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StAnastasia
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"The College Theology Society is a professional society of theologians, solidly rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition and with a strong commitment to ecumenical collaboration, dedicated to teaching theology at the undergraduate level. With this mission in mind, we believe that Elizabeth Johnson’s book Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God exemplifies a compelling style of Catholic theology that engages many different kinds of undergraduate students populating college and university campuses. Her theology is credited with plumbing the depths of the received Catholic tradition as found in diverse scriptural and historical witnesses of faith while investigating pressing issues and searching for ever deeper understanding. This book illustrates what has been a hallmark of all of Johnson’s work: a dedication to exploring the living faith of the Church as it is conveyed in communities in various cultures and contexts in the United States and throughout the world. Her gifts and talents as a highly effective theological educator are clearly displayed in this book.
"Since the membership of the College Theology Society includes a high percentage of younger faculty members and graduate students in theology, we are particularly concerned about the chilling effect the statement by the Committee on Doctrine will have on our younger colleagues. Instead of cultivating a culture of open collaboration and mutual dialogue between bishops, theologians, and the people of God in the advancement of a deeper understanding of the faith, the document of the Committee on Doctrine, as well as the process by which that document was formulated, breeds disillusionment, fear, and mistrust among younger theologians in their relation to bishops and increasing sadness and fatigue among more seasoned scholars.
"Finally, the members of the College Theology Society are engaged in ecumenical and interfaith education and scholarship aimed at promoting mutual understanding among ourselves and with our students of diverse faiths and worldviews. In both substance and process, the statement by the Committee on Doctrine threatens to undermine the credibility of the Catholic Church and its hierarchy among many of our respected collaborators and students of different faiths and worldviews.
“We are honored to have Professor Elizabeth Johnson as a member of the College Theology Society. We fully support her during this period when the arguments advanced by the Committee on Doctrine are debated among theological faculties and in the Church and public at large. We implore the Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine to recognize the deep commitment of this faithful servant of the Church and to adhere to its own processes in seeking clarification about methodologies used or conclusions reached in the work of this highly respected Catholic theologian.”
collegetheology.org/
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Pax_et_Bonum
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They ain’t Bishops ergo they are Sisters’ personal glee club.The laiety nor the theologians nor nuns run Christ’s Church.The DIRECT descendants of the Apostles who are quite well versed in theology your recent calumny notwithstanding, under the supervision of the Cardinals and Papa do.Your and their point is moot.I notice that you did not answer my post,Cutting and pasting does not win debates.And is quite telling.
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StAnastasia
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pnewton
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The “campaign” is waged by the bishops of the United States and the charges are quite serious. It is their job to protect the faithful from heretical teaching. Thus, it is an act of love, not “mean-spiritedness”.
Perhaps you missed the OP. Here is the link again.
ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=2930
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StAnastasia
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The Catholic theologians who are members of the College Theology Society, the Catholic Theological Association of America, and the Catholic Biblical Association, regard the charges as false, based on a faulty reading of Quest for the Living God. That’s why we continue to assign the book to our students in appropriate elective classes. I don’t know of the book being assigned in non-elective classes.
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pnewton
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So the bishops of in this country have a faulty understanding of the theology presented in this book, yet you give it to students in the belief that they will not have this faulty understanding. You have given me an excellent reason supporting universities that call themselves Catholic and do not submit first to the authority of our Catholic shepherds (who are not the Catholic Theological Association, by the way).
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StAnastasia
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Pax_et_Bonum
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StAnastasia
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pnewton
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It will still be a number of years before I will be in that situation, but there are many Catholic Universities to whom I will not help with tuition. I will only help if it is a Catholic University that is obedient to the bishops in such matters as accepting their decisions one imprimateurs. I will not support help with tuition in a university where the theologians stand in defiance to the bishops. The name “Catholic” is nothing but a name if it is not representative of a facility that is orthodox and obedieint.
EWTN reports:Feminist scholar Sr. Elizabeth Johnson’s 2007 book, “Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God,” does “not accord with authentic Catholic teaching on essential points,” the bishops’ Committee on Doctrine wrote on March 30.
It sounds to me like the are reporting on a book that she wrote. Perhaps your understanding of this sentence nuances it into some way I can not fathom. Or perhaps you think EWTN or the bishops to be liars.
*They argued that Sr. Johnson questions core elements of Christian theology, views the Trinity as symbolic, criticizes all-male terminology for God and emphasizes the presence of the Holy Spirit in other religions. *
Sr. Johnson’s analysis of the Trinity in particular, “completely undermines the Gospel and the faith of those who believe in the Gospel,” the committee wrote.
According to the bishops, the book is also pantheistic in failing to differentiate between God and creation, implies that truths about God are ultimately unknowable, and lessens God’s transcendence from human beings in describing how he suffered on the Cross.
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Dawnia
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Just because the leadership of those groups support Johnson, it doesn’t mean all of the members do. Because if that were the case it could be said that every Catholic agrees that the charges are true after all the the authority of the Church, namely the bishops, has said they are true.
