Fr Hans Kung says pope has responded to his call for discussion on infallibility dogma

[gilliam]

Francis has ‘set no restrictions’ to discussion called for by Swiss theologian

Fr Hans Kung says Pope has responded to his call for discussion on infallibility dogma
Fr. Hans Küng, the Swiss theologian, has told The Tablet that he has received a letter from Pope Francis that responds to his “request to give room to a free discussion on the dogma of infallibility”.

The Tablet has been unable to confirm the existence of the letter as Küng refused requests by The Tablet and the National Catholic Reporter to the Swiss theologian to view a copy of the letter.

“On 9 March, my appeal to Pope Francis to give room to a free, unprejudiced and open-ended discussion on the problem of infallibility appeared in the leading journals of several countries. I was thus overjoyed to receive a personal reply from Pope Francis immediately after Easter. Dated 20 March, it was forwarded to me from the nunciature in Berlin.”

Küng said that in the Pope’s reply, Francis makes the following points which “are significant” to the Swiss theologian: "The fact that Pope Francis answered at all and did not let my appeal fall on deaf ears; the fact that he replied himself and not via his private secretary or the Secretary of State; that he emphasises the fraternal manner of his Spanish reply by addressing me as Lieber Mitbruder (Dear Brother) in German and puts this personal address in italics, that he clearly read the appeal, to which I had attached a Spanish translation, most attentively.

“[And] that he is highly appreciative of the considerations which had led me to write in which I suggest theologically discussing the different issues which the infallibility dogma raises in the light of Holy Scripture and Tradition with the aim of deepening the constructive dialogue between the ‘semper reformanda’ 21st century Church and the other Christian Churches and post-modern society.”

“Pope Francis has set no restrictions,” Küng added. "He has thus responded to my request to give room to a free discussion on the dogma of infallibility. I think it is now imperative to use this new freedom to push ahead with the clarification of the dogmatic definitions which are a ground for controversy within the Catholic Church and in its relationship to the other Christian Churches.

thetablet.co.uk/news/5482/0/fr-hans-kung-says-pope-has-responded-to-his-call-for-discussion-on-infallibility-dogma-

 

[dans0622]

Considering the number of books/articles/etc he has written on this topic, I didn’t realize that Fr. Kung needed to be given “room” to “discuss” it.

Dan

 

[Genesis315]

Considering the number of books/articles/etc he has written on this topic, I didn’t realize that Fr. Kung needed to be given “room” to “discuss” it.

Dan

As obstinate as he seems and as old he’s getting, we should pray for him. As Pope Lando would say, “There’s still time to save Hans!”

 

[OraLabora]

Francis continues to dialogue with the very conservative SSPX.

And now a dialogue with a theologian with “liberal” views on infallability.

The Pope really is Catholic

 

[Usige]

Considering the number of books/articles/etc he has written on this topic, I didn’t realize that Fr. Kung needed to be given “room” to “discuss” it.

Dan

As Pope Lando would say, “There’s still time to save Hans!”

Ahhh… you both gave me a good laugh.

I think Charles Curran is still kicking around Southern Methodist so maybe he can convince the Holy Father to speak with him about the problems with the moral teachings of the Church too. Heck maybe with the aniversary of the reformation the Holy Father will simply lift the censure of all dissident theologians.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

My father went to a talk Kung gave around 1982. What impressed him was that Kung began almost every sentence with “I” or “My” and that he kept referring to his conversations with God. No ego there, right?

 

[Usige]

My father went to a talk Kung gave around 1982. What impressed him was that Kung began almost every sentence with “I” or “My” and that he kept referring to his conversations with God. No ego there, right?

Maybe he just beleive in Küngian infallibility over papal infallibility.

 

[Tomdstone]

Papal infallibility is a major issue for reunion with the Eastern Churches, EO and OO.

 

[Usige]

Papal infallibility is a major issue for reunion with the Eastern Churches, EO and OO.

And???

If infallibility is truly a charism, revealed by God it cannot simply be tossed aside to make people more comfortable. If the other Churches want to discuss it and how it fits into their understanding of divine revelation, that’s not an isssue, but it can’t simply be tossed aside because some people don’t like it.

