Author: Leonardo De Chirico

Every institution has its problems and conflicts. It is part of the fallen human condition to create on-going clashes between people, offices, and services that should work together. Sin is also able to create evil structures that manipulate and maneuver colleague against colleague, friend against friend, etc. The Church is no exception. Since its inception and until the Lord Jesus’ second coming the Church will also be a place of on-going inner conflicts. Martin Luther’s definition of the Christian as simul iustus et peccator (i.e. righteous and sinner at the same time) also applies to the church as the body of Christ. The problem is that when the Church becomes something else other than what is supposed to be, its operations are often affected for the worse.

            Having said that, what on earth is happening at the Vatican? In the last few weeks and months, the Vatican has come out more than ever in recent times as a place of nasty power games between cardinals, wars between ecclesiastical groups, and mounting tensions around the Pope himself. The (lack of) spirituality of the Vatican’s governance has become evident and many observers have easily pointed out the ultimate showdown that is happening there. Leaving aside the moralistic tendency to judge out of ethical purism (if any organization is without sin, let it be the first to throw a stone, John 8:7), what can be said about this last outbreak of opaque Vatican affairs?

1. The Secretary of State in Question

The recent facts touched on a variety of people and issues. The President of the Vatican Bank (i.e. The Institute for Works of Religion) was unexpectedly fired in a very hurried procedure. As an aside, the Vatican Bank has been historically involved in many financial scandals and dirty affairs due its “secret” policies. The fired president had been given the task of putting the bank on the “white list” but apparently he wanted more transparency that other officials were comfortable with.

            Then, various correspondence was leaked from Vatican offices – even the papal apartment! – and given to the press. An instant book was soon published in Italy containing all these letters and is now the top best seller. An intriguing spy story emerged which could have been written by a professional novelist of the kind of a Dan Brown. The Pope’s butler was arrested but it is evident that he did not act alone nor on his own. Police investigations are taking place  concerning just how may “crows” are hidden in the Vatican, i.e. people that are skillfully maneuvering the leaking of documents for the purpose of attacking others. An atmosphere of suspicion reigns in and outside the Vatican. Historically Vatican policy has been that of secrecy, not of transparency. The inner movements and operations have been hidden and covered under the interests of the system. Now some of the schemes are being revealed to the public and Jesus’ words serve as a helpful reminder: “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known” (Luke 12:2).

            Various commentators have suggested some interpretative keys for what is happening. For some this is an entirely “Italian” scandal within the Vatican, i.e. a political game that resembles the dirty politics of the nearby state. Others think that all these moves are most likely related to the next conclave, i.e. the future election of the new Pope. Since Benedict XVI (now 85 years old) is about to nominate other cardinal-electors, various people in the curia are positioning themselves and fighting against opposing parties in order to influence the Pope in his decisions. However, the most plausible and over-arching explanation has to do with the present Secretary of State, cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. His role is like the one of the Prime Minister. Although he has been a long-time friend of Ratzinger, he does not come from the “diplomatic” school and his methods of leadership are felt as being very unusual for a Vatican Secretary of State. The curial opposition to Bertone has become more and more vocal and is the background of the various conspiracy-type of actions that are taking place.  Apparently, Benedict XVI has no intention of removing Bertone from office, so nobody knows what will happen in the near future. The overall picture is decadent and opaque and will have the probable effect of nurturing people’s skepticism and cynicism.

2. A More Radical Question

All these political explanations are plausible and should be taken seriously into account. However, this is not the full story. There is yet another set of radical questions that is necessary to ask in order to grasp these events spiritually.

             These last sad events that the Vatican is experiencing are all related to its being a state, a Church-State with a government, departments, a bank, diplomats, etc. The crucial question is: does the Church need to own a bank in order to operate its charities? Does the Church need to be a state in order to fulfill its biblical mission? Does the Church need an empire-like apparatus to be faithful to its missionary calling?

            These features lie at the heart of the Vatican but are unnecessary add-ons to the Church. The Church is not a state nor needs to parrot states that have banks, soldiers and diplomats. Most commentators, even the most astute and intelligent ones, read and interpret the recent Vatican news without asking these basic questions that are spiritual in nature. Christians should instead try to assess reality with the “mind of Christ”. Without a hint of moralistic superiority, everyone concerned with growing in Christ should take the following exhortation as his program: “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). Since the time of the Roman Empire, the Vatican has been accumulating many imperial features that have transformed the Church into something different. Will it be willing to throw them off for the sake of the Gospel?

            The real issue is not about crows or leaks or conspiracies. The bottom line question is: where is the Church of Jesus Christ in all this?

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 6^th June 2012

Roman Catholicism is a master at joining things together. It is the religion of the both-and (in Latin et-et). One of the meanings of the word “catholic” is to be comprehensive enough to hold different elements, even conflicting ones, in a superior synthesis that allows their co-existence. The last evidence of its thoroughgoing practice of the both-and is today’s announcement that plenary indulgences will be granted to the participants of the World Meeting of Families which will take place in Milan (Italy) from May 30^th to June 3^rd.

