.Academic freedom and Hierarchical Church

[Athanasiy]

The faithfulness to the Catholic principles , the faithfulness to the Hierarchical Church of Rome are the proves of the Catholic character.

Otherwise , if Catholicism is individualistic , exceptional , if Catholicism is a ‘selective matter’ with multiple views , then it is nothing else but Protestantism in new clothing.
(to be continued)

 

[Athanasiy]

If the moral and ethical teachings are just opinions and there is no certainty , then sin is not sin , or sin is not sinful , then the Church is in trouble , and it just reminds me the words of prophet Amos who says about the times when there will be the hunger to hear the Word of God.

But the fact also is that there are the sources of wisdom among the non- Catholics too , and its not possible to ‘monopolize’ the Holy Spirit.

My question is ;
-How the Catholic University in Democratic culture of America solving the problem of faithfulness to the Hierarchical Church of Rome and at the same time retaining the academic freedom ?

The Catholic University , especially in US , is a place where the intellectual debate and scholarly inquiry flourish.
It is not possible to put the clamps on intellect .
And only if there is a honest and unresticted engagement in intellectual inquiry then there is a growth in 'the process of knowing ’
Academic freedom implicise no limit , but fidelity to the Church in some cases contradicts the academic freedom.
My question is ;

• How the Catholic University of America , which is as I suppose under the jurisdiction of Rome , retains the Catholic values , Catholic character and having at the same time the scholarly independence and pluralism ?
  Is it actually possible ?

 

[Athanasiy]

There is a need to solve the ‘crisis of identity in the church’.
To stick to the principles , to the objective truth.
To be progressive and at the same time traditional.

But the matter is that the nature of theology , the nature of religious philosophy , is to expand the outlook , to push , to probe , to be creative ; and it is possible only by ’ embracing pluralism’.
The one has no right to dissent , but is there a right to invite the dissent to give a lectures ?
May the jewish scholar or expert in Islamic studies , the liberal theologist or Catholic dissent to read a lectures at the Catholic faculty ?
Do their knowledge can be ’ the contribution in the process of knowing , or is it a threaening ?

 

[Athanasiy]

There is a theory that if advance is through the dialog , if the teaching must be the multi-disciplined functioning , then ;

• The dissent , the representor of another theological tradition … are not only permissible , but - required.
  Because of the intellectual vitality of the church’s understanding of itself.

And also it is evident that the university is not a form of the Church’s life , university its like a city in which the church lives.

The university ecourages the complexity of mind and faith.
Catholics are immersed in cultural and intellectual life of the society.
We can not be idifferent to the life of the society.
The involvement in the life of the society , sometimes forces to ‘tolerate’ some things which are morally wrong - but the one must choose them in order to prevent worst things.
I mean when we are involved in the life of the society , we are voting some times for the lesser evils over the greater ones…

So , considering all this factors , for the - up to date , prestigious , succesful University - its not possible to be conservative.

Though conservatism in the church is needed today for the purity of divine knowledge.

But what to do with the scholars , theologists , and clergymans who believe that the Vatican’s teachings , are conditioned by the lessons of historical experience , that they are changing , partial , and contingent , not only in the social questions , questions of economics and politics , but in the teachings of morality and ethics.
Those theologists , clergymans and scholars do not represent- conservative , original Catholic Church.
They can not stop , to call themselves Catholics.
But , are they really Catholics ?
And what wait the church in the future ?
The hunger to hear the word of God , predicted by the prophet Amos , then ?