Obedience

This morning I came across an interesting article -- “None So Blind: Obedience is an Antidote to Stupidity.”  It brought to mind a couple of great insights concerning the problems facing the Church from two extreme ecclesial communities, but which, ironically, share a mindset.  

Modernism, as noted by Pope St. Pius X, is one of the greatest struggles of our time.  Regardless of what many within the Church may think, it is a viable problem that, left unchecked, will undermine what the Church has accomplished, especially within the last century.  Many within the Church have sought answers to alleviating this problem in the fringes of the Church – Liberalism and Conservatism.  These two political terms (which have no place in the Church, by the way), react to Modernism in what can be called correlational criticism of theology.  

Correlational theology, used by Liberal theologians, calls tradition into doubt due to “contemporary” theological principles.  They try to fit the Church’s teachings into modernity by critiquing tradition in order to fit it into the modern world.   This translates into a general calling into question anything that may contradict, at face value, modern scientific fact, and their motto tends to be “doubt everything.”

Correlational theology, as used by conservative theologians, approaches questions of tradition in terms of absolutes that can be proved as demonstrably as a mathematical equation.  They try to establish this demonstrable proof within strict confines of expressions of tradition, and critique the credibility of proper authorities concerning these expressions.  Subsequently, if these authorities are found for any reason to be lacking, they are considered at best flawed, and at worst illegitimate.  This is seen, then, as an obligation by conservative theologians to deviate from obedience into the realm of “traditional interpretation.”

And what is the basis for this disobedience on the part of liberals and conservatives?  Individualism.  This is a big part of our culture in the West, particularly in the U.S.  It is something that has given us initiative and drive; it is a value that has propelled our economic and political systems for over two centuries;  it is what  has caused division to the point of dehumanization.  As God so eloquently put it, “It is not good for man to be alone.”  When he is, he begins to objectify those in whom he should be seeing the face of God.  

I could continue, but I think it best for you to read this article for yourself.  Good things to remember for all the Catholic faithful.  We are all called to faithfulness, after all.