Synod Wrap-Up, Part II | National Catholic Reporter

Synod Wrap-Up, Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I heartily agree with morality that is made for man, not man for morality.  That should, however, lead to a willingness to change the rules when they are found to be lacking in their usefulness. That is more radical than forgiveness.  To deal with First Things/George Weigel, culture is also for man and man exists in culture - morality falls within that framework.  Of course, Cultural Theorists believe there are four cultural ways of life.   Catholic morality cannot only exist in hierarchism.  This is not the first time the Church adapted to and contributed to the culture and it won't be the last, however its crisis is that the culture is moving away from hierarchism - hopefully within employment relations as well.



The Hegelian paradigm is interesting, because in Hegel either God or our understanding of God (same thing really) evolves through time.  I can see Francis and the Germans as the fruit of that.  Pity the American Kantians - where when I was taking ethics with minor seminarians the ideal was Thomas, not Kant, although our professor had his Kantian side when it came to the oughtness of why we behave morally in relation to God (who deserved our good behavior due to his goodness rather than because it completes us - I tended to disagree, as God has no indepedent interest in our behavior).



As for Pell and Burke and either denial (not a river in Egypt) or ambiguity, if there is ambiguity in whether remarried Catholics can receive Communion, the ambiguity allows reception of Communion.  Remarriage is not a sacralige nor is it not adultery if one is the victimized party in the end of the marriage.  Abandoning judgmental language also leads toward openness to Communion.  The change in tone changes doctrine.  Indeed, no one who recieves Communion if they believe their homosexuality or their second marriage is appropriate can possibly sin by seeking the Lord.



On EWTN, one wonders whether they understand the arguments that they oppose or if they simply fear them and a change in the established order.  It is shocking no one from on high has warned them about being hard of heart.  The references to the jealous co-workers and the older faithful brother were obviously pointed at them and they seem not to realize it. Someone please buy them a clue.  Of course, Jesus already bought them a clue and they still don't get it - as the brothers of the rich man could not if Lazarus had come back from the dead to warn them.



I am glad the Orthodox are not as wed to bad proof-texting as those who seem to insist on their version of the morality of remarriage and of unworthy Communion.  I suspect that our best option would have been to simply acknowledge the supremacy of New Rome (there is much to say for this biblically as well) and drop the Latin Church's objections to the Orthodox positions.  Barring that, I suspect they are used to Roman foolishness on many issues.



I am glad to see my own Cardinal is favoring mercy. While I would hope that both he, the Latin Church and the Orthodox would embrace actually changing the doctrine to align with the spirit of the gospel, I will take what I can get and hope the Americans bishops will do the same (and remember who hires them).