“An honest declaration” - What’s the problem?
There’s been a lot of talk in the media recently about the document released on the Vatican’s website (www.vatican.va) which re-affirmed the Church of Rome as Christ’s one true Church on Earth. The document, ‘Responses to some questions regarding certain aspects of the doctrine on the Church’ was drawn up by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with the approval of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. So….what’s the problem?
This document was posted on the Vatican site to address the questions and concerns of Catholic faithful. It was not meant as a statement to the whole world on behalf of the Church but as a teaching document for the interested or confused Catholic. ‘The Irish Catholic’ has recently reported Fr. Brendan Purcell of UCD as defending the document as one “aimed mainly at Catholics”…but no-one seems to be listening.
Everyone, of all faiths and none, can agree that interreligious dialogue is a good thing. This document has been condemned as one that will harm the process and open old wounds between Christian communities but this document doesn’t say anything new. Every Sunday we say that we believe in ‘one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church’ and now many are astounded at the reality of what they claimed to believe…or at least they seem astounded.
I would wonder how many read the document in question or how many just grew angrier as they read article after article in the ‘Irish Times’ or ‘Irish Independant’…never questioning their reasoning for a moment. I suppose it is so much easier to go with the crowd. So, for those interested, what did the accused really say?
This document was infact a list of five questions answered by the prefect and the congregation, the first of which being: “Did the Second Vatican Council change the Catholic doctrine on the Church?”
From there four other questions just sought further detail. Amongst the answers ’statements’ were made which seem to have caused offence…ergo: the fuss…and this blog.
The first answer was that: “The Second Vatican Council neither changed nor intended to change this doctrine, rather it developed, deepened and more fully explained it.” This was then followed by appropriate quotes and links to the ‘Declarations’ and ‘Constitutions’ concerned.
The second question was: “What is the meaning of the affirmation that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church?” This was what caused all the bother.
In the responses to follow the document re-stated the faithful’s belief that the Catholic Church in Rome is the one true Church of Christ. However they were very careful not to interfere with the efforts of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and made sure to add that “It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them.” What more can you ask of them?
This document did not re-affirm anything but simply re-stated the accepted in the Church. This they did while acknowledging the worth of other Christian communities.
For those who see this document as nothing more than a block to dialogue just look at what came next:
“It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church.”
The last question dealt with the use of the word ‘Church’ to refer to that of Rome and the orthodox traditions and the phrase ‘ecclesial communities’ to refer to those of the reformation. I won’t go into this here because I dealt with it in another blog: ‘A reaction to a reaction by the Reverend’.
Not everyone reacted with hostility. Kirill of Smolensk, president of the department for external relations at the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate described the text as “an honest declaration, because sincere dialogue requires a clear vision of the respective positions.”
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 and is filed under Rome.
You can leave a comment.
Michael Keohane Says:
In 1999 the General Synod of the Church of Ireland recognised the 39 Articles of Religion as a definiton of the faith of the Church of Ireland whilst acknowleding their historical context and regretting past offence to other Christians. Nevertheless in the Constitution as revised in 2003 the Preamble and Declaration of the 1870 General Convention remain in situ reaffirming inter alia the approval of the said Articles. Other reformed churches retain similar definitions of faith but also fail to elicit a hue and cry from the media.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:59 am
daniel Says:
what would christ think of all this posturing by the various churches when hunger and death stalk the world and thousands of churches lay empty while
the homeless sleep on the street. he would not be interested in their slobberings.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Michael Says:
He might be interested in the “slobberings” of Crosscare, Protestant Aid, The Salvation Army, the Society of St.Vincent de Paul, Trocaire, Christian Aid
September 4th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Idetrorce Says:
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
December 16th, 2007 at 7:35 am
Ronan Says:
Could you elaborate on that Idetrorce?
December 19th, 2007 at 2:12 pm