1. What is an Indulgence?

Indulgence evokes a medieval word and practice which was central in the doctrinal controversies during the XVI century Protestant Reformation. It may sound like an outdated word, but it is nevertheless an organic doctrine of present-day Roman Catholicism and is still an on-going and wide-spread practice. The last authoritative pronouncement was Paul VI’s bull Indulgentiarum Doctrina (i.e. The Doctrine of Indulgences) which was issued in 1967, after the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Indulgences have been granted to the faithful during many major events (e.g. Holy Years, World Youth Days, and now the World Meeting of Families). So the doctrine of indulgences is not a relic of a medieval religion, but a defining feature of Roman Catholicism from the Middle Ages up to now.

            In Paul VI’s bull an indulgence is defined as “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven”. The same definition is repeated word for word in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1471). The idea is that while eternal punishment is remitted with the sacrament of baptism, temporal punishment is remitted by an indulgence granted by the Church that applies to the penitent faithful “the treasury of the satisfaction of Christ and the saints”. The temporal punishment can be borne in one’s own life-time or in purgatory and receiving an indulgence basically means shortening the time in purgatory. Indulgence, therefore, does not grant salvation, but removes either part (partial indulgence) or all (plenary indulgence) of the temporal punishment.

            The doctrine of indulgence therefore represents a crossroad where various strands of Roman Catholic theology intersect: the doctrines of sin, grace, afterlife (Purgatory), the communions of saints, the power of the keys, the treasury of the Church, etc. are all involved. It is a doctrine that is difficult to square with Biblical standards, yet it is an important component to understand in order to grasp the Roman Catholic dynamics of the Christian faith.

2. Bittersweet

What once again stirred interest in indulgences was the recent decree of the Apostolic Penintentiary (i.e. the Vatican tribunal dealing with issues relating to the forgiveness of sin in the Catholic Church) that granted plenary indulgences to those faithful who will take part at the Milan World Meeting of Families. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend various events. The Pope himself will be there to celebrate an open air mass where one million people will attend. To gain a plenary indulgence in Milan, there are three conditions that must be fulfilled: sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and praying for the intentions of the Pope.

            The Meeting of Families is an important event whose goal is to encourage the institution of the family as the primary resource for society. This is a welcome initiative by all those who believe in marriage between a husband and a wife who are open to become parents. In times where the whole narrative around the word “family” is subject to worrying revisions, the Meeting is good news for all Bible-believing Christians. Yet, the sweet taste of it turns bitter because of the unnecessary attachments of non-biblical practices, at least from a non-Catholic point of view. Mixed feelings often accompany the attitude of non-Roman Catholic people when confronted with the reality of Roman Catholicism. Positive impressions go hand in hand with puzzling perceptions.

            As non-Catholics grapple with the bittersweet taste, let’s come to terms with the “Roman catholicity” of Roman Catholicism, i.e. its ability to hold together different things into a wider synthesis. While Roman Catholicism is willing to work with people of “good-will” on various issues, it always brings the whole of its vision and package. It does not select one aspect at the expense of others. It may give a temporary emphasis to one, but is always willing to relate it to the whole because the single element is always conceived as being part of the Roman Catholic whole.

            What has the family to do with indulgences? Nothing for non-Catholic Christians. A whole lot for Roman Catholics. At stake is a different catholicity.

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 28^th May 2012

Studying the Roman Catholic interest of the calendar is a fascinating exercise. In expressing the way in which time is sequenced, it gives access to what Roman Catholicism considers important for the Christian life and for humanity in general. The Roman Church has always paid great attention to establishing the rhythms of life by shaping and filling them with religious contents and symbolism. It is not by chance that our Gregorian calendar (i.e. our Western calendar) takes its name for Pope Gregory XIII who in 1582 stabilized the previous Julian calendar and gave shape to our modern one. It is worth considering that our way of measuring time was basically decided by a Roman Emperor and then by a Roman Pope.

            In the Middle Ages the Roman Church punctuated the established Christian calendar centered around traditional festivals (e.g. Easter, Pentecost, Christmas) by adding the veneration of a saint for each day of the year. Popular devotion was therefore given a daily opportunity to exalt the virtues of exemplary men and women and to pray to them. The practice of the intercessory prayers to the saints was also encouraged and still remains a defining practice for many Catholics around the world.  Time is marked by devotional practices that convey a powerful religious worldview.

            Besides holy years, yearly festivals, special weeks, single days, and the liturgy of the hours, the Roman Catholic calendar also focuses on particular months. Different cycles of life are saturated with different liturgical and devotional exercises. One month in particular deserves some comments.

1. Why May?

In the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar May is traditionally the Marian month. In Marian encyclopedias and in Mariological dictionaries the only explanation that is given for the choice of this particular month is that May is the time of year when Spring shines forth with warm weather and the fields begin to show the coming and growing harvest. As nature in May, so to speak, awakens after Winter, so the Christian life reflects the reinvigoration of life. The Virgin Mary is associated with the renewal of things and the beginning of a new fruitful season.

            At the end of XIX century, Mothers’ Days began to be celebrated in the West. Apparently, there was no previous connection with the Marian month which was already a well established practice in the majority of Catholic nations. Mother’s Day started with the desire to honor the memory of one’s own mother.  Of course, many Catholics saw the emergence of Mother’s Day in May as a “providential” coincidence to honor the Mother par excellence, the Virgin Mary. The two meanings, religious and secular, are now blended, thus resulting in an ever more “catholic” month.

