological statements and the limits of theological knowledge in medical and anthropological questions must be taken into account...
...In cases of conflict, therefore, it is part of his office to bring people together...
...the editors ! A number of events in our Catholic church compel us to make the following public declaration...
...A pope who refers so often to the responsibility of Christian women and men in secular activities should not systematically disregard it in this critical area...
...Commonweal's text of the declaration was translated with the assistance of Karen Trub, William Dych, S.J., and Leonard Swidler...
...they are part of its multilayered life...
...Because of our responsibility for the Christian faith...
...This is what Vatican II teaches:''In comparing doctrines with one another it should not be forgotten that there is an order of precedence or 'hierarchy' of truths within Catholic doctrine, according to the different ways they are connected with the foundation of Christian faith'' (Decree on Ecumenism, 11...
...it has become an instrument to discipline theologians...
...In today's world, the role of the nuncios becomes more and more questionable...
...We call on the bishops to remember the example of Paul, who remained in communion with Peter, even though on the question of the mission to the Gentiles, he' 'opposed him to his face" (Galatians 2:11...
...This represents a seribus and dangerous interference in the free exercise of scholarly research and teaching, and in the pursuit of theological understanding through dialogue, principles which Vatican II repeatedly emphasized...
...The current practice of violating the principle of subsidiarity in the church in instances where the local bishop clearly has authority in questions of faith and morals is indefensible...
...This tendency hinders the ecumenical movement in essential ways...
...The pope draws upon the concepts of "fundamental truth" and "divine revelation" in order to defend a highly particular teaching, which can be grounded neither in Holy Scripture nor in the traditions of the church (see his addresses of October 15 and November 12, 1988...
...Then he must expect contradiction...
...dignity of an erroneous conscience is condemned...
...The right of universities or faculties to add to their numbers by selecting professors may not be completely eroded by arbitrary procedures in granting or denying ecclesiastical permission to teach...
...And they are accused of making "the cross of Christ of no avail,",of "destroying the mystery of God," and of denying the dignity of the human person...
...THE COLOGNE DECLARATION AUTHORITY OUT OF BOUNDS INTRODUCTION "The Cologne Declaration" was signed on the Epiphany by 163 German-speaking theologians from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland...
...progressive undermining of the local churches, suppression of theological debate, and reduction in the role of the laity in the church...
...the appointment of Cardinal Joachim Meisner in Cologne came after a protracted debate between Rome and the Cologne Cathedral Chapter...
...for the sakeof our own consciences...
...With regard to "The Cologne Affair," we consider it scandalous that the election procedure was altered while the process was already underway...
...3. There have been theologically questionable attempts to assert the pope's doctrinal and jurisdictional authority in an exaggerated form...
...this has a theological basis and to some extent is also guaranteed by concordats...
...In this, he went to excessive lengths with regard to Marcel Lefebvre and his followers, in spite of Lefebvre's fundamental challenge to the teaching magisterium...
...The bishops are not executive agents of the pope...
...and in solidarity with all Christian women and men who are scandalized by the latest developments in our church, or even despair of it, we cannot remain silent but consider this declaration a necessity...
...If under such pressures, the selection of university theology professors, female and male, takes place on the basis of criteria having nothing to do with the science of, theology itself, then theology will suffer a loss of respect in the universities...
...Bishops, among others the German bishops in their "Konigstein Declaration" (1968), and moral theologians have considered this interpretation of many Christian women and men correct because they are convinced that the dignity of the conscience consists not only in obedience but also and precisely in responsibility...
...The three specific problems discussed in the document have appeared in the church throughout the world...
...We are deeply distressed by difficulties in three specific areas: 1. The Roman curia is aggressively pursuing a strategy of unilaterally filling vacant episcopal sees around the world, without regard for the recommendations of the local church and without respect for their established rights...
...Even the papal teaching office has acknowledged the importance of theology itself for examining the arguments for theological statements and norms...
