Richard Williamson’s views on the Holocaust are neither heretical nor schismatic. They are just wrong historically, to be corrected by historians.
Gerhard Maria Wagner was an excellent choice for Auxiliary Bishop of Linz, a diocese which has been a law unto itself for far too long (i.e., at all).
Of course we pray for the conversion of the Jews. Jesus devoted well over ninety per cent of His earthly life to converting Jews.
And Islam is related to violence? Ooda thought it!
Just for a start in all of this, who is or is not a Catholic cannot be decided, either by a culturally Protestant agnostic or atheist who happens to be the Chancellor of Germany, or by whichever American Jewish organisation happens to shout the loudest.
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We are not dealing with a mere historical error. We are dealing with a political position directed towards re-invigorating Antisemitism among Christians, thus undermining Nostra Aetate. Williamson is an affront to those who have worked for a genuine dialogue among religions. I cannot imagine why you defend him.
ReplyDeleteI don't. I defend the Pope.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day, it is simply more important to reconcile to full visible communion with the See of Peter those who believe every word of the Apostles' Creed, every word of the Nicene Creed (including the 'filioque' clause), every word of the Athanasian Creed and every word of the Creed of Saint Pius V, than it is to maintain cordial relations with those who deny that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.
In a clip broadcast last month, a twenty years younger Richard Williamson was shown saying that if there are two religions of which one says that Jesus Christ is God and the other says that Jesus Christ is not God, then if you say that they are both good (not the people, the religions), then "you don't have a mind".
Precisely so.
And what a scandal that it takes him to remind us of it.
As for 'Nostra Aetate', what has been its practical effect? Hollywood is at least as anti-Catholic as ever. The BBC is at least as anti-Catholic as ever. The State of Israel is at least as anti-Catholic as ever. And so one.
But Catholics, up to and including the Pope, are expected to turn up here, there and everywhere in order to be harangued and insulted before having to say thank you, and that in the most grovelling terms, for the harangues and the insults.
David,
ReplyDeleteI read the recent Vatican statement. The Pope and his predecessor evidently think that cordial relations with Jews is more important than you do. They likely do so because they believe that certain extreme forms of doctrinal purity mean hating, not loving, your neighbor, which is the opposite of what Catholicism stands for.
Catholicism is not solely about what is believed. It is also a religion of works. Viewing your neighbor primarily through the eyes of their rejection of doctrine flies in the face of loving your neighbor - an important Church teaching. Perhaps you might learn something from the Jewish belief in the righteous nations of the world whereby virtue is not limited to Jews but to any person who leads a moral life.
Perhaps you take the view that rejecting someone's false beliefs somehow helps that person or has some virtue to it. That was certainly the Christian view for many ages. Where did it lead? What was the moral face shown by Christianity? It led to people filled with hate and to massacres and to moral insanity.
As for me, I shall leave it to God's wisdom to decide who has correct beliefs and who worships correctly. In the meanwhile, I see your form of doctrinal purity leading toward hatred of your Jewish neighbors, something which, at least in Europe, has never done Christianity, Christians or Jews any evident good at all.
"Extreme doctrinal purity" by other people is, of course, just fine.
ReplyDeleteIt is more than fine. It gets to decide who is or is not allowed in the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteWell, of course.
ReplyDeleteBut that is not just Jews, it is anyone. And everyone. No one ever makes the slightest move in our direction.
David,
ReplyDeleteNo. Extreme doctrinal purity is not a good idea for the reasons I stated. By extreme doctrinal purity I mean those who view doctrine as not only traversing moral obligations but negating them as well.
So, you can trumpet the superiority of Catholicism without bad mouthing people for not believing in Catholicism. But, to condemn people solely on their refusal of Catholicism or Christianity is un-Christian, as it negates the moral obligation to love they neighbor.