 

[Tomdstone]

And???

If infallibility is truly a charism, revealed by God it cannot simply be tossed aside to make people more comfortable. If the other Churches want to discuss it and how it fits into their understanding of divine revelation, that’s not an isssue, but it can’t simply be tossed aside because some people don’t like it.

I thought that the Roman Catholic Church taught development of dogma according to which a teaching can be reinterpreted in the light of new knowledge?

 

[Pulvis]

Might as well go ahead and call another synod. Heck, everything else seems to be up for discussion.

 

[TMC]

Discussion should always be welcome. How will the Church move forward if we are not willing to discuss?

 

[ComplineSanFran]

I first read Hans Kung in the late 1970’s and loved him. Of course getting through ‘On Being a Christian’ was no easy task - it was hard work but very much worth the effort. He helped me understand what good scholarship and theology is all about. And of course, the work itself speaks to a vast understanding of Christianity. It’s too bad that he was refrained from teaching at a Roman Catholic university, but his role as an ecumenical theologian at Tubingen kept him active and in the forefront of theological scholarship.

Kung is well respected and I’m very glad the Pope is responding to him directly in the request for dialogue. It says a lot on both sides.

 

[twf]

Papal infallibility is a major issue for reunion with the Eastern Churches, EO and OO.

It bothers me that everyone jumps to “papal infallibility” when they hear the word “infallibility.” Fr. Kung is talking about the very concept of indallibility… That of the Church itself. Orthodox Catholics believe the Church is infallible. Infallibility ensures the faithful transmission of doctrine primarily via the Ordinary Magisterium (consistent teaching of the popes and bishops as a whole in every time and place) and the Extraordinary Magisterium of ecumenical councils. On extremely rare occasions the Pope exercises this infallibility in a personal manner, but always in accord with what the ordinary magisterium already infallibly taught.

 

[JPUSC]

Good. Hope he drops papal infallibility so I don’t have to listen to him.

 

[ProVobis]

It bothers me that everyone jumps to “papal infallibility” when they hear the word “infallibility.” Fr. Kung is talking about the very concept of indallibility… **That of the Church itself. **Orthodox Catholics believe the Church is infallible. Infallibility ensures the faithful transmission of doctrine primarily via the Ordinary Magisterium (consistent teaching of the popes and bishops as a whole in every time and place) and the Extraordinary Magisterium of ecumenical councils. On extremely rare occasions the Pope exercises this infallibility in a personal manner, but always in accord with what the ordinary magisterium already infallibly taught.

That’s what it seems to me as well. The very foundation of the Church is being questioned.

 

[RPRPsych]

Good. Hope he drops papal infallibility so I don’t have to listen to him.

A lot of panicky, mean-spirited and short-sighted responses here.

Remember when Pope Benedict XVI had a long discussion and meal with Kung? Nothing came of it. This is more of the same.

The very fact that Kung refuses to disclose the letter’s contents speaks volumes. The man is a known provocateur with one foot in the grave. Let’s not take his claims too seriously.

 

[Polyphony]

Good. Hope he drops papal infallibility so I don’t have to listen to him.

 

[dans0622]

It bothers me that everyone jumps to “papal infallibility” when they hear the word “infallibility.” Fr. Kung is talking about the very concept of indallibility… That of the Church itself. Orthodox Catholics believe the Church is infallible. Infallibility ensures the faithful transmission of doctrine primarily via the Ordinary Magisterium (consistent teaching of the popes and bishops as a whole in every time and place) and the Extraordinary Magisterium of ecumenical councils. On extremely rare occasions the Pope exercises this infallibility in a personal manner, but always in accord with what the ordinary magisterium already infallibly taught.

Yes. In his last public commentary on this matter, he voiced more opposition to what Vatican II said about infallibility than to what Vatican I said about it.

Dan

 

[Spudbynight]

My father went to a talk Kung gave around 1982. What impressed him was that Kung began almost every sentence with “I” or “My” and that he kept referring to his conversations with God. No ego there, right?

It takes a special type of humility to have a statue of oneself in one’s back garden.