2. What Happens in the Marian Month?

The Marian month is celebrated in a variety of ways. The highly sophisticated Mariology coincides with popular practices that are deeply rooted in folk Catholicism. From the bottom up, grassroots Marian movements organize vigils of prayer to Mary at the parish level, with open air processions, rosaries, and chains of prayer. The idea is to mark the territory with Mary’s presence. In Marian sanctuaries activities become frenzy due to the pilgrimage of groups. In homilies references to the various Mariological dimensions are even more emphasized. In Catholic bookshops, special rosary chains and devotional tools are given special interest.

            In May, even papal speeches and addresses take a more Marian slant. Between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, the Pope recites them prayer Regina Coeli (i.e. “Queen of heaven”) instead of the Angelus at midday in St. Peter’s square. Pilgrims and tourists gather to listen to and pray with the Pope. Regina Coeli is an old Marian prayer whose text contains Roman Catholic Mariology in a nutshell:

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as He said, alleluia.

Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

 

Let us pray.

O God, who has been pleased to gladden the world

by the Resurrection of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,

grant, we pray, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary,

we may receive the joys of everlasting life.

Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Regina Coeli Mary is the recipient of prayers and the intercessor between the faithful and Christ. This is the strong emphasis of the Marian month.

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 15^th May 2012

Both the topic and the author make this book a must read for all who are interested in present-day Roman Catholicism. Katholische Kirche. Wesen, Wirklichkeit, Sendung (The Catholic Church. Essence, Reality, Mission)[1] is the last volume by Cardinal Walter Kasper, one of the most interesting voices of contemporary Roman Catholic theology. In a 500 plus page book Kasper, now 80 years old, outlines both his theological pilgrimage in the Church and the main tenets of Catholic ecclesiology with particular reference to Vatican II. The book therefore combines autobiographical narratives and thick theological arguments.

            Kasper’s previous works (e.g. Jesus the Christ, 1976, and The God of Jesus Christ, 1984) made him one of the leading theologians after Vatican II, sometimes aligned to “progressive” tendencies, but always within the borders of mainstream catholicity. The fact that he was made cardinal and then President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity (2001-2010) testifies to his “orthodoxy” from the Vatican’s point of view. Unlike Ratzinger, he did not take part at the Council, though he has been a fervent advocate of it, especially the call for renewal within the Tradition that Vatican II reflected.

            At times, he has been played against the “conservative” Ratzinger, but to no avail. For instance, ten years ago a controversy was mounted around an ecclesiological issue between the two, i.e. the ontological primacy of the “one” Church over the particular churches (Ratzinger’s view), or the “particular” churches (Kasper’s) over the one Church. In other words, does the “one and catholic” Church come first and express itself in the particular churches or do the “many and particular” churches constitute the one Church? The solution was very catholic: et-et, both-and, with Ratzinger continuing to stress the “one” and Kasper underlining the “many”!

1. A Vatican II Ecclesiology

This book is the result of a lifetime of reflection on the Catholic Church, its sacramental reality, dogmatic apparatus, historical tradition, and present-day problems and challenges. Kasper pays tribute to his theological fathers that made a lasting impression on him: the XIX century Catholic school of Tübingen (J.S. Drey and J.A. Möhler) and J.H. Newman. The former gave him a “living” sense of the Church as the sacramental body of Christ, the latter instilled in him the sense of “development in continuity” of the Church’s tradition. According to Kasper, Vatican II is the child of the combination of both trends. Its overall significance can be summarized as “a continuity accompanied by a creative renewal” (27).

            The main attempt of the book is to articulate a vision of the Catholic Church around the categories of mysterium and communio. The former underscores the sacramentality of the Church, i.e. its being a sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of mankind. The latter underlines its catholicity, i.e. the ability to join together both past and future, faith and reason, grace and works, Roman institutions and catholic afflatus, clergy and laity, papacy and movements, living and dead, Christ and Mary, and so on. To this thick Roman Catholic view, Protestant accounts of the church appear to be marred by “ecclesiological docetism” (158) and the difference between the two is “fundamental” (263). Whereas the Church of Jesus Christ subsists in the Roman Catholic Church in its fullness, it also exists in other Christian communities, though in defective ways. Kasper adheres to the “tiered concept” of the Church (261 and 293) whereby the Roman Catholic Church stands in the center and other churches revolve around it depending on their proximity or distance from it.

            This is standard Vatican II ecclesiology. Kasper hopes that the “spirit” of the Council will continue to breathe in the Roman Catholic Church to encourage renewal within the parameters of Tradition. In spite of past real or fictional controversies, this program is very close to that of Pope Benedict XVI’s.

2. The Missing Interaction with Modern Evangelical Theology

Throughout the book Kasper interacts with Martin Luther’s writings and theology. The German reformer is read with respectful criticism. His main fault was that he broke with the institutional Church whereas other saints, though critical of, never rebelled against it and its magisterium (229). Other XVI century reformers are less present in Kasper’s horizon. This is understandable given his German provenance. Of course the Cardinal is also very well versed in ecumenical theology and makes extensive use of its history, dialogues and literature, especially those that stem from Eastern Orthodox, mainline Protestant and Anglican churches.

