Assessing Ecclesiologies in Context - Assignment Example

Discussion questions The historical trajectory from Pius IX’s views on freedom and those endorsed by Vatican II and Pope John Paul II Christianity dawned to world as a single idea, however time was needed for believers to understand its aspects and give out their meaning. For this reason, the religious belief undergoes a process of transformation through time. Vatican II council endorsing this view devoted a lot of efforts in studying the religious teachings handed down from the apostles. One major development in the 20th century Catholicism was the declaration on religious freedom also known as Dignitatis Humanae (DH) set forth by the Vatican II Council. It stated that each person by nature has an inalienable right to freely seek religious truth, live and embrace his/her religious beliefs, and bear witness to his/her beliefs without impediment from any human power (Vatican Council II 2). In other words, the doctrine of faith being naturally free cannot be compelled. Vatican II Council further taught that a country has a duty to safeguard the natural rights of her people, including right of freedom of worship. It did not say that the State was required to give legal privileges to Christianity or Catholicism but it denied that the State had the right to prohibit religious acts. Compared with earlier catholic teachings, Vatican II views, presents a dramatic change (Pius IX 1715). At the Vatican II Council itself a number of conservative members argued that DH was a clear departure from the well rooted Catholic teachings and its adoption will violate the Catholic faith. Despite this protest the declaration was overwhelmingly approved by the nearly council members. Led by Archbishop Lefebvre, the revisionists claimed that the DH was a reversal of earlier Catholic teachings. Their claim, however, is not supported by the text itself, which declares that it “leaves intact the traditional Catholic teaching on the moral obligation of individuals and societies toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ.” (Vatican Council II 7) It further claims to be teaching in harmony with the tradition and doctrine of the Catholicism by developing the doctrine of latest popes on the rights of the human being and on the order of society. Pope John Paul II informs that the teaching of the Magisterium is under continual review insofar as the fixed principles of the gospel need to be kept in ever changing social situations (Allen 254). That is the basic principles are constant, but the judgments and alterations are ever changing. Some forms of innovation may thus be expected in successive reactions to novel situations. Such innovation, however, does not need reversals unless the Church earlier teachings ruled out accurately the progress that was to occur under changed situations. The factor of innovation may easily be seen by looking at the teaching of the popes of the 19th century, who handled the issue of freedom of religion in a manner very different from ours. Pope Pius IX for instance, was teaching within the comparatively narrow view of Europe and Latin America, where Church traditional teaching was under threat from secularist liberalism. Pius IX and his predecessor notably condemned the extreme liberalism which would permit all kinds of baseless, libelous, and dissident views to be spread without any legal restraints (Pius IX 1715). Pope John Paul II explained the distinction between mere tolerance and resolution. In the civil world, it may be essential to accept some undesirable practices because the effort to stem them would lead to greater evils (Rat zinger 169). However, mere tolerance is fixed and thus it cannot act as a principle of advancement. In interreligious discourse and in ecumenism, thus, efforts should be made to ensure unity in the completeness of truth. This is in harmony to the pursuit for freedom, because Christians have the promise of Christ. And therefore to settle for doctrinal conciliation or a mere agreement to disagree would not be in harmony to freedom itself. The problem of religious freedom is still a hot debate in the contemporary world. In some regions, States are persecuting believers. In other regions Christians and non-Christians are being coerced by States seeking to enforce religious unity. The gospel of religious freedom still needs to be well announced in regions such as Indonesia, India and North Africa where Christians are being persecuted. In the America and in Europe, churches enjoy some degree of freedom to carry out their missionary activities. In my view, the enemy to religion is a secularism that would not include religion in the public debate and treat churches as private bodies that have no rightful control in dimensions of our ordinary life. 2. The roles played by the papacy itself, the Roman Curia, and theologians regarding dissent within the Church. The papacy and the Roman Curia are the head of Catholic Church and thus the Church’s authority is bestowed to them. The primary role of papacy is to keep and maintain infallible church teachings and fundamental doctrines about God as well as traditional morals of the the church (Allen 243). On the subject regarding dissent within the Church, the papacy and Roman Curia role is to defend the right of church authorities to bar dissenting people from teaching in the name of the Catholic Church or to silence them. Papacy and the Roman Curia mantain that theologians must adhere to infallible church teaching. The chuch through the papacy mantain that theologians have no right to dissent openly from formal church teachings, even those not regarded as flawless or explicitly founded on divine revelation (Allen 249). The Church mantain that scholars who find it diffult to accept specific church teachings should raise their oppositions only in private and but not publicly. At the moment , papal teachings banning use of contraceptives and condemnation of all sex outside marriage as sinful have been questioned by a number of theologians (Allen 269) . The review of several well-rooted catholic practices and theological positions at the Vatican 11 has motivated theologians to review traditional church doctrines in the light of recent contemporary christian experience. Besides provoking disagreements among Christians, this theological questioning has opened a discourse about the responsibility of theologians, whether clergy or lay. Some theologians insists that, like any other scholars, they should only questionable to their academic colleges. Others mantains that theological teachings have to be responsive to the needs and the authority of the church. In addition, theologians, especially the priests who objects some of the Church positions argue that that disclosing these objections to the public is a duty owed to worshipers, in particular the laity, when pressing issues are at stake (Day 89). 