Theological Studies Faculty Works Theological Studies 1988 Talking Back to Rome? J.R. Dionne on Papal Magisterium and the Church Thomas P. Rausch Loyola Marymount University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/theo_fac Part of the Catholic Studies Commons Recommended Citation Rausch, Thomas P. “Talking Back to Rome? J.R. Dionne on Papal Magisterium and the Church,” One in Christ 24 (1988) 180-189. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Theological Studies at Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theological Studies Faculty Works by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Talking Back to Rome? J. R. Dionne on Papal Magisterium and the Church In the last few years the controversy over authority and what in the United States is called - perhaps unfortunately - 'dissent' 1 has had wide reaching implications. It has focused attention, not just on the role of theologians vis-a-vis the magisterium, but on the nature of ecclcsial authority, and thus, on the nature of the Church itself. ls teaching authority fundament­ ally a hierarchical charism, that is, a charism which is possessed solely by those who have been sacramentally incorporated into what the Second Vatican Council described as that divine mission entrusted to the apostles and their successors 'in this hierarchically structured society'?' Or is it a function of officeholders and others, through which the faith entrusted to the whole Church comes to expression? In terms of the contemporary debate, is the Church fundamentally a hierarchical instituion,' or is it fundamentally a charismatic 'discipleship of equals',' some of whom have a teaching authority based either on their office or on their professional competence and training? There is general agreement that theologians have an important role to play in formulating the faith experience of the Christian community, probing its tradition in light of contemporary issues, and re-expressing its faith in a more contemporary idiom. But what happens when a theological consensus begins to emerge against a consistent teaching of the magis­ terium? This is where the difficultiesbegin. In justifying his own dissent from the magisterium on certain questions concerning sexual ethics, Charles Curran has emphasised the distinction between infallible and non-infallible teaching, and the different assents which are owed to each; 'the faithful owe the assent of faith to infallible teaching and the obsequium religiosum of intellect and will to authorita­ tive or authentic, non-infallible teaching'.' Obsequium religiosum is *Fr Thomas Rausch, S.J., is Professor of Theology at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California. He belongs to the Archdiocese's Theological and Ecumenical Commissions, and is also a member of the Los Angeles Lutheran - RC Committee. He has wide involvement in teaching and writing. 1. Ladislas Orsy has pointed out that the term 'dissent' is both too vague and too broad in connotation to be useful in theological debates; see 'Magisterium: Assent and Dissent', Theological Studies 48 (1987), pp. 490-91. 2. Lumen gentium, no. 20; tr. The Documents of Vatican II, ed. Walter M. Abbott (New York: America, 1966), p. 39. 3. See A very Dulles, 'Institution and Charism in the Church', in his A Church to Believe In (New York: 9ossroad, 1982), pp. 19-40; also his 'The Church as Institution' in Models of the Church (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1974), pp. 31-42. 4. This term is used by Elisabeth Schiissler Fiorenza to describe 'the Jesus movement'; In Memory of Her (New York: Crossroad, 1983), p. 107. A similar I R. Dionne on and the Church O 182 ne in Christ trans ated l as su mi sio · b s n' , bu tr_ u an otes ex ress on . a so trans ated rr n th and the Church, a ue t e o ial oman at olic t eor on t e a p i is l as due res ect o s1m a tt he rg s that h ffic R C h h y h w y l ' p ' as re ect 11 urran, . '' r p,y ' sp ot ll armo it t raxis C . t a on a i le ' ., aut o t ct o s p01m is h t n -m teac i s o t a 1ste. h ri y fun i ns is n fu y in h ny w h i s p . exc f ll b h ng f he . m ud e e oss i it o g num d o e o a a octo ate loso ro t e or onne and , th p ib l error· cco . to o not Di nn , wh h s d r in phi phy f m h S b y f ' 'A rd.mg e e al cce · t eo o . ca. nter g n r ! pted a ot e t eo o o t e n ersit o ica o t read i a h l gi l i retations t e e a resum m h U iv y f Ch g , h s h s w y p , h r is p ption o n h r in h l gy fr suc tea in and t e f truth m_Y t ca e et ee t e o t o s o t o e e calls m i alis s and • h ch g a olic must1 a e a s . avour of r fully b w n h p si i n f h s h ' in m t ' h C th m k ce e e o . te e tua a se m r ff r t t . a a t e ss e o a al n all l t e m n mali ts mai ai m ll c l · ut suc teac 1n can o give 1t p i f ibi i y.Th i i s ' nt n . s nt b h h· g be e o eous 'm xim lis s' on th i u f p ss t o err r 't rr n ' , It is i at ca o c a e o u e uent re ect on o a a tea in is po 1b1h y f o hat e ounds t e t eolo , · . n th modifi ti n, h ng and/ r s bs q j i f p p l ch g h gr h h gian o ss 12 ra 1s· · u i a · s ng· h t t di ent a ar e t a a st a al all i t e maximal st ar ue at F nc S a so as ar ued t at a c ib li y' (29). Th i s g 'th ll v n l h g h it cal a oac t e n gum n g in p p inf o teac r i ppr h by h o gians under certain cir umsta ces t _hmgs o! t e ordina ma isterium 1· t e or a a al ma te m ma h ry g s ec call t e ca h din ry p p gis riu ... y, c n , enc c - p ifi y in se ; _ ica s usti ed i cases h o papal e c ar all l t ile t e os t n o t e y l l - is J fi e e suc tea i enjoy th h ism of inf ibi i y' (29) u Wh h p i io f h n wh r h s o d astora ex o tion and ch n ' b y al ts co o e t e a lure o stin ui et een t e p l p si de e ce t e doctr ne the minim is is mpr mis d by h ir f i t di g sh b w h f n of h o a � a; t e c ar ter o i f th/f ft�e on ar a t e e traor ar a al ma ster um t at o t e maxi h h �c f s trictl t eolo ical discourse e� ordin y nd h x din y p p gi i , h f h ­ y h g '.' en � �: /e et er e c c c ls or Wh h achmg al a e to ue t o onne s a e ul anal sis o cases i wh h m n y in ec a ation o t , m ists is c ll d in q s i n by Di ' c r f y f wh ch li a d l r s f e on e atl.o octrine o t e a1t· h C gr g n o t e c te teac t e o nar a al ma isteriu a e D f h F seems to re ect a articular for the show h w h onsis nt hings of h rdi y p p g m h v h , fl p t eolo a ..l e ati e o e most h gic l t ee mo e o e er e as a esult o t eolo ians tal in ac to t e n v de es e ted t e b n difi d r r v s d r f h g ' k g b k' h ��r;� th :,vi ly r p c h olo cal o i o eo� o a : as t gi p ni ��.:�:�: o o me o e s stud s m ortant ot or t e care ul _ gi n e t to ex ess criticism , p f Ro .