Posts Tagged theology
Fr. Hans Kung says Francis responded to request for free discussion on infallibility dogma / National Catholic Reporters
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on April 27, 2016
On March 9, my appeal to Pope Francis to give room to a free, unprejudiced and open-ended discussion on the problem of infallibility appeared in the leading journals of several countries. I was thus overjoyed to receive a personal reply from Francis immediately after Easter. Dated March 20, it was forwarded to me from the nunciature in Berlin.
“In the pope’s reply, the following points are significant for me:
- The fact that Francis answered at all and did not let my appeal fall on deaf ears, so to speak;
- The fact that he replied himself and not via his private secretary or the secretary of state;
- That he emphasizes the fraternal manner of his Spanish reply by addressing me as Lieber Mitbruder(“Dear Brother”) in German and puts this personal address in italics;
- That he clearly read the appeal, to which I had attached a Spanish translation, most attentively;
- That he is highly appreciative of the considerations that had led me to write Volume 5 of my complete works, in which I suggest theologically discussing the different issues that the infallibility dogma raises in the light of holy Scripture and tradition with the aim of deepening the constructive dialogue between the “semper reformanda” 21st-century church and the other Christian churches and postmodern society.”
By Hans Kung, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this article.
Women Resistant to Pope Francis’ Call for New Theology / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Voice of the Faithful, Women in Catholic Church on November 4, 2013
Pope Francis is calling for a theology of women, but women in the church are resistant, calling instead for a theology of the laity.
“‘I want to talk about a theology of men and women together,’ lawyer and theologian Helen Alvare told NCR in an email.
“Alvare was a speaker at a recent Vatican symposium marking the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s 1988 apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem (“On the Dignity and Vocation of Women”). The Women’s Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity hosted the symposium at the Vatican Oct. 10-12.
“Around 100 women from 25 countries, representing lay movements and church associations, explored and discussed Mulieris Dignitatem. On the final day, Francis met with the participants and their families.” By Megan Fincher and Colleen Dunne, National Catholic Reporter
Read the rest of this article by clicking here.
U.S. Bishops Set to Meet with Young Theologians; Theological Societies Unaware of Meeting / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Voice of the Faithful on September 13, 2013
The U.S. bishops’ committee known in recent years for criticizing several prominent American theologians is bringing together 14 bishops and a select group of younger members of the theological field in a three-day meeting this week. The meeting, sponsored by the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee and the Knights of Columbus, is part of a multiyear effort on the part of the bishops to encourage dialogue with theologians. Even so, attendance is open only to academics selected by the bishops. Additionally, the heads of the two major U.S. theological societies, the Catholic Theological Society of America and the College Theology Society, told NCR they were unaware of the meeting and did not know how the bishops selected the invitees.” By Joshua McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
Read all of McElwee’s article by clicking here.
What could new USCCB doctrinal head mean to future theological debate?
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Voice of the Faithful on May 31, 2013
New Doctrinal Watchdog: Theological Intervention Sometimes Necessary, by Joshua McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
The new head of the U.S. bishops’ office that has in recent years attracted controversy for criticizing theologians has said he hopes to be in dialogue with those theologians but may sometimes have to make interventions to ‘make sure that the faith is being handed down intact.'”
What women theologians have done for the Church / U.S. Catholic
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Voice of the Faithful on December 13, 2012
“Catholics can thank women theologians for 70 years of building up the church …
The fact that women have only been admitted to graduate-level theology programs at Catholic institutions for the past 70 years means the addition of women to the ranks of church scholars is a relatively recent change …
“In the intervening decades, however, Catholic women theologians have helped form both lay and ordained church leaders’ understanding of liturgy, scripture, ethics, pastoral ministry, spirituality, faith formation, theology, and the church itself. This means that regular Catholics, too, have been influenced by women theologians—whether they know it or not …
“Svea Fraser (founding member of Voice of the Faithful®) of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Wellesley, Massachusetts, says that it’s precisely the beauty of Catholic rituals—specifically the Eucharist and the funeral rite—that keep her grounded in her Catholic faith. “A Catholic anthropology is so hopeful—you’re loved unconditionally,” she says. Fraser directs her parish’s RCIA program, and she takes the opportunity to include the work of women theologians in the process of explaining church doctrine and tradition to the participants. The group discusses the feminine aspects of God and the value of inclusive language—a tool they can use in their own prayer life, even if it’s not used in the Mass …”
By Heather Greenan Gray in the online edition of January 2013 U.S. Catholic
Look for Voice of the Faithful’s ad promoting the ordination of women to the diaconate in the Roman Catholic Church in the January 2013 print edition of U.S. Catholic.
Theologian’s disinvite linked to Vatican-supported group | National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, church reform, Voice of the Faithful on November 7, 2012
Theologian’s disinvite linked to Vatican-supported group | National Catholic Reporter.
“The University of San Diego canceled a British theologian’s fellowship after an influential alumnus and a conservative watchdog group backed by a high-ranking Vatican official protested the appointment to the university’s board of trustees.
“Tina Beattie, a professor of Catholic studies at London’s University of Roehampton known for her work in contemporary ethical issues, was to have begun a two-month fellowship at the university Tuesday, Nov. 6.
“University president Mary Lyons informed Beattie that the fellowship had been canceled in an Oct. 27 letter.
“Thirteen members of the Catholic university’s theology and religious studies faculty and the 47,000-member American Association of University Professors raised concerns about the impact of Lyons’ action in separate letters.”
Financial Contributors Scotch Theologian’s Visiting Fellowship
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in church reform, Voice of the Faithful on November 2, 2012
Once again, a U.S. university has canceled a theologian’s appearance, further curtailing theological discussion. National Catholic Reporter reports that the, “University of San Diego has canceled a visiting fellowship for a British theologian less than two weeks before her scheduled arrival at the university because of pressure from financial contributors, according to a letter from the university’s president.”
NCR quotes Tina Beattie, a professor of Catholic studies at London’s University of Roehampton: “It’s unheard of, certainly in Britain, for a theologian in my position to feel threatened by this kind of action. It’s not about me; it’s about some change in the culture of the Catholic church that we should be very, very concerned about.”
African theologian questions church’s exclusion of women | National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church Finances, Catholic Dissent, Prophetic Voices, Voice of the Faithful on June 12, 2012
Addressing 300 fellow theologians at the Catholic Theological Society of America meeting in St. Louis June 8, according to National Catholic Reporter, Jesuit Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator said the church “totters on the brink of compromising its self-identity as the basic sacrament of salvation” and that a particular concern is the church’s disregard of women.
Orobater wrapped up his address by saying, “I believe that it lies within the realm of possibility to transform our church into a truly catholic and richly textured (sic) patchwork of different genders, races, generations, orientations, ministries, and faith traditions that signify that saving presence of God in our midst.”
Here is a link to NCR’s entire report:
African theologian questions church’s exclusion of women | National Catholic Reporter.
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
Voice of the Faithful- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Voice of the Faithful ® 