Changing Roman Catholic Perspectives

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Changing Roman Catholic Perspectives Introducing a Second Edition Changing Roman Catholic Perspectives his volume provides an introductory sur- contemporary theology; (4) to draw attention to Tvey of the major theological treatises of some recent ecumenical and bilateral statements systematic theology. At a time of declining theo- issued by the various Christian churches; and logical literacy, an introductory volume should (5) to take into account the current emphasis necessarily provide a basic knowledge not only on practice that exists across diverse liberation for collegiate religion majors, and not only for theologies. beginning theology students in master’s pro- In approaching the task of revising and grams, both academic and ministerial, but also updating the essays, the authors have selected for interested and informed general readers. various approaches. Some have added to their In the twenty years since the appearance chapters reflection on developments in the past of the first edition of these volumes, much has two decades; others have completely revised changed in the world, the churches, and the- their essays. Three original authors—Catherine ology. The preface to the first edition defined LaCugna, Monika Hellwig, and Regis Duffy— five goals: (1) to explain the diverse theological have died, so new authors were selected: Antho- currents of the Second Vatican Council; (2) to ny Godzieba has written a new chapter 3 on the describe the impetus that historical-critical triune God, and Jeannine Hill Fletcher has writ- studies of the Scriptures and the Roman Catho- ten a new chapter 10 on eschatology. And since lic Church’s traditions and practices have had David Power wrote on individual sacraments on the renewal of theology at the time of Vati- in the first edition, he was asked to expand his can II and on the council’s theological, ecclesial, work on chapter 9 to cover all the sacraments and liturgical reforms; (3) to appropriate and to except for the section on marriage. Moreover, at show the significance that recent hermeneutical the end of every chapter, a new annotated bibli- theories and philosophical developments had on ography has been provided. xxv Introducing a Second Edition xxvi Avery Cardinal Dulles died soon after he Dignitatis humanae (Declaration on Religious finished his revision of chapter 2 for this volume. Freedom), and Lumen gentium (Dogmatic Con- We are fortunate that Cardinal Dulles had the stitution on the Church). It is alleged that Gaud- same fidelity to deadlines as he has had over the ium et spes has a too-optimistic attitude toward years to his teaching, writing, and service to the the modern world and that the declaration on church as a theologian. A former colleague at religious freedom operates with the presupposi- the Catholic University of America, he was ex- tion of the individualism of modern liberalism. tremely encouraging when I first spoke to him Nevertheless, a careful reading of Gaudium et about the idea and goals of the original project. spes shows that while it acknowledges the rapid Though the five goals set for the original growth in science and technology in the modern edition remain the same and are still significant, world, it criticizes the increased exploitation of the context in which they existed has changed. the poor as well as the growing distance between These changes affect the goals, so it is necessary the rich and the poor, not only within nations, to reflect on how these goals must be expanded, but also among nations. Dignitatis humanae modified, and applied anew. In the four decades does not ground religious freedom in the private since Vatican II, the Roman Catholic Church realm and make religious freedom merely an is- has seen a continuing discussion of the mean- sue of individual preference or choice. Instead, it ing of the council and the theological currents grounds religious freedom in human dignity (as expressed in it. The theological, cultural, and its Latin title expresses) and in its contribution global situation today is very different from the to the welfare of all. 1960s, when the council took place or from the A somewhat different misinterpretation 1980s when the first edition was planned and takes place regarding Lumen gentium such that these changing circumstances have widened the the minority position is now sometimes pre- scope of the original goals. sented as if it were the decisive meaning. Ex- The first goal was to present an interpreta- amples of this include the question of whether tion of the theological context, background, and the church of Christ is totally and exclusively consequences of Vatican II. Today the interpre- identical with the Roman Catholic Church or tation of the council has moved even more into whether the more modest “subsist in” language the center of discussion. Some are questioning of the council allows for acknowledgment of the the value and significance of the council, and ecclesial reality of other Christian communities. others