Much is made of the many factions within protestantism, and rightly so. But aren’t there lots of different factions within Catholicism too? I am drawn to Catholicism for lots of reasons, but this is one thing that puts me off. Any ideas?
Eruvande,
This is a good question, especially given the penchant many folks on these forums have for claiming that those with whom they differ “aren’t real Catholics.”
Unfortunately, liberal Catholics often speak with equal contempt of conservatives.
Consider this: in a way, Protestantism created greater
internal unity within specific Christian groups–or perhaps we should call it uniformity. Indeed, the Reformation was motivated not by a desire for greater diversity but by a desire for greater uniformity. The division was a highly undesirable byproduct, although many modern Protestants have made a virtue of it.
Protestants tend to think of unity as doctrinal agreement. And of course that’s true in Catholicism up to a point: people are supposed to accept all the teachings proposed for belief by the Church. There are disagreements as to just what these teachings are, and how to apply them, and there are some Catholics who would openly dissent from what they themselves acknowledge to be teachings of the Church. But certainly there is a body of dogma that characterizes Catholicism.
However, I think it’s a mistake to see Catholic unity primarily in these terms. Catholics are united because they are in communion with each other, even when they disagree. Ultimately, the Magisterium has the ability to cut off from communion those who openly reject its teachings, but recent Popes and bishops have used this power with a good deal of restraint (liberals would disagree, but my statement is true in comparison to prior RC practices or to the practices of conservative Protestant denominations and congregations). And even in the past, Catholics managed to stay unified through disagreements that have divided Protestantism. The classic example is predestination. Dominicans and Jesuits fought each other over this, just as Calvinists and Arminians did in Protestantism (though the dividing lines are a little different), until the Pope told them to stop calling each other heretics. And they did.
If you assume that the main purpose of papal authority is to preserve doctrinal purity and uniformity, I think you’ll be very confused by what actually goes on in the Catholic Church. Certainly, as I said, that’s a legitimate function, but much of the time the papacy functions to preserve diversity and mutual tolerance. Many Catholics on these forums think that Catholic Biblical scholars like Fr. Raymond Brown are heretics for using historical criticism. But several Popes in succession honored Fr. Brown. That doesn’t make him right. It does make it clear that there’s a place for his kind of scholarship within Catholicism. Again, many liberal Catholics would like to chase the “traditionalists” out of the Church. The Pope has gone out of his way to make room for them. And so on.
If you accept that unity in diversity is the goal, then I think Catholicism’s “factions” actually make the unity of the Church
more impressive!
Of course, this is easier for me to see because I have had a long “detour” (which may yet turn out to be permanent) in the Episcopal Church. . . .
Edwin
hmm well, thats in the past now and I am now Coming into the CC, so all is well now.