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StAnastasia
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StAnastasia
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Dr. Johnson has stated that some of the bishops’ charges are false, and from what I have read of both her work and theirs, she is correct. I have not read their entire statement, but I have read enough of it and compared it with what she writes that I can attest she is correct to say that there outright misstatements of fact.
You are correct that not all members of these organizations support Sister Johnson. At the recent CTSA conference in San Jose, California, for example, one person opposed the resolution of support for her. All the other attendees (numbering three or four hundred) endorsed the statement. Support for her is strong but not unanimous.
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Pax_et_Bonum
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We are called to obedience to the Successors to the Apostles.I suggest that you wait the two or three months that the Bishops will use to formulate a response to Sister’s letter.Do you have a problem with that and if so why?
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StAnastasia
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No problem at all. Conversation is what academic theology is all about. At the recent CTSA meeting there was lots of vigorous conversation: papers were given and responses made; ideas were propounded and ideas were critiqued. Engaging in dialogue is why Sister Johnson formulated her careful and detailed response to the bishops’ critique. I am sure she welcomes their reply in turn!
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jilly4ski
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So you are calling people on this thread (and the bishops?) libelous (ie lying) because they haven’t read the book, but you have not even read the bishops full statement but are saying they are wrong? Have you stopped to consider that you are misunderstanding the bishops’ statement?
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Dale_M
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As we all know, the USCCB’s Committee on Doctrine released its critique of Quest for the Living God at the end of March. Then a couple months later, Sr. Johnson issued a formal response. Between those dates, two organizations of Catholic theologians expressed support for Sr. Johnson. In particular, they expressed dismay that Sr. Johnson was not consulted during the bishops’ examination of her work.
During that two month period Cardinal Wuerl wrote a letter clarifying how the USCCB viewed its relationship with theologians. This letter was mailed to all bishops in the US. I don’t think his letter has entered into the discussion, so I am doing that now. In part, it is for completeness of this thread, providing links to the important documents. But it is also important in its own right, since it explains how the USCCB views its relationship with Catholic theologians.
I will quote from the press release (since the USCCB makes copying text from their official documents a difficult enterprise.)
In his letter, Cardinal Wuerl states that although works of theology are often not required to seek an imprimatur, it is encouraged since it allows private dialogue between the theologian and the bishops. Once a book has been published, it is in the public view so any critique of it will necessarily have to be public as well.
Here is the full text of Cardinal Wuerl’s April 18, 2011 letter to the US bishops. It is titled Bishops as Teachers
usccb.org/doctrine/BISHOPS-AS-TEACHERS-%20CARDINAL-WUERL-4-18-11.pdf
During that two month period Cardinal Wuerl wrote a letter clarifying how the USCCB viewed its relationship with theologians. This letter was mailed to all bishops in the US. I don’t think his letter has entered into the discussion, so I am doing that now. In part, it is for completeness of this thread, providing links to the important documents. But it is also important in its own right, since it explains how the USCCB views its relationship with Catholic theologians.
I will quote from the press release (since the USCCB makes copying text from their official documents a difficult enterprise.)
usccb.org/comm/archives/2011/11-078.shtml
In his letter, Cardinal Wuerl states that although works of theology are often not required to seek an imprimatur, it is encouraged since it allows private dialogue between the theologian and the bishops. Once a book has been published, it is in the public view so any critique of it will necessarily have to be public as well.
Here is the full text of Cardinal Wuerl’s April 18, 2011 letter to the US bishops. It is titled Bishops as Teachers
usccb.org/doctrine/BISHOPS-AS-TEACHERS-%20CARDINAL-WUERL-4-18-11.pdf
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Robert_Bay
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MODERATOR NOTICE
N.B. Bishops have a unique duty to defend Christian doctrine that academic theologians do not have. However, participants are strongly reminded that charity is essential to our discussions here.
If you wish to review the subject, please see Charity for specifics, or CAF rules for an overview, both of which are located in the Rules of the Road sub-forum.
This goes for people on both sides of this debate. You will be cited and your account will be either suspended or banned if the lack of charity continues on this or any other thread.
N.B. Bishops have a unique duty to defend Christian doctrine that academic theologians do not have. However, participants are strongly reminded that charity is essential to our discussions here.
If you wish to review the subject, please see Charity for specifics, or CAF rules for an overview, both of which are located in the Rules of the Road sub-forum.
This goes for people on both sides of this debate. You will be cited and your account will be either suspended or banned if the lack of charity continues on this or any other thread.
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StAnastasia
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A couple of decades ago Archbishop John Quinn of San Francisco and Bishop Pierre Dumaine of San Jose used to hold annual colloquia between bishops and theologians. These were very cordial collegial weekends, with the participants on a first name basis with each other (I know this well because my father was one of the theologians invited). The bishops were there to learn about recent currents in theological thinking, and the theologians were there to express solidarity with the bishops and the church.
It is regrettable that this model of bishop-theologian interaction has fallen into desuetude. Theologians are happy when bishops are part of the CTSA,. and I am sure Elizabeth Johnson would be delighted to be in dialogue with bishops in this manner.
StAnastasia
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