...Theologians, who stand in the service of the church, nevertheless also have the obligation to voice public criticism if church authority uses its power falsely so that it ends in contradicting its own goals, endangers the path to church unity, and retreats from the openness of Vatican II...
...as an exercise of our ministry as teachers of theology...
...the appointment process is not a private decision of the pope...
...While the means for sending news and for conducting personal consultations have been improved, the nunciature increasingly falls under the odium of being an intelligence agency, which through its one-sided selection of information is often responsible for creating the very deviations it is supposed to be looking for...
...The interconnectedness of truths which the pope maintains does not mean that these truths are all of the same rank or the same importance...
...The sense of procedural justice is palpably offended...
...It is not part of the papal office to sharpen conflicts of a secondary nature without any attempt at dialogue, to resolve such conflicts unilaterally and by official decree, and to turn them into grounds for exclusion...
...We object to the disregard shown this principle in the current practice of granting or denying ecclesiastical permission to teach...
...The church is not a city under siege that expands its fortifications and rigidly defends itself against enemies within and without...
...The church stands in the service of Jesus Christ...
...Such disciplinary actions rob the local churches of their autonomy...
...The kind of obedience toward the pope that recently and increasingly often has been demanded of bishops and cardinals, and affirmed by them, appears to be blind obedience...
...Until today these rights have been part of the church's history...
...What we observe seems to indicate the following changes in the post-conciliar church: a creeping extension of exaggerated hierarchical control...
...The disciplining of local churches by episcopal appointments or by other measures (as in Latin America, Sri Lanka, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and here in Cologne) are often based on false analyses and suspicions...
...3. As for the attempt to assert the teaching authority of the pope in an unacceptable way, we declare: Recently in addresses to theologians and bishops, and without considering the differing degrees of certitude and the unequal weight of church statements, the pope has connected the teaching on birth control with fundamental truths of the faith, such as the holiness of God and salvation through Jesus Christ...
...2. All over the world, many qualified theologians, men and women, are being denied ecclesiastical permission to teach...
...Scientific investigation requires argumentation and communication...
...Roman intervention in granting or denying permission to teach without consulting the local church or even acting against the explicit judgment of the local bishop risks undermining established and approved areas of juridical procedure...
...Among the 162 other signers are Professors Alfons Auer, Franz Bockle, Heinrich Fries, Herbert Haag, Hans Kung, Johann Baptist Metz, and Eduard Schil-lebeeckx...
...It must resist the constant temptation to misuse his gospel message about God's justice, mercy, and fidelity for the sake of its own power by resorting to questionable ways of governing...
...The /church was understood by the council as the pilgrim people of God and the living community of the faithful (communio...
...The selection of candidates for the offiee of bishop should give proportionate recognition to all levels of the church...
...On the basis of our common witness, we share these various concerns about the church with the pastors of the church...
...2. With respect to the problem of appointing theology professors and granting ecclesiastical permission to teach, we declare: The authority and responsibility of the local bishop to grant or to withhold ecclesiastical permission to teach must be preserved...
...Individual matters of detail in ethical and dogmatic propositions cannot be arbitrarily exaggerated and raised to the point that they become the means of testing or questioning the integrity of a person's faith, while at the same time ethical positions directly connected to the practice of the faith (such as the rejection of torture, racial segregation, or exploitation) do not seem to hold the same theological importance for the integrity of the faith...
...antagonism from above which heightens conflict in the church through means of disci-, plinary measures...
...The pope claims to exercise the office of unity...
...The increasing inflexibility on the birth control discussion was reported and analyzed by Bernard Haring, who is also a signer of "The Cologne Declaration " (see Commonweal, February 10, 1989...
...Similarly, m applying for positions on the Catholic faculties of state universities, theologians regarded as unreliable on the birth control question have been subjected to particular scrutiny and then rejection on the basis of Roman opposition...
Vol. 116 • February 1989 • No. 4