            There is only one passing reference to the “Evangelical movements and communities” (53) which are associated with the Global South. Unfortunately, there is not a single reference to a present-day Evangelical theologian or to a significant Evangelical movement such as Lausanne. Given the fact that Kasper was the President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity for nearly ten years, it seems that his “professional” interaction with Evangelicals did not raise his interest towards Evangelical theology. There may be a number of reasons for that: 1. A bias concerning Evangelical theology that is not perceived as a serious discourse deserving attention; 2. An evaluation of the Evangelical movement that is not seen as having a coherent or interesting theology worth interacting with (especially its ecclesiology); 3. A lack of Evangelical self-awareness that makes it difficult for Evangelicals engaged in dialogue with Catholics to use Evangelical sources and literature as their working tools; 4. A defective penetration of Evangelical books in official Roman Catholic circles.

            There may also be a combination of those. The fact is that Kasper is abreast with both Catholic and non-Catholic present day theology, except with Evangelical theology. And this is not very catholic.

 

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

 

Rome, 7^th May 2012

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Last week saw the overlapping of two interwoven anniversaries: the 85^th birthday of Joseph Ratzinger and the 7^th year from the beginning of his pontificate. Special concerts, commemorative books, and scores of messages reached the Pope to wish him all the best. He even received a visit from the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and his cabinet ministers who wanted to wish him a happy birthday in a personal meeting. On the whole, though, the Pope did not “sell” his private celebration to the media and lived it in the usual reserved way.

An Octogenarian Pope

85 years is a remarkable age for the papal office. He is now the oldest pope since Leo XIII (1810-1903). He may well be the oldest “monarch” reigning on earth. In recent months, there have been rumors of his willingness to retire out of tiredness of old age. He has began using a cane for walking on his own. For the long liturgical processions, he is now using a treadmill. After his international travels, he always makes sure that time is reserved to rest and recover. Yet the pace of his daily schedule would defy the resistance of most 40-something men.

            The leadership of the Roman Catholic Church always relies on the delicate balance between the personal charisma and involvement of the Pope and the bureaucracy of the Vatican curia, now lead by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. It seems that Ratzinger pays more attention to the preparation of his speeches, homilies and written works than to the daily operations of the Vatican organizational machinery. In recent months there have been various setbacks (e.g. leaks on sharp conflicts within Vatican offices and flawed financial projects) that have been partially explained by Ratzinger’s somewhat distant leadership.

A “Catholic” Pontificate

Perhaps the most interesting thing to reflect on is the trajectory of his pontificate now in its seventh year. Benedict’s reign cannot be properly assessed if it’s not viewed in continuity with his previous career.

Ratzinger has been one of the pivotal figures in the theological and ecclesiastical scene following Vatican II. He has been considered “progressive” in his youthful theological engagement for the renewal of the Church, and then “conservative” in his long-term service to his Church as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (1981-2005). Ratzinger is often pictured as if he were the left wing theologian who became right wing in his mature years. These labels, of course, do not account for the “catholicity” of Ratzinger’s theology, which is both traditional and aggiornata (i.e. updated). In assessing Ratzinger’s pontificate and theology as a whole, it is dangerous to contrast traditionalism and progressivism as if they were disrupting and conflicting trends within his work. There may have been different emphases and concerns between various stages of his career, but the tale of the conversion from radical theologian to the inflexible watchdog of orthodoxy is naive.

How do we account then for this change of attitudes and concerns? It depends on what kind of paradigm we use to interpret the theological flow of the RC Church. In its theological genius, present-day Roman Catholicism is “catholic” in the sense of embracing both the highest respect for the given heritage of the Church, and the strenuous attempt to find new ways of articulating it and living it out. The outcome is a dynamic synthesis which holds different elements together within the all-embracing system. Ratzinger well epitomises this kind of catholicity – strongly rooted in the tradition of the Church and yet also vigorously engaged in the challenges of the modern world.

            The motto of the theological journal Communio, with which he has been associated since 1972, neatly sums up his theological vision: “a program of renewal through the return to the sources of authentic tradition”. In other words, it is not just repetition of a given heritage, but renewal through fresh re-appropriation of biblical, patristic, liturgical, and sacramental sources.

            Catholicity can take many different turns. John Paul II’s catholicity was more global in extension, Thomist in theology, charismatic in character, and Marian in spirituality. Benedict XVI’s is more Western in focus, Augustinian in teaching, reserved in style, and liturgical in scope. But they both contribute to the overall catholicity of the Roman Church.

A “Western” Pontificate

The other prominent feature of this pontificate is its attention on the West. Whereas John Paul II stretched the globalization of the Roman Catholic Church, Ratzinger has been putting the West at center stage of its focus.

            His on-going critical conversation with the dangers of cultural relativism and the typically Western tendency to get rid of its “roots” or “heritage” is key to understanding the entire pontificate. While it is not always clear to what extent his critique of Western culture is also a defense of the constantinian status quo, he has somewhat corrected positive, yet overtly sentimental views of the modern world which were instead present at Vatican II.

            Ratzinger’s decision to create a brand new Pontifical Council dedicated to the New Evangelization is a move that has the West as its main target. What is at stake is the re-attraction of the millions of those baptized in the Church who are now wandering away from it. Although they are sacramentally part of the Church, many of them are far from it. The New Evangelization, therefore, is a means to recall them back to the fold.

