Posted on 12/05/2014 10:02:26 AM PST by NKP_Vet
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has urged the Catholic Church's top theologians to listen to what ordinary Catholics have to say rather than just making their own pronouncements on hot-button issues.
Francis, whose near-disdain for theologians is well-known, told the International Theological Commission on Friday that they must "humbly listen" to what God tells the church by paying attention to how ordinary Catholics live out their faith.
The Vatican's orthodoxy and theology watchdog, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has long been assailed for issuing critiques of Catholic academics without even consulting them or advising them that they were under investigation.
Francis said theologians must "open their eyes and ears to the signs of the times."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I make no excuses for him. I think he’s an idiot that is leading the church astray.
He hasn't said anything ex cathedra yet. That's simply a fact, whether or not you find it amusing.
Personally, I'm praying he never does.
**(4) (this one’s my favorite) He wasn’t speaking ex cathedra.**
Which makes all that the Pope says kind of irrelevant.
Church-by-Democracy is unbiblical and can never work.
However, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has a long history of truly astounding arrogance. A call for humility is long overdue IMO.
Straight from the Vatican. The AP piece about listening to lay people might be BS. More to come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pOiL5I9pac
He should speak clearly, precisely and fervently if he were sincere. He is a learned man.
re: I think it is a wonderfully “novel” idea for churches to build ministries for their communities based on listening to the needs of those being served - kind of like that guy Jesus did.
It wasn’t just “listening to the needs”. It included things like getting rid of the cross. People don’t like hearing about sin and Hell and doctrines so watch it there. Don’t talk about controversial moral issues. Give people what they think they need and want. Personally, I think if one is in ministry, their obligation is to teach God’s Word even if it does make some uncomfortable. That is what Jesus did. You don’t have to be obnoxious about it. But you tell the truth. The whole Bible. You don’t water it down. BTW, several years ago Hybels himself came to conclusion that simply giving people what they wanted with the seeker sensitive approach was not such a great plan after-all. It made for growth but not for disciples.
You guys seemed to draw one heck of a joker out of the Deck with this guy.
However I have a word of warning. He is phrasing his statements in a way that suggest to me a big change is coming.
That's an oxymoron. If you believe ex cathedra is divinely inspired and always correct, what is there to fear? And how can you pray that such a thing doesn't happen?
This is what he said to the group of theologians. Still trying to clarify it. AP is a liberal news organization. Francis says a lot of crazy things, but this was beyond belief, so calls for more investigation.
Straight from the Vatican. The AP piece about listening to lay people might be BS. More to come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pOiL5I9pac
I think you're right, I've noticed that too.
The only claim is that is preserved free from error. (False teaching, in other words, heresy.) That doesn't make it prudent, nor does it make it the best possible way to teach "X" for any value of "X", etc.
I'm not convinced of that.
I don't see much of what the AP claims to see.
"Making their own pronouncements" does not mean the same as "teaching thie authentic doctrines of the Church. Thelogians have no business "making their own pronouncements."
The laity should make that clear to them. Early and often.
Maybe he should rethink that - the laity is, in general, much more conservative than the clergy, and obviously, a lot more so than Pope Francis. (I’m talking about the laity that actually practices, not people who just call themselves Catholics because they happened to be baptized in a Catholic church.) I don’t think he’d like the message he’d get...
The reason he’s having trouble stamping out the Old Rite is that many of the laity actually want it, and did more to keep it alive than the clergy did.
This pope just keeps saying stupid things. Morality ain’t determined by majority vote. God created us and He therefore makes the rules we’re to live by. We individually and collectively ignore Him at our peril.
Pope Francis is an evangelical Protestant.
Bill Hybels admitted that he messed up with his approach to the lost. But, too many churches today think they have to get “numbers” to be “successful.” The Lord calls those who He calls, and we are just responsible for teaching the Gospel without reservations.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.