זמרו משכיל • zammerû maśkîl • ψάλατε συνετως • psallite intellegenter • canite erudite • sing ye wisely • chantez vous avec intelligence • lobsinget ihm klüglich • sing ye praises with understanding
Friday, November 27, 2009
Snowed Under
Apologies for no posts lately - I'm snowed under with work!
Well knowing your interest in history/theology etc I thought I would take the opportunity to bring to your attention something that "False Coyne" (h/t to you for the apt moniker!) is plugging on Catholica.
I refer to Fr Donovan's piece on the trial of Pope Formosus - a very interesting piece truly deserving of a "Fisking" if ever there was one!
i. Donovan doesn't refer to any actual period sources on the historical events but rather relies on modern narrative histories - a sure sign of a quality historian if ever there was one including use of Wikipedia!
ii. he makes this interesting claim which is completely wrong and undermines his "Eurocentric" argument from the outset:
"Vatican II was the first Council in which bishops other than Europeans participated. Indigenous bishops gathered from around the globe in solidarity with the Pope, a Church in the power of the Spirit."
-if Fr Donovan had bothered to consult the attendance list at Vatican I Council he may have been surprised to note that there was attendance by several Eastern Catholic prelates who were not European eg. Patriarch Youssef comes to mind who championed Eastern Catholic (read non-Latin) rights!
iii. This interesting gem:
"Vatican II is under revision and the reasons forthcoming from Church authorities are little better than those presented against Formosus."
-Fr Donovan obviously hasn't heard of the hermeneutic of rupture/continuity debate that Benedict XVI has been conducting in his papacy...
iv. This flight of fancy which is interesting for conservative Catholics to consider that this is how the liberal folks who hold positions of power in the Catholic education structures regard them:
"If the judgement of Pope Formosus can be attributed to "fanatical hatred", it is feasible to suspect that the revision of Vatican II might have a similar motivation."
v. And an "interesting" welcome to potential Anglican converts:
"The Australian (23 Nov 2009) reported that as many as "450 Anglican parishes" from England and Wales were considering joining Catholic community. "Traditional Anglicans" disenchanted by their Church's "ordination of women and gay bishops." Is the Catholic Church to set aside Vatican II and become a haven for European malcontents or will it follow the vision of Vatican II to be a voice for the marginalised of the world?"
As an antidote to the effects of our work-obsessed times under Kevin 24/7, I suggest looking up a piece on Godzdogz, the English Dominican student blog, on the neglected virtue of eutrapelia. (Ifnothing else, it will make a good party trick to test your friends' knowledge of St Thomas!)
Well knowing your interest in history/theology etc I thought I would take the opportunity to bring to your attention something that "False Coyne" (h/t to you for the apt moniker!) is plugging on Catholica.
ReplyDeleteI refer to Fr Donovan's piece on the trial of Pope Formosus - a very interesting piece truly deserving of a "Fisking" if ever there was one!
http://www.catholica.com.au/gc2/dd/017_dd_271109.php
Briefly I have noted that:
i. Donovan doesn't refer to any actual period sources on the historical events but rather relies on modern narrative histories - a sure sign of a quality historian if ever there was one including use of Wikipedia!
ii. he makes this interesting claim which is completely wrong and undermines his "Eurocentric" argument from the outset:
"Vatican II was the first Council in which bishops other than Europeans participated. Indigenous bishops gathered from around the globe in solidarity with the Pope, a Church in the power of the Spirit."
-if Fr Donovan had bothered to consult the attendance list at Vatican I Council he may have been surprised to note that there was attendance by several Eastern Catholic prelates who were not European eg. Patriarch Youssef comes to mind who championed Eastern Catholic (read non-Latin) rights!
iii. This interesting gem:
"Vatican II is under revision and the reasons forthcoming from Church authorities are little better than those presented against Formosus."
-Fr Donovan obviously hasn't heard of the hermeneutic of rupture/continuity debate that Benedict XVI has been conducting in his papacy...
iv. This flight of fancy which is interesting for conservative Catholics to consider that this is how the liberal folks who hold positions of power in the Catholic education structures regard them:
"If the judgement of Pope Formosus can be attributed to "fanatical hatred", it is feasible to suspect that the revision of Vatican II might have a similar motivation."
v. And an "interesting" welcome to potential Anglican converts:
"The Australian (23 Nov 2009) reported that as many as "450 Anglican parishes" from England and Wales were considering joining Catholic community. "Traditional Anglicans" disenchanted by their Church's "ordination of women and gay bishops." Is the Catholic Church to set aside Vatican II and become a haven for European malcontents or will it follow the vision of Vatican II to be a voice for the marginalised of the world?"
Looks like you've been spammed Josh!
ReplyDeleteRob A
I have deleted the detestable spam! At least on one's own blog one is master.
ReplyDeleteAs an antidote to the effects of our work-obsessed times under Kevin 24/7, I suggest looking up a piece on Godzdogz, the English Dominican student blog, on the neglected virtue of eutrapelia. (Ifnothing else, it will make a good party trick to test your friends' knowledge of St Thomas!)
ReplyDelete