Are Catholic Bishops too smart for their own good?

[abon12]

Cardinal Kasper and Shonberg are pro remarried catholics receiving communion and Schonberg is even pro gay marriage. At least a third of bishops worldwide at the synod feel similarly. When we look at the first bishops of the Church we find simple, upright, men. While I think it is important currently for the Church's leaders to be intelligent, do you think there is too much of an emphasis placed here? Perhaps a resoluteness to the faith should be the supreme value, like the stubbornness of st peter, that's akin to being a fool for Christ.

 

[Maggyie]

It's Schonborn FYI. 

[MIKolbe]

you think those bishops who are "pro remarried catholics receiving communion" and "even pro gay marriage" are showcasing their intelligence in these regards?

or am I not getting something between the OP and the topic name?

 

[abon12]

they seem to be carried away by their intellect when it is not hinged upon faith. 

[Ice_nine]

I wouldn't call it intellect as much as I would call it perception or feelings that motivate Catholic clergy to take these positions that are contrary to the Catholic faith. You are equating the logic of wider society with "intellect." The two are not synonymous. Nor is religiosit and intelligence mutally exclusive.

[Archaeology cat]

I agree with Ice. Blaming this on their intellect also sounds a bit too anti-intellectual to me, but maybe I'm just sensitive to that after growing up in a faith that was anti-intellectual and told me I'd lose my faith by studying science. These positions on being pro-married clergy and such, though, I wouldn't call intellectual, but more emotional. 

[Nihil Obstat]

I think we might push it a bit further and say that such bishops are infected with a spirit of rationalism, arising from an implicit acceptance of enlightenment liberal principles. It is not intelligence per se (not that intelligence is itself a virtue), but a faith in reason as an end in itself.

[abon12]

ok thanks. yea i guess it is more nuanced then just intellect, like 

a spirit of rationalism, arising from an implicit acceptance of enlightenment liberal principles

... maybe emotional too... its saddening.

[Gabriela]

I also sense the anti-intellectualism implicit in the question. But I think Ice, Arch, and Nihil have said exactly what needed saying.

Yay, teamwork.

(Also, how in the world did I run out of props???)

[Papist]

the enlightenment =/= intelligence  

[Nihil Obstat]

3 hours ago, Gabriela said:

I also sense the anti-intellectualism implicit in the question. But I think Ice, Arch, and Nihil have said exactly what needed saying.

Yay, teamwork.

(Also, how in the world did I run out of props???)

Fear not - you can prop me tomorrow!

I think a lot of Catholics would be well-served by stepping back for a moment and read just how strongly the Church condemned many of the principles of the Enlightenment period, even up until fairly recently, and then look to see just how nearly universally accepted those same principles are today, even among members of the Church. There is a disconnect here.

[Sponsa-Christi]

I think the Church's traditional teachings actually involve the more rational explanations. All the "liberal" arguments in favor of changing the Church's doctrine (as if such a thing were even possible...) eventually break down or become self-contradictory at some point. So I a think a true intellectual bishop would be enthusiastic about orthodoxy and articulate in defending the faith as it was handed down from the Apostles.

[abon12]

17 hours ago, Gabriela said:

I also sense the anti-intellectualism implicit in the question.

 

I wouldnt infer the question to be anti-intellectual though it may seem like that is what it is implying. to believe one has to think and assent with faith, so the intellect (coupled with the will) is an intrinsic part of schonborn and kaspers progressive decisions of the faith. something went wrong there. that is what i am pointing out. its not anti-intellectual but "anti-faith." faith should be the backbone of reason. 

I agree with nihil who poses there is a disconnect between peoples faith and reason. I find it almost unbelievable that cardinals can be influenced by the modern spirit of rationalism, progressivism, liberalism with all the philosophical training and study they had. That is why i said that i think it is better to have a bishop like st peter who is not as smart but has a strong faith then a cardinal whose faith has been led astray by an unprincipled reason. 

13 hours ago, Nihil Obstat said:

There is a disconnect here.

[bardegaulois]

On 3/31/2016, 8:15:51, abon12 said:

Cardinal Kasper and Shonberg are pro remarried catholics receiving communion and Schonberg is even pro gay marriage. At least a third of bishops worldwide at the synod feel similarly. When we look at the first bishops of the Church we find simple, upright, men. While I think it is important currently for the Church's leaders to be intelligent, do you think there is too much of an emphasis placed here? Perhaps a resoluteness to the faith should be the supreme value, like the stubbornness of st peter, that's akin to being a fool for Christ.

 

It's scarcely a matter of intellect. Look at our Pope Emeritus. His intellect dwarfs that of these two cardinals if you ask me. Look at our great theologians throughout history likewise. Let's not fall into the modern trap of confusing intellectuality with an uncritical acceptance of modern and postmodern ideas. I'm an academic myself, and I call see clearly that such is the biggest vice of academics these days. Most of my colleagues are very rational people who could call their assumptions into question, but for some reason don't. This is ironic because these are the people one would most expect to call their assumptions into question.

In short there is a real Catholic intellectual tradition, among whose finest gifts to the world were the university and the scientific method (though few want to admit that). And then there are Catholics who take Pope Paul's aggiornamento too far and wind up simply assimilating their ideas to the modern world. Sadly, some of them wear mitres.

[abon12]

Makes sense, thanks. good word: 

aggiornamento