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Saturday, May 21, 2011

On the condemnation of a prominent Catholic theologian’s book by the US bishops’ committee on doctrine


Most Bishops don't have advanced degrees in theology; they often write and say things that are theologically incorrect and that do not clearly express the official teaching of the church. Many of them think that simply by being bishops they have been endowed with a level of learning that they had not had before their consecration. The wiser bishops tend to have competent theologians to whom they look for help when they need it. Cardinal Wuerl does not seem to be in that group nor do his colleagues. They don't even seem to observe their own procedures. My sense is that they ignored the proper procedures in this case because it never occurred to them that women can be theologians--just like they can't be priests. Unfortunately for them, many laypeople--men and women--have become increasingly knowledgeable about theology. It is arrogant of the bishops to believe that their theological knowledge is greater, by virtue of their office, than that of lay and ordained theologians.

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