            John Paul II labored to stretch the borders of the Church, but Benedict XVI is working towards reinforcing its historical center. The bet on the West is Ratzinger’s bet. His pontificate will stand or fall on it.

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 27^th April 2012

The next few years will be quite significant for Rio de Janeiro. The Rio+20 UN Summit on Sustainable Development in June 2012, the (Soccer) World Cup in 2014 and then the Olympic Games in 2016 will push the city to the world’s center stage. Considering that Brazil is emerging as one of the most dynamic BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) economies, these events will probably be another boost for the entire country, at least from a media point of view.

There is yet another event that will draw attention to Rio, this time for a religious reason. The next World Youth Day (WYD) organized by the Roman Catholic Church will be held in July 2013 and preparations are well under way and will involve over two million young people from all over the world.

 

1. From Madrid 2011 to Rio de Janeiro 2013

The WYD began in 1986 in Buenos Aires as a Catholic response to the emerging youth culture. Up to that point, rock concerts and political rallies were the main events that were capable of attracting thousands of young people. John Paul II encouraged the RC Church to become a catalyst for the youth, trying to offer a program that would suit both the Catholic tradition and the expectations of the younger generation. The general goal of the WYD has been to show the “young” face of the Church and its welcoming attitude towards the youth. This is done by a mix of traditional practices that lie at the heart of Roman Catholicism (e.g. Masses, auricular confessions, catechesis, processions, prayer vigils to Mary and the saints) and cultural events that show the adaptability of the Church to youth culture (e.g. pop concerts, arts exhibitions). In his 2011 Christmas Eve speech to the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI said that WYDs are expressions of the universal Church, centered on the Eucharist, encouraging the Sacrament of Reconciliation (i.e. confession) and characterized by youthful joy.

            The last WYD was held in Madrid in 2011 and the next one will be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013. Last week a conference took place in Rome where the Spanish delegation passed the baton to the Brazilian delegation in the presence of the Archbishops of Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. It provided an opportunity to both assess the last edition and to launch the next one. It is the latter that offers some interesting aspects to consider.

 

2. The Bigger Picture

The WYD returns to Latin America after its first edition in 1986. After the recent visit of Pope Ratzinger to Mexico and Cuba, it will be the next occasion for the Pope to visit Latin America. The continent is increasingly on the RC global radar in this current chapter of history. In presenting the Rio edition, Archbishop Orani João Tempesta said that 44% of Catholics in the world are Latinos and therefore the Church has a particular concern for what happens there. Moreover, the RC Church is showing declining numbers due to the spread of “new sects” (his expression) and the mounting of secularizing tendencies. Latin America still demonstrates a huge “spiritual capital” and a deep “religious soul”, but is wasting the former and withering the latter.

The WYD is therefore a way to reverse the tide by re-launching the Catholic claims on the Latin American continent and targeting the youth. These new worrying developments – said the Archbishop – cannot erase the Catholic “roots” of Brazil and the long-term goal is to help the youth rediscover their “roots” in the Catholic tradition. Ironically it seems that the way forward is to go backwards.

3. Countering a “Low Cost” Faith

From the presentation of the Archbishop, outside of the RC Church in Brazil there are only “sects” and secular trends. In the spiritual geography of the country, it seems that there is no place for non-Catholic, yet Orthodox Christians such as Evangelicals who are certainly not a tiny minority in Brazil. The Christian world is more complex than a black and white picture and the derogatory use of the word “sect” applied to anything not Roman Catholic is a matter of standing concern.

            Asked to speak more about the threat of these “sects” in a press conference at the Vatican, Tempesta qualified them as “Pentecostal” and “Neo-Pentecostal” groups and mentioned their “proselytism” as a negative feature. Apart from the lack of adequate categories to describe a complex phenomenon like the religious landscape in Brazil, there was also a confirmation of how popular Evangelicalism is seen in Catholic eyes. In an intriguing expression, the Archbishop spoke about their “low cost” faith. “Low cost” perhaps means a shallow, superficial, liquid, believing-without-belonging religion. In other words: a rootless faith to be confronted by a call to Roman Catholic “roots”. If Bonhoeffer spoke of the danger of a “cheap grace”, we are now told of the danger a “low cost” faith.

            In spite of what the Catholic hierarchy says and does not say about Evangelicalism, the image the movement portrays should stir some attention. “Grace alone” and “faith alone” are too often viewed as smuggling a “cheap grace” and  a “low cost” faith. Do we have a problem somewhere?

 

 

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

 

Rome, 7^th April 2012

If you visit St. Peter’s square before the 15^th of April an unexpected and interesting attraction will be waiting for you. In the Braccio di Carlo Magno (i.e. Charlemagne wing) next to St. Peter’s basilica under Bernini’s colonnade on the right-hand side of the square, an exhibition entitled Verbum Domini (i.e. the Word of the Lord) will call for your attention. The colorful Italian-English brochure that will be put in your hands invites you to “Take a walk through the history of the Bible in this private collection of rare biblical texts and objects of enormous importance”. Admission is free.