are even criticizing significant teachings Likewise, the deliberations at the council point- of the council. At the risk of oversimplifying a ed to the importance of episcopal conferences. complex set of issues, these interpretations can Lumen gentium clearly underscores the mutual be classified into three groups: misinterpreta- relation between the local churches and the uni- tions of the council, basic disagreements with versal church. The local church is not simply the council documents, and important challeng- the administrative agent of the papacy in a local es the council has advanced that still remain as area. Nor is the universal church simply the ag- tasks for the Roman Catholic Church. gregate of the local churches. The misinterpretations of the council often A more general misinterpretation is the center on Gaudium et spes (Pastoral Consti- casting of the debate within the categories of a tution of the Church in the World of Today), hermeneutics of continuity versus a hermeneu- Introducing a Second Edition tics of discontinuity, as if the choices in inter- tasks to the Roman Catholic Church that must xxvii preting the council were between understanding be taken up. In the wake of the council, we have the council as advocating a discontinuity with become even more aware of the multiple chal- the past (one alternative) or a continuity with lenges entailed in the tension between pluralism the past (the other alternative). Such a contrast- and globalization, in the shift from economic ing alternative simplifies the debate and distorts and cultural colonialism to the increasing post- the interpretations. Many points of reform and colonial resistance to such imperialism, and in change within the council were achieved through the competing imperatives of modernity and a ressourcement (return to sources) leading to a postmodernity. Karl Rahner’s classical essay recovery of what Karl Rahner would have called about Vatican II best exemplifies this challenge the forgotten truths about the church and its when he explains that the council constitutes a sacraments. This approach is evident even where shift in the practice, life, and self-understanding the council broke new ground, such as its efforts of the church from a European church to a world to overcome anti-Semitism in the wake of the church. This shift has become increasingly true Holocaust and its grounding of religious free- in the ensuing decades, and its challenge must be dom in traditions that emphasize God’s univer- met and incorporated into the Catholic Church’s sal love, human dignity, and the good of human theology and practice. Today we are even more society. aware of the negative impact of European colo- In addition to misinterpretations, there nialism and imperialism. The awareness of the are also the criticisms and disagreements. The diverse cultures and practices in which Christi- schismatic group known as the St. Pius X Fra- anity is embedded contributes to the depth and ternity has indeed viewed the decline in religious breadth of the “catholicity” of Christianity. vocations, the drop in attendance at the Eu- The first edition achieved its second goal charist, and the decreased participation in the by underscoring the historical diversity and sacraments as effects and results of the council changes that took place in the understand- itself. The group has also advocated against the ing of theology, God, Christ, the church, the ecumenical developments in the council and saints and Mary, grace, and the sacraments. has contested the council’s teaching on religious The awareness of these historical trajectories freedom. These criticisms represent important has become part and parcel of Catholic theol- disagreements between the council and its critics ogy’s self-understanding, one that moved from who refused to accept the authority and teaching a more deductive or analytical approach to a of the council. As this volume goes to press, the more historical and development-oriented per- Vatican is engaged in dialogue with the group. spective. If previously a historical consciousness The Vatican maintains that anti-Semitism is in- was viewed as hostile toward Roman Catholic compatible with Roman Catholicism, and it af- faith, the achievement of Vatican II and of the firms the importance of religious freedom while theology preceding and following it was to re- it also objects to religious relativism. trieve historical studies and to integrate them Finally, there are the multiple challenges into the Christian faith. The application of that the Second Vatican Council lays out with historical-critical studies to the Scriptures and its interpretation of the signs of the time. The theology had been a point of critical controversy council’s various diagnoses present unfinished at the turn from the nineteenth to the twentieth Introducing a Second Edition xxviii century. However, papal encyclicals and docu- granted the saints and mystics as sources of re- ments of the Pontifical Biblical Commission be- ligious knowledge.
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