Easterners, is this death penalty issue an example of the downsides to the Western Catholic theological approach? (LOL)

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…the Western Catholic theological approach with all its terms and definitions, with its legalisms and analytical reasoning. Now I’m a good Roman Catholic any day, and I appreciate the Latin theological tradition.

But if you’ll look around, a lot of the fuss and stress is over strict definitions — “infallibility,” “inherently evil,” development of doctrine, and other fine points.

Do you think this high-stress reaction is mostly a Western* Catholic phenomenon, as opposed to Eastern Catholic and other Eastern traditions?

(This is supposed to be a more “haha!” thread. There are several threads dedicated to the death penalty issue, so please refrain from debating that here.)
 
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catholic1seeks said:
Do you think this high-stress reaction is mostly a Western
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I think “high stress” in public debate is characteristic of certain issues in certain cultures. Something stirring up a heated controversy in the US will get ignored in France and the other way around.

As for “theological traditions” most Orthodox/Eastern churches I believe are centered around one country, while the latin rite Catholic church would have more manpower and international presence to integrate anything theological coming from elsewhere (including Orthodox intellectual production).

It seems certain in most aspects the Roman Catholic Church is expected to take the lead and politically I don’t think some Orthodox churches had political weight or historic opportunity to oppose the death sentence in their own regions.
 
Not really to answer your question specifically, but I recall someone discussing (or I might have read it) the difference in the theological approach between the Western fathers and the Syriac fathers.

The remark was something along the lines of “St. Aquinas (or St. Augustine, not sure) wrote volumes and volumes of precise and complex theological works, while St. Ephraim wrote… poetry:.”.

I’ve always loved that simplistic, yet profound, thought on the difference. Easterners (at least Syriac) tend to not over-complicate (or over-legalize) things and be satisfied with the mysteriousness of it.
 
Why, then, in the Latin right church, are there, countries who abolished the death penalty decades ago, or even last century
 
I’m not Eastern, but while I think St. Thomas Aquinas is a great saint, his approach to theology is not the only one in the Latin Church.
St. Therese of Lisieux is also a Doctor of the Church, and her approach to theology is extremely simple, spiritual, often poetic, and from the heart.
 
catholic1seeks said:
But if you’ll look around, a lot of the fuss and stress is over strict definitions — “infallibility,” “inherently evil,” development of doctrine, and other fine points.
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Actually YOU are the one who is making all the fuss and stress in many of your threads about these things!!
 
Oh how the people must have howled when the prophets of old spoke of mercy.

Ezekiel: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

People: “Who does this guy think he is? Wicked people are supposed to be put to death. It’s always been that way.”
 
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Point those fingers all day long, all day long, all day long
 
I’m not worried about “hiding.” I’ve been a member of these forums well into 10 years now, and I have proven myself honest and orthodox, even if I am incorrect at times.

So yes, please stop pointing the finger.
 
catholic1seeks said:
I’m not worried about “hiding.” I’ve been a member of these forums well into 10 years now, and I have proven myself honest and orthodox, even if I am incorrect at times.

So yes, please stop pointing the finger.
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Read your OP again.YOU are the one attacking other Catholics whiles making yourself out to be above others!
 
You’re getting off-topic, guys. There is no need here to pick teams. There does seem to be a lot of CAF members fussing and getting stressed. It is a good question whether this is a Western cultural response. I think theology as a way of thought is a Western phenomenon.
 
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And I’m not attacking anyone. I am a fellow Roman/Western Catholic. I’m merely letting our Eastern brothers and sisters in on the convo by asking if this heated disucssion re: the death penalty (which YOU are also contributing to) is a result of the Latin Catholic’s theological approach (attention to strict definitions, etc.)
 
Note. There is a recently locked thread where Moderator made an announcement that there is now a moritorium on CCC 2267 threads. He asked that the word be spread.
 
Well, this wasn’t mean to get into the death penalty debate but rather:
Do you think this high-stress reaction is mostly a Western* Catholic phenomenon, as opposed to Eastern Catholic and other Eastern traditions?
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But good note.
 
RandomAlias said:
I think theology as a way of thought is a Western phenomenon.
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To clarify that, I am referrring to the tendency of some to seek truth in the form of “head-learning,” such as logic and academic rigor. Thomas Aquinas might be a prime example. An alternative approach might be to seek truth in “heart-learning,” such as the appreciation of and the cultivation of love and peace. Thérèse of Lisieux comes to mind.
 
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RandomAlias said:
You’re getting off-topic, guys. There is no need here to pick teams. There does seem to be a lot of CAF members fussing and getting stressed. It is a good question whether this is a Western cultural response. I think theology as a way of thought is a Western phenomenon.
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I think adgloriam had a good point in that many of the Pope’s actions seem to get attention in certain countries, not the entire “West”. It is not so much “Western” Catholics getting stressed as it is specifically Catholics in the USA which still has a death penalty. I have not been seeing a big fuss about the Pope’s action from any Europeans so far.

And I would further say that the whole issue with whether non-Catholic spouses can receive Holy Communion seems to be primarily of interest in certain European countries such as Germany. This doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for US Catholics.
 
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