Thoughts on direction of the Catholic Church

[javasaurus]

I've been hearing/reading a lot of people say that they hope the new pope will lead Catholicism into the 21st century, or at least out of the 14th. Big issues include women as priests, married priests, gay rights, contraception, and abortion. But I'm not sure that I believe the church should change. Wait, don't start the flames yet! I'm not saying that I agree with the Catholic church on these issues! So what is Javasaurus talking about then? According to the Catholic church, based on a combination of history, dogma, word of God, of Jesus, etc., these things are wrong. It is not the place of the church to keep up with modern perceived morality, but to direct it, and to act as a moral rock. They should not determine what is sinful based on what mankind desires, nor on what is practical for mankind, but on their best interpretation of the will of God. For the church to change on such big issues, it will take the deep belief amongst the pope and cardinals that such changes are the will of God, not just the desires of the people. And then they have to cope with saying either, "we were wrong" or "God changed his mind."

Comments

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

And then they have to cope with saying either, "we were wrong" or "God changed his mind."

which is precisely the attitudes that have led to several splits within the episcopalian church in recent years, though they usually hit their peak when a new prayer book comes out. With the release of the '79, at least one church in every diosys suddenly became a "1928" church. Locally there is one on Seminary Rd, about 3 or 4 blocks east of the VA Theological Seminary (an Episcopalian church and the northern "seat" of the bishops when not in Richmond).

one has to look at the history of the witch trials to see just how long the process of changing dogma can take in some cases. simple ones (women priests in the Episcopal church) can change in a generation, but larger issues that supposedly are supported by biblical interpretation rather than adherance to tradition, can be much harder to affect.