3. Ways in which Catholic liturgical practice sheds light on ecclesiological studies. The Catholic liturgical practice has always been of great help to ecclesiological studies. Firstly, the liturgy helps Christian to understand the paschal mystery of Jesus. It is through the Catholic liturgical practice that Christians understand how to get more fully with communion with the mystery of the Christ and the church (Day 55). Catholic liturgical practice informs the Christians how the liturgy connects with the ecclesiology as a direct result of sacramental view of the church as the Christ mystery body. The liturgy is seen as heart of church life and mission. It is through the liturgy where we understand the true Christian spirit. Catholic liturgical practice explains the symbolic link between sacramental actions and the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ (Day 55). Christians believe that, it is through the celebration of these rites that they imitate the history of salvation. The church is made real in actual celebration of the sacred liturgy, although the liturgy does not exhaust the whole activity of the christian Church. The catholic liturgy helps christians to look back into the historical events of salvation. Also it helps them to look forward to the future for total fulfillment in the eschaton (Day 120). The catholic liturgy explains the validity of the religion and its tenets (Allen, 314). Through the mass christians faith in Jesus christ is strenghthened and sustained. Catholics use symbols and artifacts in their worship. This helps the Christians to visualize and understand the history of salvation. The use of the symbols and artifacts in worship supports and influences Christian’s beliefs and attitudes. Written Assignment The ways in which Vatican II’s views on religious freedom and ecumenism influence the Church’s missionary efforts. Declaration on Religious Freedom is one of most contentious text of the Vatican II’s final documents, which propelled Catholicism into the contemporary world of church-state relations. This document laid down the foundations for Church dealings with religiously pluralistic western democratic-ruled countries (Ratzinger 188). It is also set the base for Pope John Paul IIs sound condemnation of people oppression in their government, particularly in communist states. This declaration further afforded the council the credibility to its call for ecumenical discourse and dialogue with non-Christian believers. Vatican II’s views on freedom and ecumenism were of great help to the Church’s mission as they gave way on how Catholicism can reconcile with American-style of separation of the church and state (Day 180). These views are credited for promoting Christian unity in the world. Vatican II council was of the view that, because of human dignity, everybody has a civil right to religious freedom and he is free to follow religious belief in community with others (Vatican II 2). This view was a sharp departure from centuries of Church teaching that whole religious liberty belonged only to the Catholic Church as an institution since it holds the wholeness of divine truth (Pius IX 1475). These sentiments opened the path toward new buoyancy in ecumenical relations and a new openness in liaisons between the Catholic Church and the world. One of the Church’s missionary efforts is to safeguard human dignity. The Vatican II’s views support the Church’s call for the recognition and protection of religious freedom by states since the exercise of freedom of religion requires immunity from external oppression. They have also helped the church in its mission of the spreading the Gospel to those who are non-Catholics and non-Christians by informing that the freedom of religion continues to exist even in persons who do not live up to their duty of seeking for truth and adhering to it. This was against centuries of Catholic teaching about freedom. Before Vatican II’s declaration, it was stated that those following an erroneous religion, that is non-Catholics had no right to freedom of worship. Thus, Vatican II’s views supported the spirit ecumenism as it called for tolerance within Catholics and non Catholics. They also served as a strong call for Church independence from the state and for the protections against civil authority intrusion against organized religion. The Vatican II’s views renewed the Churchs life and mission in the view of the issues of the modern world. They stressed its missionary nature, basing Church in an ever changing way on the Trinitarian duty itself. The Church missionary thrust thus fits to the very character of the Christian life that supports the spirit of ecumenism (Ratzinger 157). These sentiments have already reaped much fruits in the area of Church missionary work. This is witnessed by the increase of local churches with their own bishops, clergy as well workers in the apostolate. The rise of Christian societies is now more manifested in the lives of nations and unity between the churches has resulted to a dynamic exchange of divine benefits and rewards (Ratzinger 177). The dedication of the laity to the activity of evangelization is transforming ecclesial life, whereas specifics churches are more eager to interact with the followers of other churches and other faiths, and to enter into discourse and collaboration with them. Most of all, there is a fresh understanding that missionary activity is an issue for all Christians. The Vatican II view on religious freedom continues to be the foundation and assurance of all the liberties that usher the common good for all peoples. Hopefully, real religious freedom will be given to all people in all places. As the Church fight for this freedom in all nations, it is not a question of the religion of the majority or