"If Obama were Pope," by Professor Hans Kung

President Barack Obama has succeeded in a short time in leading the United States out of a mood of despondency and a back-up of reforms, presenting a credible vision of hope and introducing a strategic shift in the domestic and foreign policy of this great country.

In the Catholic Church things are different. The mood is oppressive, the pile-up of reforms paralysing. After his almost four years in office many people see Pope Benedict XVI as another George W. Bush. It is no coincidence that the Pope celebrated his 81st birthday in the White House. Both Bush and Ratzinger are unteachable in matters of birth control and abortion, disinclined to implement any serious reforms, arrogant and without transparency in the way in which they exercise their office, restricting freedoms and human rights.

Like Bush in his time Pope Benedict, too, is suffering from an increasing lack of trust. Many Catholics no longer expect anything of him. Even worse, by withdrawing the excommunication of four traditionalist bishops who were consecrated illegally, including one who notoriously denies the Holocaust, Ratzinger has confirmed all the fears which arose when he was elected pope. The Pope favours people who still reject the freedom of religion affirmed by Vatican II, dialogue with other churches, reconciliation with Judaism, a high esteem for Islam and the other world religions and the reform of the liturgy.

In order to advance ‘reconciliation’ with a tiny group of arch-reactionary traditionalists, the Pope risks losing the trust of millions of Catholics all over the world who continue to be loyal to Vatican  II. That it is a German Pope who is taking such false steps heightens the conflicts. Apologies after the event cannot put together the pieces.

The Pope would have an easier job than the President of the United States in adopting a change of course. He has no Congress alongside him as a legislative body nor a Supreme Court as a judiciary. He is absolute head of government , legislator and supreme judge in the church. If he wanted to, he could authorize contraception over night. permit the marriage of priests, make possible the ordination of women and allow eucharistic fellowship with this Protestant churches. What would a Pope do who acted in the spirit of Obama?

Clearly, like Obama he would

1.    state clearly that the Catholic Church is in a deep crisis and would identify the heart of the problem: many congregations without priests, still not enough new recruits to the priesthood, and a hidden collapse of pastoral structures as a result of unpopular mergers of parishes, a collapse which has often developed over centuries;

2.    proclaim the vision of hope of a renewed church, a revitalized ecumenism, understanding with the Jews, the Muslims and other world religions and a positive assessment of modern science;

3.    gather around him the most competent colleagues, not yes-men and women but independent minds, supported by competent and fearless experts;

4.    immediately initiate the most important reform measures by decree (‘executive order’) and

5.    convene an ecumenical council to promote the change of course.

But what a depressing contrast:

Whereas President Obama, with the support of the whole world, is looking forwards and is open to people and to the future, this Pope is orientating himself above all backwards, inspired by the ideal of the mediaeval church, sceptical about the Reformation, ambiguous about modern rights of freedom.

Whereas President Obama is concerned for new cooperation with partners and allies Pope Benedict XVI, like George.W Bush, is trapped in thinking in terms of friend and foe. He snubs fellow Christians in the Protestant churches by refusing to recognize these communities as churches. The dialogue with Muslims has not got beyond a lip confession of ‘dialogue’. Relations with Judaism must be said to have been deeply damaged.

Whereas President Obama radiates hope, promotes civic activities and calls for a new ‘era of responsibility’, Pope Benedict  is imprisoned in his fears and wants to limit human freedom as far as possible, in order to establish an ‘age of restoration’.

Whereas President Obama is going on the offensive by using the constitution and the great tradition of his country as the basis for bold steps in reform, Pope Benedict is interpreting the decrees of the 1962 Reform Council in a backward direction, looking towards the conservative Council of 1870.

But because in all probability Pope Benedict XVI himself will be no Obama, for the immediate future we need:

First an episcopate which does not conceal the manifest problems of the church but mentions them openly and tackles them energetically at a diocesan level;

Secondly theologians who collaborate actively in a future vision of our church and are not afraid to speak and write the truth;

Thirdly pastors who oppose the excessive burdens constantly imposed by the merging of many parishes and who boldly take responsibility as pastors;

Fourthly in particular women, without whom in many places parishes would collapse,  who confidently make use of the possibilities of their influence.

But can we really do this? Yes we can.

 

Translation John Bowden

Hat tip:  Ruth Gledhill

Comments

[John Charles]

Simply sated, Mr. Kung is an idiot.

[John Petty]

That may be a little OVERLY simply stated.

[Thomas]

Sounds more like Hans Kung wishes HE was actually Barack Obama.

Sad.

[Christbearer316]

I am simpley stunned at the sheer amount of absolute heresy that is crammed into such a small space. It truly is astounding this man calls himself a Catholic and yet espouses these views.

[John Petty]

What's sad is a clueless and out-of-touch Vatican.

As for heresy, no way. The definition of heresy is actually pretty narrow--even in Catholicism--and you'd be hard-pressed to cite an example on the basis of this short article.

[Don Edwards]

I'm with John Petty on this. "Heresy" is, by definition, "the ideology that lost," many of them politically or sensibly motivated for the time they were enacted.

Kung's analogy with the junior Bush is very apt. There is no God-given dogma that priests be celibate;that contraception in an overpopulated world is mortally sinful;or that mixed marriages are an abomination. The next pope will have to deal with issues like these and that is not an evil heresy. Reform has been part of the Church from the beginning. Thank God for that.

[John Petty]

Don, thanks for your visit. Come back again!

[Prayingforthechurch]

every pope since John XXIII has indeed taken considerable steps in reversing the reforms since the esteemed Vatican II. John Paul II probably did more than any other in his attempts to invalidate those reforms. Vatican II will take hold, as reform always does and may take a generation or so. As for Benedict, he was known as the grand inquisitor under John Paul II, silencing many liberation theologians, including Boff, as well as others like Schillebeeckx,and Kung. The Catholic church needs to be truly catholic and it's as much King's church as it is mine or Benedict's.

[John Petty]

Praying, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for your visit.

[Ugg Boots]

God closes one door while opens another one for you！

[Will]

How much is a front row seat when this man comes before the Lord on Judgment Day?

[John Petty]

Thanks for your visit.

[Love for Jesus]

This is absolutely the work of Satan. I pray for this man because he is clearly paving his way straight to hell. I had to stop and say three Hail Mary's to get through this article. He is not Catholic and should be ex-communicated from the Church if he isn't already. His views are 100% against the true teachings of the church. I am astounded that this man is or was a priest. This is exactly what the Virgin Mary was speaking of when she stated the Churh would be attacked by Satan through priests. This saddens me beyond belief.

[John Petty]

Well, I like the man myself. Thanks for your visit.

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