Theology

In his proposal, which appears in the current Instrumentum Laboris for the 2015 Ordinary Synod, articles 120 and following, Cardinal Walter Kasper recommends a new pastoral discipline for the Church in which bishops would decide on a case-by-case basis whether to admit divorced and “remarried” Catholics to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion after repenting of their divorce but without requiring the sacramental confession of adultery and a firm commitment to live in complete continence. This suggested change in pastoral discipline is presented as more merciful than the Church’s current practice, but in fact it constitutes a grave sin of scandal in the strict sense. This is established by looking at Kasper’s proposal in light of the following six points of immutable doctrine: (1) Sacramental marriage is a life-long marital bond, dissolvable only by death. (2) The act of abandonment of the active divorcer with the intention to sever this bond is gravely sinful. (3) Those who attempt “remarriage” commit a further grave sin that Christ calls adultery.(4) Reception of Holy Communion in a state of unrepentant mortal sin is itself a grave sin of sacrilege. (5) Bishops who admit (or those who direct or encourage bishops to admit) unrepentant persons to Holy Communion commit a grave sin of scandal. (6) Divorcees who repent, commit to live in complete continence, and receive sacramental absolution are not in a state of mortal sin (at least with respect to the divorce and “remarriage”); but those who do not do so are in a state of mortal sin, given their full knowledge and consent. If a pastor discerns invincible ignorance on the part of the couple in this regard, it is his solemn duty to inform them clearly of their situation and urge them to repent so that they may truly find the mercy of Christ.

The Synod fathers and the Pope must reject Cardinal Kasper’s ersatz proposal of mercy as found in the Instrumentum Laboris and instead unequivocally reaffirm Christ’s genuine offer of mercy as found in the Church’s perennial practice and expressed by Pope St. John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio.

This article examines how St. Thomas Aquinas developed rich theological insights to be used ultimately in his preaching ministry as a thirteenth century magister in sacra pagina. His exegetical approach deploys a careful divisio textus to arrive at the
literal meaning and doctrinal sense of the scriptural passage. The ambiguities of difficult passages are examined dialectically by short logical disputations that uncover the riches of the text. The fruits of these labors were then brought together in the master’s university sermon for the conversion and perfection of souls. Thus, the three duties of the medieval master codified in the statutes of the University of Paris – namely, to teach, to dispute, and to preach – contextualize the task of the medieval theologian, rooting him in the revealed Word of God and requiring him to care for the souls of his students and colleagues in his preaching by announcing and explaining the sense and practical import of sacra doctrina. This article also examines the proximate historical source for these three duties as the practice of lectio divina was brought out of the monasteries and into the public sphere of the academies in the great cities of medieval Europe. There is much we could learn today from recovering this robustly ecclesial and pastoral way of pursuing biblical theology.

Artykuł analizuje, w jaki sposób bogaty dorobek teologiczny św. Tomasza
z Akwinu jest wykorzystywany w jego praktyce kaznodziejskiej jako XIII-wiecznego
“magister in sacra pagina”. Jego egzegetyczne podejście wyraża się w ostrożnym “divisio textus”, aby dotrzeć do dosłownego i doktrynalnego sensu danego tekstu biblijnego.  Ambiwalentne interpretacje trudnych tekstów są dialektycznie analizowane za pomocą krótkich, logicznych dysput odkrywających bogactwo tekstu. Owoce tej pracy były niejako zbierane w kazaniu średniowiecznego mistrza ukierunkowanym na nawrócenie i doskonalenie dusz. Trzy obowiązki średniowiecznego mistrza wyrażone w statutach Uniwersytetu Paryskiego – nauczanie, prowadzenie dysput oraz kaznodziejstwo – wskazują na zadania średniowiecznego teologa, zakorzeniając go w objawionym Słowie Boga i wymagając od niego troski o dusze swoich studentów i kolegów wyrażane w głoszenie sensu i praktycznych implikacji sacra doctrina. W artykule przeanalizowano także zródła historyczne dotyczące wspomnianych trzech obowiązków takie jak “lectio divina” przeprowadzana poza klasztorami, w publicznej sferze akademii w największych miastach Europy. Ten model eklezjalnej i pastoralnie ukierunkowanej teologii biblijnej może stanowić również wzór dla współczesnej jej kontynuatorki.

SUMMARY: The recent proposal to admit divorced and remarried Catholics living in more uxorio to the sacraments of Penance and Communion presents itself as a merciful solution to a very painful situation. But this pastoral course of action would be harmful to the faithful and is not viable since it constitutes a corruption, rather than an organic development, of Church doctrine and praxis. This becomes clear by scrutinizing the proposal in light of Christ's and the Church's teaching on this matter as found in Scripture, the writings of the Fathers, the decrees of the early councils, up through the pontificate of John Paul II. A theological analysis shows that this proposal fails to meet each one of the seven sound criteria developed by John Henry Newman in his essay on the development of doctrine. Pastoral regard for the context and culpabil-ity of the acting moral subject is essential, as highlighted by professor Rocco Buttiglione; yet this must not entail affirming persons in their moral error to their detriment. Rather, such subjective situations require pastors to inform and encourage the faithful about life in Christ in matters of marriage, divorce and remarriage, and the fruitful reception of Penance and Communion, in organic continuity with what the Church has always taught. It has recently been proposed that some divorced and remarried Catho-lics who are not committed to living continently ought to be admitted on a case-by-case basis to the sacraments of Penance and Communion.

In virtue of his office, the bishop is called to be perfected in supernatural charity. Deeply united to the Lord, the bishop becomes an icon of Christ, mediating him to the faithful in a visible, beautiful manner. Returning to the theology of the episcopacy of St. Thomas Aquinas is a key to the renewal of this office. Aquinas calls the episcopacy a "state of perfection" in which the bishop mediates Christ by the example of his life, by preaching, and by governing-animated, above all, by an abundant charity for God and neighbor.

Robert Grosseteste delivered his inaugural sermon, Dictum 19, in 1229/1230. Like many inaugural sermons, Dictum 19 praises Scripture, its divine author, and the study of the sacred text. Grosseteste's sermon, however, is unique in that its author had an extensive background in the natural sciences. I propose that his understanding of the nature of light influences his understanding of Scripture in Dictum 19. Specifically, Scripture, like light, gives form to others, creating a hierarchy of bodies which mediate this form. Grosseteste's thought influenced Saint Bonaventure, who delivered his inaugural sermon Omnium artifex docuit me sapientia at his 1254 inception. Like Grosseteste, Bonaventure's understanding of the nature of Scripture is based in part on his light metaphysics. I conclude that, for both Grosseteste and Bonaventure, their use of light as an analogy for Scripture is rooted not only in traditional theological metaphors but also in their metaphysics of light.

Shows that while John Paul II was greatly influenced by both Gaudium et Spes 22 and 24, he is not the author of either.  A detailed investigation of the authorship is made from the archives of Pierre Haubtmann, the chief editor of Gaudium et Spes.