Verbum Domini is also the title of the 2010 Post-Synodical Apostolic Exhortation by Benedict XVI in which the Pope summarized the present-day Roman Catholic interpretation of the Word of God, i.e. a living Tradition which includes the Bible and which the Magisterium of the Church interprets faithfully. The connection between the papal text and the exhibition is clear and signals the intent to underline the importance of this topic.

1. A Fascinating Exhibition …

The exhibit was put together from private collections from around the world, mainly from the Green Collection – the largest private collection in the world of rare biblical texts and documents. Displayed in 8 galleries, 152 rare biblical texts and artifacts showcase the history of the Bible: from ancient scrolls to copied texts to printed volumes of the XVII century; from Hebrew to Greek to Latin and other vernacular languages; from Qumran to Europe to the rest of the world.

            Here are some of the highlights of the exhibition:

–       Codex Climaci Rescriptus—one of the earliest-surviving, near-complete Bibles containing the most extensive early biblical texts in Jesus’ household language of Palestinian Aramaic.

–       Scrolls

–       The Jeselsohn Stone or Gabriel’s revelation, a three foot tall, 150 pound sandstone tablet discovered near the Dead Sea in Jordan containing 87 lines of first century BCE Hebrew text.

–       The Gutenberg Bible Book of Romans, the first book printed in the West with moveable typeset printing.

–       Complutensian Polyglot, the first multilingual edition of the entire Bible.

In the first gallery, there are also two half-burnt scrolls of the Torah that escaped from total destruction attempted by the Nazis and Stalinists. They are a moving testimony to the on-going battle that surrounds the Bible.

2. The Inter-faith and Ecumenical Intentions

The exhibition has an ambitious goal. In the organizers’ words, “the Verbum Domini, specifically, is a way of celebrating the interfaith love that many traditions have for the Bible, and we believe that is a way of sharing that with the world”.  Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions are all represented in it. From the Vatican side, here is what Cardinal Farina, Prefect of the Vatican Library, said about the exhibition at the inauguration: “The title Verbum Domini was chosen to highlight the ecumenical conception of this exhibition, and also its venue here at the Vatican. The origin of the documents, the prevalence of the Green Collection, and those from other collections highlight the participation of the Christian denominations. Because in reality, the Bible unites, even though so many think it does the opposite, it’s actually a very strong point of union”.

            Fair enough. But why is it that on the brochure that is distributed at the entrance one reads that “this exhibit celebrates the dramatic story of the Catholic contribution to the most-banned, most-debated, best-selling book of all time”? Has the broad contribution to the history of the Bible become a Catholic contribution alone? Perhaps this is a mistake made by a zealous editor, but it reflects the provincial culture that each institution (Vatican included) can fall prey to.

3. The Missing Story

The most puzzling point, however, is what the exhibition does not say about the history of the Bible. The unsaid is as telling as what is said. The whole trajectory of the suggested narrative is “linear” to the point of being historically untenable. The given picture is that the “modern” translations of the Bible in vernacular languages spread out across the Christian spectrum and that each sector of the Christian church championed their diffusion.

The reality is very different.  Since the XII century the Roman Church has in various ways banned the circulation of Bibles in the peoples’ languages. These bans lead to the compilation of the 1559 Index of Librorum Prohibitorum (Index of Prohibited Books) by Pope Paul IV where Bible translations were among the forbidden books. The vehement attack by the Tridentine Church towards the translations of the Bible allowed historian Gigliola Fragnito to speak of “the Bible on stake” to describe what happened up to the XVII century in countries dominated by the Catholic Church[1]. That ban lasted for centuries. The true story, therefore, is not the mild, peaceful, ecumenical account of the Verbum Domini exhibition.

The Bible is a shared heritage for Christians and this truth is beyond dispute. Therefore historical exhibitions on the Bible should aim at telling the story in a fair and accurate way rather than pursuing wishful ecumenical readings which are partial, selective, and therefore misguiding.

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 26^th March 2012

Is there a specifically Roman Catholic way of doing theology? What are its defining marks? These questions form the background of a 36-page document recently released by the International Theological Commission (ITC). It took 8 years for the Commission to elaborate on it. This long gestation perhaps indicates the difficult task that ITC embarked in drafting the text entitled Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles and Criteria.

Since 1969 the role of the ITC has been to assist the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in examining doctrinal questions and offering insights on various theological issues. The document is helpful because it provides an insider and succinct perspective on what theology as a whole looks like in Vatican eyes.

After observing that true Catholic theology reflects unity (not uniformity) in diversity (not fragmentation),  the document stresses the fact that theology has three main features: “it arises from listening to the Word of God”, “it situates itself consciously and faithfully in the communion of the Church”, and “it is orientated to the service of God in the world”. The most interesting sections of the document are the first two in that they touch on sensitive theological issues that are crucial for other theological traditions as well.

1. A “Living” View of the Word of God

What strikes an Evangelical reader first and foremost is the prominent reference to the Word of God given in the document. In Catholic theology, the expression “Word of God” has a wide, elastic, and dynamic meaning, far beyond the contours of the written Word of the Bible. ICT reminds that Christianity is not a “religion of the book”, but a “religion of the word of God”. The former is “a written and mute word”, the latter is “the incarnate and living Word” (7). A sharp distinction is made between the written Word and the living Word as if the two could be possibly polarized. The Catholic Word contains both the Scriptures “as an inspired testimony to revelation” and “the Church’s living Tradition” (8). Scripture and Tradition constitute the “supreme rule of faith”.

