Month: November 2018

Posted on

Despairing of Integralism

by Jonathan Culbreath

 

One hears a good dose of defeatism recently expressed by Catholics who, though serious about their faith, are pessimistic about the practicability or desirability of seeking the integralist ideal in the current political climate.[1] The confessional State is deemed too lofty a goal to be worth seeking in the present circumstances. Accordingly, such Catholics (or non-Catholics, as the case may be) may read a simple statement about the relationship of temporal and spiritual power, and their reaction will be very similar to the reaction of two well-known commentators on twitter: “The prospects for integralism politically are almost too fantastical to make contemplating them a good use of time.” and “Can Catholic integralists come up with a successful modern example of their theories at work?” But such a defeatism involves a dual error originating in liberalism: it effectively banishes both grace and nature from the public sphere.

Continue reading “Despairing of Integralism”

Posted on

Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part III

by Thomas Pink

This is the third and final part of a three-part series. Parts one and two can be found here and here respectively.

The efficacy of grace – through or apart from explicit faith and visible participation in baptism and other sacraments

Even before Vatican II the magisterium taught that salvation is possible, at least in principle, even for those who are not Catholic. Pius XII taught that non-Catholics may be related to the Church through some kind of unconscious desire, and implied that this may be a (less than certain) help to their salvation: Continue reading “Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part III”

Posted on

Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part II

by Thomas Pink

This is the second part of a three-part series. Part one is available here, and part three here.

3. Vatican II and revolution in the official theology of baptism

Vatican II may not have introduced any new teaching about baptism in its formal magisterium. But even so, the Council event is deeply associated with a revolution in baptism’s official theology.

Aspects of this revolution were already occurring before the Council, in some cases with roots going back to the nineteenth century. The Council event still deepened or confirmed these theological changes. Other aspects of the revolution involved official liturgical changes brought about thanks to the Council. These liturgical changes were not in general directly called for by any document of the Council. But they were introduced by Paul VI in the name of applying the Council, and opposition to them is characteristically treated in official circles as opposition to the Council. Continue reading “Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part II”

Posted on

Gelasian Dyarchy at Notre Dame

This year’s Fall Conference of the Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame was on the the theme “Higher Powers.” The closing colloquy of the conference was on “Catholicism and the American Project” (embedded above), and featured Patrick Deneen, V. Phillip Muñoz, Gladden Pappin, and Adrian Vermeule. The colloquy was a remarkably clear presentation of different ways in which Catholics understand the “higher powers” which God has ordained to govern our human lives (Romans 13:1). Continue reading “Gelasian Dyarchy at Notre Dame”

Posted on

Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part I

by Thomas Pink

This is the first part of a three-part series. Parts two and three are available here and here respectively.

1. Vatican II and theological crisis in the Church

Leo XIII’s magisterial teaching in Immortale Dei is clear. The gospel requires that the state recognize the truth of Catholicism and unite to the Church in a single Christian community as body to the Church’s soul, legally privileging Catholicism as the true religion.[1] This magisterial teaching is now generally rejected within the Church—not in opposing magisterial teaching but through what I shall refer to as official theology. Official statements that do not themselves carry any magisterial authority—that come from office-holders within the Church but which merely express a prevailing theological opinion – constantly suggest, against Leo XIII, that the true ideal is for the state to be separate from the Church and to remain effectively neutral in matters of religion. Continue reading “Vatican II and Crisis in the Theology of Baptism: Part I”