Catholic theologians advocate major changes

The Catholic Herald in the UK reports:

More than 140 Catholic theologians from universities in Austria, Germany and Switzerland have called for the Church to end priestly celibacy, ordain women and allow lay people to help select bishops, among other changes.

The 143 professors said their appeal was made in response to the clergy sexual abuse scandals that surfaced in Europe last year and that they no longer could remain silent in the face of what they say is a lingering crisis within the Catholic Church.

The theologians, who also called for the Church to welcome same-sex couples and divorced and remarried couples, said their statement was issued to open a discussion about the future of the Church.

Can someone who knows better tell us if this number is as impressive as it would seem?

Posted by Jim Naughton on February 7, 2011 5:18 PM | |
Comments (6)

The number of theologians signing the statement is significant, but it will have little immediate effect.

According to the National Catholic Reporter:

In his latest book, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed that the church has "no authority" to ordain women as priests and rejected the idea that the rule was formed only because the church originated in a patriarchal society.
The pope said that man did not produce the form of the church, and does not have the power to change it. Christ gave the form of the priesthood when he chose his male Apostles, he said in the book-interview, "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times."
"The church has 'no authority' to ordain women. The point is not that we are saying we don't want to, but that we can't," he said. This requires obedience by Catholics today, he added.

The Previous pope, John Paul II decreed that the discussion on the ordination of women was closed.

What remains to be seen is whether the theologians will be disciplined in some way for speaking out.

June Butler

Posted by GrandmèreMimi [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 7, 2011 6:53 PM

Hmmmm...some folk want their church to "end priestly celibacy," "ordain women," "allow lay people to help select bishops," "welcome same-sex couples and divorced and remarried couples," and welcome open discussion?

The Episcopal Church Welcomes You, Should You Get Tired of Holding Your Breath.

Posted by John Ohmer [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 7, 2011 10:44 PM

I think we can be assured that 143 recantation letters (w/ subsequent excommunications, lacking signatures to the former) are being prepared at the Vatican as we speak...

JC Fisher

Posted by tgflux [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 7, 2011 11:58 PM

JC,

I doubt the recantation letters--that would indicate that the Vatican 1) has noticed and 2) cares about the protest...

Posted by Derek Olsen [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 8, 2011 10:38 AM

And then there's this,

http://www.ethicsdaily.com/vatican-to-draft-guidelines-for-catholic-hospitals-cms-17417

" Controversies over bioethical standards at U.S. Catholic hospitals show the need for greater Catholic education for health care workers, Vatican officials said Thursday (Feb. 3). ... Bishop Jose L. Redrado, secretary of the council, said Catholic facilities are confronting a “culture of death” following disputes over a 2009 abortion at a Catholic hospital in Arizona that doctors said was necessary to save the mother’s life. Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted stripped the hospital of its Catholic affiliation and excommunicated its chief ethicist."

Posted by John B. Chilton [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 8, 2011 10:49 AM

The response from the Vatican on health care should be interesting. There are directives from the US Catholic Conference of Bishops
for Catholic institutions, and, really, for Catholic patients to follow. It will be interesting to see if the Vatican panel goes beyond even these.

Marshall Scott

Posted by Execute [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 8, 2011 12:09 PM

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