            ICT wants us to appreciate once more what is the standard Roman Catholic theology of the Word of God after Vatican II. The Bible is certainly important, but the Bible is only part of a wider and living Tradition that is proclaimed faithfully “only on the foundation of the apostles and in apostolic succession” (10). Both the doctrinal foundation laid by the apostles and the on-going apostolic ministry exercised by the hierarchy are necessary to have access to the Word of God. The Magisterium of the RC Church is therefore essential in order to have the full Word of God.

2. Tradition as the Word of God

The idea of Tradition is paramount for ICT and is perhaps the highest indicator of what it means for a theology to be Roman Catholic theology. Tradition is defined as a complex whole with various vital components: “a constantly renewed study of sacred Scripture, liturgical worship, attention to what the witnesses of faith have taught through the ages, catechesis fostering growth in faith, practical love of God and neighbor, structured ecclesial ministry and the service given by the magisterium to the Word of God” (26).

The whole Roman Catholic Church is inherently involved in Tradition. In a sense, the Church is so immersed in Tradition that it cannot possibly be corrected by the Scriptures. The Church is so inextricably a part of Tradition that the Bible cannot be above the Church. Since the Bible is part of Tradition and the Church is also part of Tradition, the Bible is submitted to the Tradition of which the Church is the present-day and living voice. In a telling statement, the ICT document says that “Scripture is the first member of the written tradition” (30), implying that there are other members of the same tradition which come after and which define tradition inasmuch as Scripture. The difference is that the “living” voice of the magisterium has the last say whereas the “written” one is just one of the past components of Tradition.

3. Theology and magisterium

It comes as no surprise to read that “fidelity to the Apostolic Tradition is a criterion of Catholic theology” (32). While research is encouraged in all directions, “dissent towards the magisterium has no place in Catholic theology” (41). The magisterium has been given the charisma veritatis certum (i.e. the sure charism of truth) to which theology must submit (33). The role of theology is therefore to investigate and articulate the faith of the Church, but it is the magisterium that “proclaims the faith and authentically interprets it” (38).

Theology Today offers an honest sketch of what it means doing theology the Roman Catholic way. Dei Verbum and Lumen Gentium (i.e. two foundational documents of Vatican II) are the main pillars as far as the doctrines of Revelation and the Church are concerned. The task of theology lies between the two. The document presents nothing new, but is just a restatement of post-Vatican II magisterial views and concerns.

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

Rome, 13^th March 2012

Opening the Pontifical Yearbook is not an easy task. This thick book of more than 2350 pages contains all sorts of information about who’s who in the Vatican and what happens there. Despite the practical problems of handling it, it is nonetheless a mine of precious information about the center of the RC Church and the Vatican city.

For example, one reads that the official titles of the Pope are the following: “Bishop of Rome”, “Vicar of Jesus Christ”, “Successor of the prince of the Apostles” (i.e. Peter), “Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church”, “Primate of Italy”, “Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province”, “Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City”. The last title, “Servant of God’s servants”, is in stark contrast with the grandeur of the previous ones.

1. Absolute Power, with one Exception

The list of papal titles is somewhat astonishing and covers religious offices, political tasks and organizational responsibilities. He is one of the last examples of absolute sovereignty. In his person, the executive, legislative, and juridical powers are all concentrated. Until he dies, the Pope remains the Pope. The only restriction on his power is that he cannot choose his own successor. In other words, the papacy is not a family dynasty. This task is given to the College of electing cardinals, i.e. cardinals who are under 80 years old and who gather in “conclave” (from the Latin cum clave, i.e. locked up with a key) in the Sistine Chapel to vote on the new Pope.

This is not to say that the reigning Pope does not influence the vote for the election of the next one. Actually, although he will not be present (!), he has a strategic role to play. As a matter of fact, the Pope has the authority to select the new cardinals. So in choosing the new “princes” of the RC Church, he shapes the College that will vote his successor. This gives him a real, albeit indirect influence on the selection process of the next Pope. By way of analyzing the chosen members of the College (i.e. their spiritual weight and ecclesiastical provenance) it is therefore possible to paint a somewhat accurate and likely picture of who the next pope will be.

 

2. The New “Northren” Cardinals

On February 18^th, Pope Ratzinger “created” (this is the technical verb) 22 new cardinals, although only 18 of them became part of the electing College because they are under 80. The College is then made up of 125 cardinals, a number that will decrease in a short time because some of its members will turn 80 soon and therefore will be excluded from it.

            Let’s have a look at the geographical map of the College. What appears interesting is the proportion between the macro-regions. On the one hand, there are 67 Europeans (more than half of the College), and if we add the North-Americans and the only Oceanian, the number of the cardinals coming from the Northern part of the globe is 83 out of 125. On the other hand, the number of Latin American, African and Asian cardinals is only 41. Nearly two thirds of the College comes from the ancient, established, powerful churches of the West, although most of these churches are currently facing a long-term phase of decline. Only one third of the College comes from Southern churches which are younger, less traditional, perhaps poorer, but are growing in terms of practice and number of vocations to the priesthood.

