The Next Christianity

The Atlantic Monthly ^ | October 2002 | Philip Jenkins

[Publius]

Ever since the sexual-abuse crisis erupted in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church in the mid-1980s, with allegations of child molestation by priests, commentators have regularly compared the problems faced by the Church to those it faced in Europe at the start of the sixteenth century, on the eve of the Protestant Reformation—problems that included sexual laxity and financial malfeasance among the clergy, and clerical contempt for the interests of the laity. Calls for change have become increasingly urgent since January, when revelations of widespread sexual misconduct and grossly negligent responses to it emerged prominently in the Boston archdiocese. Similar, if less dramatic, problems have been brought to light in New Orleans, Providence, Palm Beach, Omaha, and many other dioceses. The reform agendas now under discussion within the U.S. hierarchy involve ideas about increased lay participation in governance—ideas of the sort heard when Martin Luther confronted the Roman Catholic orthodoxy of his day. They also include such ideas as admitting women to the priesthood and permitting priests to marry.

Explicit analogies to the Reformation have become commonplace not only among commentators but also among anticlerical activists, among victims' groups, and, significantly, among ordinary lay believers. One representative expert on sexual misconduct, much quoted, is Richard Sipe, a former monk who worked at the sexual-disorders clinic at Johns Hopkins University and is now a psychotherapist based in California. Over the years Sipe has spoken regularly of "a new Reformation." "We are at 1515," he has written, "between when Martin Luther went to Rome in 1510 and 1517 when he nailed his 95 theses on the door in Wittenberg." That act can reasonably be seen as the symbolic starting point of the Reformation, when a united Christendom was rent asunder.

[Publius]

I read this article while waiting in the doctor's office, and I was tempted to steal the magazine. I re-subscribed to the Atlantic, and this is one of those articles I find myself referencing fairly often.

[Dataman]

The reform agendas now under discussion within the U.S. hierarchy involve ideas about increased lay participation in governance—ideas of the sort heard when Martin Luther confronted the Roman Catholic orthodoxy of his day. They also include such ideas as admitting women to the priesthood and permitting priests to marry.

There is really no valid comparison to the Reformation. The RC may indeed need to do some reforming but the implied move to the left is not exactly what the Reformation was about.

[yankeedame]

I always find it interesting that in these accusation the emphasis is always on priests=homosexuals, never homosexuals= priests.

[B-Chan]

Good news all around for us orthodox Catholics who are fed up with Euroamerican apostasy. Let the schismatics have their sodomite priests, their lesbian priestesses, and their "new Christianity" -- once again, God sends His saints to rescue the Church, this time from the South instead of the North. The African priests who occasionally concelebrate in our parish are a delight, and I'm a big Arinze fan. Africa and Latin America will lead the way in the Reconquista of Europe and America.

To hell with the idea of a "Vatican III"! What we need is Trent II !

[RightWhale]

We haven't had an antichrist worthy of his broadbrimmed hat for a long time. All those German sects were tried in America one time or another, and some others the Germans never thought of, but it's been a while; Koresh, Jim Jones, the Comet Companions, and that spooky lady in Idaho or Montana notwithstanding. It's long past time to identify the antichrist of the day, set up a community of like-minded zealots, and kick off the new reformation. They'll probably want to take a vote early on to decide if the Second Coming has come and gone already or still awaits us in the glorious future.

[TUX]

Oh that GOD would grant a reformation amoung and in the body of Christ.

Christ alone, by Faith alone, through Grace alone, by the Scriptures alone.

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[mabelkitty]

I hope the American Catholics break from Rome and rebuild the Church from the ashes.

I know they can - they are Americans!!

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Great article. It shows the Northern liberals are the ones out of the loop, due to their rejection of the Bible. The growing Churches in North America are conservative and evangelical, whether Protestant or Catholic.

I don't expect Cardinal Arinze to be elected Pope when John Paul II dies, but the time of an African or South American Pope draws near.

If indeed we are near the return of Jesus Christ, then the antiChrist can arise and deceive the ignorant secular North in response to a jihadist threat from the South. This is a speculation, of course, not a prophecy.

[Publius]

The growing Churches in North America are conservative and evangelical, whether Protestant or Catholic.

Yes, but that's the microtrend. The megatrend is toward unbelief. I'm searching all my usual sources to find an article I read last year pointing out that Unbeliever is the fastest growing "religion" in America. I know that John Judis and Rudy Texeira have written a book on this topic, and I'm trying to find that review I read last year.

[JmyBryan]

Bump

[B-Chan]

Where is "...by the Scriptures alone" taught in Scripture?

[Question_Assumptions]

Bump for later.

[Bonaparte]

"...and permitting priests to marry."

Oh, yeah, that'll stop these homosexual pedophile priests for sure.

[Publius]

Could you please move this thread to "Religion?