Pope Francis calls for ‘paradigm shift’ in theology for world of today

Catholic News Agency ^ | 11.01.2023 | Jonathan Liedl

[Dr. Marten]

Pope Francis has called for a “paradigm shift” in Catholic theology that takes widespread engagement with contemporary science, culture, and people’s lived experience as an essential starting point. 

Citing the need to deal with “profound cultural transformations,” the pope presented his dramatic vision for the future of Catholic theology in a new motu proprio issued earlier today.

Titled Ad Theologiam Promovendam, or “to promote theology,” the document revises the statutes of the Pontifical Academy of Theology (PATH) “to make them more suitable for the mission that our time imposes on theology.”

“Theology can only develop in a culture of dialogue and encounter between different traditions and different knowledge, between different Christian confessions and different religions, openly engaging with everyone, believers and nonbelievers,” the pope wrote in the apostolic letter. 

 

‘Fundamentally contextual’ 

Pope Francis wrote that Catholic theology must experience a “courageous cultural revolution” in order to become a “fundamentally contextual theology.” Guided by Christ’s incarnation into time and space, this approach to theology must be capable of reading and interpreting “the Gospel in the conditions in which men and women live daily, in different geographical, social, and cultural environments,” the pope wrote.

The pope contrasted this approach with a theology that is limited to “abstractly re-proposing formulas and schemes from the past” and repeated his long-standing criticism of “desk bound theology.” Instead, he emphasized that theological studies must be open to the world, not as a “‘tactical’ attitude” but as a profound “turning point” in their method, which he said must be “inductive.”

Pope Francis emphasized that this bottom-up reenvisioning of theology is necessary to better aid the Church’s evangelizing mission. 

“A synodal, missionary, and ‘outgoing’ Church can only correspond to an ‘outgoing’ theology,” the pope wrote. 

Relatedly, the pope said, this dialogical approach can allow theology to “broaden the boundaries” of scientific reasoning, allowing it to overcome dehumanizing tendencies. 

‘Transdisciplinary’ and pastoral 

To achieve this “‘outgoing’ theology,” Pope Francis wrote that theology must become “transdisciplinary,” part of a “web of relationships, first of all with other disciplines and other knowledge.” This engagement, he wrote, leads to “the arduous task” of theologians making use of “new categories developed by other knowledge” in order to “penetrate and communicate the truths of faith and transmit the teaching of Jesus in today’s languages, with originality and critical awareness.” 

Pope Francis also wrote that priority must be given to “the knowledge of people’s ‘common sense,’” which he described as a “theological source in which many images of God live, often not corresponding to the Christian face of God, only and always love.” 

 

The pope said that this “pastoral stamp” must be placed upon all of Catholic theology. Described as “popular theology,” by starting from “the different contexts and concrete situations in which people are inserted” and allowing itself “to be seriously challenged by reality,” theological reflection can aid in the discernment of the “signs of the times,” the pope wrote. 

“Theology places itself at the service of the evangelization of the Church and the transmission of faith, so that faith becomes culture; that is, the wise ethos of the people of God, a proposal of human and humanizing beauty for all,” the pope wrote. 

New statutes 

The pope’s shift in emphasis in Catholic theology was reflected in the new statutes issued for the Pontifical Academy of Theology. Ad Theologiam Promovendam shifted the 200-year-old institute’s focus from “promoting the dialogue between reason and faith” to promoting “transdisciplinary dialogue with philosophies, sciences, arts, and all other knowledge.” The new statutes place PATH “at the service of academic institutions dedicated to theology and other cultural and knowledge development centers interested in reaching the human person in his context of life and thought.” 

 

The change was welcomed by PATH’s president, Bishop Antonio Staglianò. 

“Pope Francis entrusts our Pontifical Academy with a new mission: that of promoting, in every area of knowledge, discussion, and dialogue in order to reach and involve all of the people of God in theological research so that the life of the people becomes theological life,” the Italian prelate said in a press release.

The new statutes call for PATH to facilitate collaboration between Catholic theologians and “those of other Christian confessions or religions.” The academy will also “‘network’ with universities and centers of production of culture and thought” and explore “culturally qualified” ways to propose the Gospel as a life guide to even atheists, a process described in the PATH press release as “wisdom dissemination.”

In harmony with “the magisterium of Pope Francis,” under the new statutes PATH will also exercise a commitment to “intellectual charity” by focusing on the questions and needs of those “on the existential peripheries.”

[11th_VA]

Needs to fundamentally change ... where have I heard that

[ebb tide]

Described as “popular theology,” by starting from “the different contexts and concrete situations in which people are inserted” and allowing itself “to be seriously challenged by reality,” theological reflection can aid in the discernment of the “signs of the times,” the pope wrote.

So theology is to be "challenged" and must be reconciled with the "signs of the times" in FrankenChurch?

[vpintheak]

People loved experience as a starting point, huh?
And it just goes downhill from there.

[Colorado Doug]

A good change would be to get rid of this evil to the core, demon masquerading as Pope.

[StrictConstructionist]

1 Timothy 4:1-5 NASBS
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, [2] by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, [3] men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. [4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASBS
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, [4] and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

[moovova]

Why? Is there a sale on a Golden Calf?

[ohioman]

This Pope is gonna have a tough time when he gets to the Pearly Gates. I remember a bible verse stating that there is no greater evil than a Christian leader who purposely leads the flock astray. Pope Frank is gonna be sent to the “Jim Jones” wing of hell.

[Salman]

The "modernist" theologians of the 20th century spoke of God as a metaphor for "ultimate concern".

Evidently ultimate concern is indistinguishable from globalist ruling class interests.

[nicollo]

Lot’s of “trans” there, Pope! I also caught that bit about intersectionality. Nice move!

Might be time for the Pope to switch to the United Methodist Conference. They don’t bother with disambiguation over there, and just go straight at adultery, homosexuality, and abortion, etc. Would save the rest of us a lot of time if Francis just admitted it outright.

[Kakaze]

So the church is now a social club........you have no limits, you have no standards.

[Sgt_Schultze]

The Pope of Rome, entrusted with God’s truth, has decided that truth has an expiration, and must be revised by a human.

[Zathras]

The Pope knows what he wants.
The question is where he wants it.

[AmericanMermaid]

Amen! And when this heretical pope dies, another will take his place, yet the Lord lives forever.

[Colt1851Navy]

Worship the creation and not the Creator.
Get your eyes of God, said Satan.

[metmom]

Truth is not a *paradigm* that can shift.

Truth does not shift for the world.

The world needs to shift to the Truth.

[ReaganGeneration2]

The writing is modernist garbage.

[Allegra]

“Contemporary science.”

Mmmhmmm…🙄

[AmericanMermaid]

Exactly what is happening, you’re right.

[Montana_Sam]

Like the world needs more junk science, Pope Francis? Really?

[Peter ODonnell]

Disciples to Jesus: “Can we change our approach, we’re taking a beating out there.”

Jesus to disciples: “I dunno, let me get back to you after this trial with Pontius Pilate.”