This semester’s course in Dogmatic Theology was organized by Dr. Jacques Haers. We were assigned eleven readings from big theologians, mostly single chapters of their books. With the exception of Pope Francis and Saint Anselm, every author had a history of negative reactions from Rome. Further, most authors got very negative reactions from students in my class. Part of our assignment was to post responses to a discussion board. Below is my response to our last reading, by the Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff. My earlier responses were more academic in nature, but I just could not bring myself to take the readings seriously. Often I was put in a foul mood by the first few pages, as were some of my classmates. All semester we were fed liberation theology, ecofeminism, and other heterodox nonsense. The course was supposed to be on “Creation, Church, and Salvation History”. However, the selection of readings seemed calculated to leave the impression that the Church has nothing of value to say on dogmatic issues. Otherwise, we could have read some of it. Understandably, my frustration spilled over into the responses, which developed something of a following.
Before I turn in for the night, I want to offer you, my faithful readers, some thoughts about Boff’s article. This chapter is called The Reinvention of the Church. If you read a little bit of Boff’s story, you’ll discover he’s been at it for decades. The powerful hierarchy of the Church simply won’t give this guy a break. Otherwise, he could just go about reinventing local churches to his heart’s content. What other reforms are lurking in Boff’s closet of horrors? No matter for his supporters. They’ve got the Holy Spirit. Well—you’re going to want to sit down for this one—the other side has as well.
Suppose I belong to your local church. Me and half the congregation are sickened by anyone who advocates an inversion of Church hierarchy. (Some of them even pray for Pope Benedict XVI’s return as head of the CDF.) Obviously, at least one side of the congregation merely claims the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but in reality is driven by pride to imagine that, between them and the Magisterium, they are the wiser. What yardstick shall we use to measure the level of grace (or pride) operating among these communities of the faithful? Because as it stands, my community is at an impasse. Isn’t there someone who can restore order, someone who can say what is or is not in line with the universal Catholic Church? Oh, wonderful! We’ve got priests. And you have to do what they say. Otherwise, you’re sure to find among the many Protestant churches one that serves up theology according to you.
I must apologize for my tone this week. All semester, I have been truly enriched by these opportunities to probe the landscape of so-called theology and express my opinions, realizing they are often completely unfair and uninformed. For a more thoughtful analysis of Boff, I recommend Stefan Gaßmann’s post lovingly titled, “What was the sense of reading this text?”
Yours truly,
Nicholas
Boff, Leonardo. Ecclesiogenesis: The Base Communities Reinvent the Church. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1986.
Body and Blood 