German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer Posted on 07/13/2023 6:23:37 PM PDT by ebb tide
VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) - The new head of the Vatican's doctrine watchdog is hinting at the prospect of ending the requirement of celibacy for priests in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church.
German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer
Asked if abolishing mandatory celibacy would "undermine doctrine," Abp. Víctor Manuel "Tucho" Fernández, prefect-designate of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said that it would be Pope Francis' prerogative to make a considered judgment on the matter.
"It is a possible hypothesis, as indeed happens in the East. But this is a prudential decision that the pope must weigh," Fernández told Italian newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale in an interview published Tuesday.
Responding to a majority of the synod fathers at the Amazon Synod calling for married priests, the prefect-designate said he could not expect "very concrete answers" but preferred "to wait to see where the Spirit wants to take us."
The archbishop, who will be elevated to the cardinalate in September, further lamented the "problem of theological language" used to describe the phenomenon of homosexuality as "objectively disordered" in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Such terminology "sometimes ignores the effect it can have on people's hearts, as if it were indifferent to the pain it produces," Fernández explained. "But, as you know, this is not the case for Pope Francis, who would undoubtedly use different language."
The cardinal-elect, who has been appointed as head of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, expressed his disagreement with the way traditionalist Catholics interpreted the biblical texts on homosexual relations.
"There are biblical texts that cannot be interpreted in a 'material' way. I don't mean 'literal,'" the theologian, who has a licentiate in biblical theology, remarked. "The Church has long understood the need for hermeneutics that interprets them in their historical context."
"This does not mean that they lose their content, but rather that they should not be taken completely at their face value. Otherwise, we should obey the command of St. Paul which requires women to cover their heads, for example," the archbishop argued.
Fernández recently revealed that his methodology in interpreting biblical texts has been "deeply influenced" by the agnostic philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900–2002), who was brought up as a liberal Protestant in Germany.
Gadamer, one of the most influential thinkers in philosophical hermeneutics, emphasized the dialogical nature of interpretation, highlighting that the reader is in conversation not only with the text but also brings his own preconceptions and prejudices to the text.
While Gadamer dethrones the Enlightenment focus on rationalism and empiricism in hermeneutics, he encourages the interpreter to move beyond questions of historical context and engage in applying the biblical text to their own context.
But since people are conditioned by their own prejudices, a text is never approached in the same way twice. As a result, a text contains an "inexhaustible multiplicity of answers," and "to understand at all is always to understand differently."
In an earlier interview, Fernández clarified that Pope Francis was referring to the Inquisition, the forerunner of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, when the pontiff spoke of how the doctrinal watchdog had historically used "immoral methods" to suppress dissenters.
"Today, there is a widespread acknowledgment that the Church no longer employs "immoral methods" in its teachings of the Faith. It is evident that the Pope's reference is directed towards the era of the Inquisition," the archbishop elaborated.
Woodcut depicting a scene from the Spanish Inquisition
"However, it is important to recognize that over the past few decades, numerous theologians have voiced their concerns about a prevailing sense of persecution and constant scrutiny from ecclesiastical authorities," he added.
The prefect-designate said that the stifling environment has had a detrimental effect on theological discourse, as it has resulted in a repetitive cycle of regurgitating established ideas to avoid any potential risks.
"Francis understands that without unfettered theological debate, the teaching of the Church will hardly grow and develop," the archbishop stressed, arguing that while doctrine and objective morality remain fixed, there is a "spiral growth" in the development of doctrine.
Fernández continued:
During the era when modernism was being vigorously contested, a discernible system of surveillance persisted, albeit in a more veiled manner. Nonetheless, if I am to share my most vivid recollections, focusing on the recent years, I must acknowledge that under the leadership of Cdl. [Luis] Ladaria as prefect, a notably tranquil atmosphere prevailed.
Earlier, expressing openness to overturning the Vatican's ban on same-sex blessings, a ban that was categorically asserted by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2021, Fernández candidly urged, "It wouldn't be bad to rethink it," Church Militant reported.
"If a blessing [to same-sex couples] is given in such a way that there will be no such confusion, it will have to be the subject of analysis and confirmation," Fernández insisted.
The prelate reiterated that "the greatest care" must be taken to "avoid rites or blessings that could feed this confusion" between the sacrament of marriage and liturgies offering blessings to homosexual couples.
But "there is a point where it [the issue of same-sex blessings] moves from a proper theological discussion to a more prudential or disciplinary question, as you will see," the prefect-designate explained.
These Vows they take- are NOT forced on them,
they accept them as part of their new consecrated life.
Vows of Celibacy, Poverty- and OBEDIENCE are assumed for a service of God.
And Not to be viewed as a hardship or burden.
But understand God never required it.
Youre back to a non-existent argument of your own making.
THE CHURCH does not say God "required it".
The Church does not say celibate priests are required by the Bible.
These are assumptions on your part- al
which you are falsely assigning to the Church.
The Church does say the Celibate religious life is
done for the "sake of the Kingdom of Heaven."
Not married priests- but celibate ones- ones Christ has specifically desired-
ones who answer that highest calling.
Anything less than that is just that.
Bravo! You give a vigorous defense of the Catholic beliefs. They would be very appealing to those searching for God and His Truth. Unfortunately they would be deceived if they were ignorant of the Bible and its teachings. “There are ways which seem right to a man, but in the end, it leads to destruction.” Prov. 14:12
What did Jesus do when confronted with temptation (as He was when on the mountain famished and dehydrated)? He met it with “It is written” That’s right, even He would not be betrayed by His senses but trusted in the Word of God.
Did Jesus REQUIRE a vow of anything before He sent the Apostles out like sheep amongst the wolves to preach the Gospel? No record of it. Did He require them to go to a four year seminary to be groomed? Nope.
So what does the Bible tell us of these denominations who do NOT follow His Commandments (9 out of 10 don’t cut it)? Glad you asked.
4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
That sounds like a pretty strong condemnation of Catholicism to me. YMMV
First Timothy Chapter Four: 1-5.
So why do you ?
I guess I don't. Who made this requirement? Not God.
CHRIST IS OK WITH THAT
I'm not sure of your source for that information. I believe He would have a BIG problem with many Catholic practices and the celibacy requirement being just one of the many. I will not get into other regions of non-Biblical lines outside of this threads topic. I will leave it at that if one wants to be a Catholic priest, he is required to take a vow of celibacy and owe allegiance to the RCC. This vow would effectively forbid him to marry. You can dance around it all you want but forcing a vow in order to serve God doesn't fit in with the Bibles narrative and sets a precedent that is un-Biblical.
Every time I hear of a priest molesting children or caught having homo sex orgies, I cannot help but think there should some kind of reform and I don't think your Pope is that interested in any kind of reform. It looks like, if anything, your church is headed towards welcoming the LBGQT+ crowd. I hope I'm wrong on that. YMMV
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