otherwise, it is a question of the undeniable right of all people (Ratzinger 184). The Church’s missionary efforts therefore should not confine religion freedom but rather should support it. The church should thus value individuals and traditions, and respect individual conscience. Yet, in this renewed spirit of Christianity there is an indisputable depressing tendency that needs to be overcome. Missionary work specially directed to all people seems to be declining, and this leaning is undoubtedly not in line with the views of the Vatican II and those of later declarations of the Magisterium (Day, 103). Challenges both inside and outside have failed the Churchs missionary drive toward non-Christians. This reality has raised a lot of concern to the followers of Christ. Because in the history of Church, missionary driving force has always been a mark of liveliness, just as its fading is a mark of a crash of faith. What role could be played by the Church’s use of online social media? Online social media is relevant to a variety of Church missionary activities including evangelization, traditional missionary work and many kinds of educational and vocational programs. It can be of great help in her role of disseminating news, apologetics, administration, and as a mean of pastoral counseling and spiritual guidance. Though online social media cannot replace practical interpersonal community, direct spread of the word of God and the liturgy, it can strengthen them. The internet can draw people to a wholesome knowledge of the life of faith, and deepen the religious lives of followers. Online social media also give the Church the opportunity to speak with specific groups – the youth, the elderly those living in remote places, the followers of other religious institutions, who otherwise may be not easy to reach. The rising number of parishes, sees, religious groups and church bodies, programs, and institutions of all forms can now use online social media for these and other functions. At the moment, innovative programs under the watch of the church exist in a number of areas on the state and local levels. The Vatican has been lively in this area for a number of years and is expanding and improving its online presence. Church organizations that have not yet taken initiative to go online are encouraged to see the necessity of entering cybercafé and do so at this early stage. The Church needs to take the advantage of this online social platform and use it as a mean of internal and external communications. This needs understanding of its unique nature as a direct, instant, dynamic, and participatory mean of communication. Already, online social media is shadowing the traditional difference between those who inform and those who are informed and is creating a situation where each can do both. Online social media is not a one-way but two-way means of communication. As many and many people understand nature online social media in other areas of lives, perhaps they will look at it with respect to religion and the Church. Online social media is new but the idea is old. Vatican II observed that, Church members should tell their priests their needs and wishes with freedom and confidence that suits God’s children and followers of Jesus Christ (Vatican II 12). In this view, the believers are allowed to and sometimes mandated to air their views on issues which concern the good of the Church of Christ. The Church needs public view so as to uphold the giving and taking among her followers and this can be realized easily through online social media. Though, truth of faith does not allow space for arbitrary interpretations, online social media can be an opening where members of church can share and express their opinions in regard to Church and her missionary activities. The church can creatively use online social media as a tool for several features of church running and governance. Alongside opening paths for the expression of public views, there are such things as getting expert opinions, preparations of meetings, and cooperation in and among churches and religious bodies on regional, national, and global levels which can be facilitated via online social media. Church can also use online social media for training and education. In the current world, people require some kind of continuing training about the news trends of the world. Social media can help the church in ensuring people adapt norms of good taste and honest moral judgment, as an aspect of conscience formation. The online social also comes with several unique problems for the Church. While stressing what is good about it, it is also important to be honest in relation to what is not. At some level, online social can occasionally seem indifferent and even unfriendly to faith and morality of Christians. This is fairly because online social media culture is deeply filled with a postmodern view about what is the absolute truth and this seems to be at odds with the Christianity. Online social media provide new approaches of confronting people with the word of God. The church should use it not only to spread the Gospel but also to integrate message of gospel into the world’s new culture. This will in essence influence what people think about life and their experience with life itself. In a nut shell, online social media offers unique opportunities that church can use to proclaim the Gospel to the entire human family. This is because it has the capacity to carry religious messages and teachings beyond all obstacles and frontiers. The church should open the doors of online social media to Christ, so that his gospel may be heard from the hilltops of the earth. Work cited Allen, J, J. All the Pope’s Men: The Inside. Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks. New York: Image Books, 2006. Print Day, T. Why Catholics Can’t Sing: The Culture of Catholicism and the Triumph of Bad Taste. New York: Crossroad, 1992. Print. Ratzinger, J. Church, Ecumenism & Politics: New Endeavors in Ecclesiology. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008. Print. Pius IX. Syllabus of Errors. Washington D. C; Herald Publishing Association 1864. Print Vatican Council II. Dignitatis Humanae. Rome: Vatican II Council,1965. Print http:// www.vatican.va. Web. Accessed 4 Oct. 2014 http://www.papalencyclicals.net. Web. Accessed 4 Oct. 2014 Read More