Theological Challenges to Papal Authority

[emsvetich]

I was listening to a program on EWTN a while ago. The topic was Humanae Vitae and Paul Vl. The guest, a PHD whose name escapes me was discussing the very vocal rebellion by Catholics to this encyclical when it was released. I was in college in 1968 and although it was a Catholic college, I do not remember anything about this. From what I gathered from the program, there had been expectations among some in the Church that Pope Paul Vl would come out with a document 180 degrees from what eventually was produced. In fact, according to this program, many priests (and I assume theologians) had already given the laity tacit approval to use birth control under the misguided assurances from some “in the know” that was to be the announcement. As a result, there was immediate very vocal dissent, even to he extent that a group of priests in New York were quoted in a very conspicuous front page article the paper that they disagreed with Humanae Vitae and took a quite open slap at the Pope- something that heretofore had not been seen in public

The reason that I bring this up is the frequent use by some on this forum of what I will call dissident theologians as proof sources for subjects such a Women Priests, Homosexuality, True Presence, the role of laity in the Church, The Virgin Mary and just about anything else that can be thrown at the Catholic Church. I know that there have always been theologians who differed in their interpretations of Church dogma, traditions and doctrine ( Luther for one) but, for those just a bit older than me or better versed in what has transpired in the Church, my question is, did the current batch of dissident theologians become almost heretical (my word) in their disagreements with everything Catholic beginning in the mid 1960s or was there something else that brought out their disdain for Church teachings.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

As I understand it, Fr. Charles Curran and those of his kind got an advanced copy of Humanae Vitae and held a opposition rally against Pope Paul VI the day before it was promulgated by the Roman Pontiff. Yes. I’d say that this was unique act of dissent in the history of the Catholic Church in the US.

Prior to that, in the late 1940s and 50s Fr. Leonard Feeney of the Archdiocese of Boston dissented with Pius XII on his teaching regarding baptism by implicit desire or “a certain unconscious desire.” Fr. Feeney was excommunicated for disobediently failing to go to Rome to explain himself. He was later reconciled with the Catholic Church before his death.

It seems Fr. Feeney was the first in a long and sad series of dissident priests in the U.S…

According to Pope Benedict XVI, while he was yet the prefect Cardinal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith:

the theologian should avoid turning to the “mass media”, but have recourse to the responsible authority, for it is not by seeking to exert the pressure of public opinion that one contributes to the clarification of doctrinal issues and renders servite to the truth. …

… In opposition to and in competition with the authentic magisterium, there thus arises a kind of “parallel magisterium” of theologians… it can cause great spiritual harm by opposing itself to the Magisterium of the Pastors…

The freedom of the act of faith cannot justify a right to dissent… the theologian who is not disposed to think with the Church (“sentire cum Ecclesia”) contradicts the commitment he freely and knowingly accepted to teach in the name of the Church…

Setting up a supreme magisterium of conscience in opposition to the magisterium of the Church means adopting a principle of free examination incompatible with the economy of Revelation and its transmission in the Church and thus also with a correct understanding of theology and the role of the theologian…

…The acts of assent and submission to the Word entrusted to the Church under the guidance of the Magisterium are directed ultimately to Him and lead us into the realm of true freedom.

(Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Instruction on the ecclesial vocation of theologian:
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19900524_theologian-vocation_en.html )

According to John Paul II:

***It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a “good Catholic,” and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere.” ***(Pope John Paul II in his speech to the Bishops in 1987)

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Judas was the first dissenter. He has had many followers.