Thus the College now reflects more the “older” face of the RC Church than its “new” profile. It is a College with a distinct Ratzingerian face. Does it mean that Pope Ratzinger wishes his successor to be a Northern Pope that will share his emphasis on calling the West back to the RC Church? Does it mean that the secular West will be the primary item on the next Pope’s agenda as it is in Benedict XVI’s one?

3. The Power of the Curia

The other interesting feature to consider is the role of the electing cardinals. After the creation of the 22 new ones, 44 of them now belong to the Roman Curia. In other words, they are high ranking ecclesiastical figures who live in Rome and lead various Vatican departments but do not have direct pastoral roles. They bring to the Church a more “Roman” perspective than a “catholic” (i.e. universal) one. Whereas bishops around the world have first-hand experience in leading a church even at the parish and grass-roots level, the Roman Curia has a more “political”, self-referential culture.  Generally speaking, they are more able diplomats than preachers and pastors. Their expertise is more in canon law than in missiology.

            Summing up these two indicators, here is a possible portrayal of the next Pope: a Northern cardinal with a distinct “Roman” soul. Perhaps the next Pope will be totally different, but at least this portrayal corresponds well to Benedict XVI’s own outlook.

 

 

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

 

Rome, 20^th February 2012

The New Evangelization is the buzzword for much of what happens at the Vatican. It could well become the catchword of Ratzinger’s entire pontificate given the attention that is receiving. Benedict XVI instituted a new Pontifical Council in 2010 entirely dedicated to the New Evangelization. The latter is mentioned in nearly all his speeches and is slowly but steadily becoming the overarching theme of many projects sponsored by the Vatican.

            The President of the newly created Vatican department, Msgr. Rino Fisichella, has just published a book (La nuova evangelizzazione, Milano: Mondadori, 2011) where he spells out the significance of the New Evangelization and offers an interesting perspective on the direction that this initiative is going to take. Fisichella was professor of Fundamental Theology (i.e. the RC way of defining a discipline between Apologetics and Systematic Theology) for many years and then Rector of the Lateran Pontifical University, one of the major and most prestigious academic institutions in Rome. After spending much of his life reflecting on the often turbulent relationship between faith and the modern world, Benedict XVI called him to lead the Vatican efforts towards mobilizing the RC Church towards the New Evangelization. From the chair to the square, so to speak.

1. What the New Evangelization is About

Fisichella makes clear that the New Evangelization applies to those countries where the RC Church was established in ancient times and where the first proclamation of the Gospel resounded many centuries ago. He acknowledges the fact that the word “evangelization” and the vocabulary around it has been treated with suspicion in RC circles due to its “protestant” usage and overtones. Mission and catechesis were more traditional and preferred terms for a long time. It is only after Vatican II that the language of evangelization began to be used.

            The expression “New Evangelization” was coined by John Paul II in 1979 and subsequently achieved a technical theological meaning. Its specificity has to do with its recipients, i.e. the masses that have been baptized in the RC Church but have “lost a living sense of their faith”. The goal of the New Evangelization is to call them back to the mother church.

2. Why the New Evangelization is Needed

Fisichella embarks on the attempt of analyzing what has caused such a transition to practical unbelief. The root of the Western crisis is the transformation of the process of secularization in a strong movement towards secularism. The former is a sociological process which reflects pluralism, the latter is a new dogmatic religion which is anti-Christian. This new stance forgets the rich “synthesis between Greek-Roman thought and Christianity” and replaces it with an ideology of religious indifference and relativism. In a telling comment, Fisichella argues that “the pathology that afflicts the world today is cultural” and is to be entirely attributed to secularism.

            This is a standard reading of Western cultural trends from a traditional point of view. What is striking in Fisichella’s otherwise nuanced reconstruction is the lack of self-criticism as far as the RC Church is concerned. It seems that the charge of the present-day crisis lies in secularism only, whereas churches seem to bear no responsibility. Even when he deplores the profound ignorance that most people show as far as the tenets of the Christian faith is concerned, he skips over the rather obvious point about who is to blame (at least partially but truly) for it. Are we sure that European churches do not bear any responsibility in today’s spiritual and cultural crisis, especially when they claim to have 70%, 80%, 90% of baptized in most countries? Isn’t there something wrong in their theology of Christian initiation? Isn’t there a problem in their catechetical impact? Isn’t there something awkward in their witness to the Gospel? In the end, are churches blameless in the Western spiritual turmoil? For Fisichella, the issue is not even mentioned.

3. New Evangelization … New Humanism

The New Evangelization is needed because the West has turned away from its Christian roots and it is time to reverse the tide. According to Fisichella, the battle ground is cultural, the issue at stake is anthropological, the task before the Church is to promote a New Humanism, i.e. a more advanced synthesis between Christian values and the Greek-Roman heritage through the rediscovery of the virtue of coherence on the part of Christians. The New Evangelization will be a means to achieve this ambitious goal, a goal that Benedict XVI wholly embraces and proactively spearheads.

So far, the narrative of the New Evangelization does not contain crucial biblical words like repentance from past and present mistakes, confession of sin, conversion to Jesus Christ. If the New Evangelization is to bear its fruit there is no other way than the biblical one.

 

Leonardo De Chirico

leonardo.dechirico@ifeditalia.org

 

Rome, 7^th February 2012