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An anonymous theologian has had his critique of the working document for next month’s Synod on Youth published by Archbishop Charles Chaput.
Chaput (who is the Archbishop of Philadelphia), says the critique “is one person’s analysis; others may disagree.
“But it is substantive enough to warrant much wider consideration and discussion as bishop-delegates prepare to engage the synod’s theme.”
The critique highlights what the theologian sees as five principal theological difficulties in ‘Instrumentum Laboris’ – the working document for the Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.
He says the analysis warns that Instrumentum veers dangerously close to heresy – specifically the heresies of naturalism, Lutheranism and relativism.
These involve naturalism, an inadequate grasp of the Church’s spiritual authority, a partial theological anthropology, a relativistic conception of vocation and an impoverished understanding of Christian joy.
It also says Instrumentum “displays a pervasive focus on socio-cultural elements to the exclusion of deeper religious and moral issues,” and “expresses a desire to examine reality through the faith and experience of the Church, while “regrettably fail[ing] to do so.”
The critique also claims Instrumentum exhibits an “inadequate grasp of the Church’s spiritual authority,” denying her role as a teaching authority.
According to Instrumentum: “The Church will opt for dialogue as her style and method… No vocation, especially within the Church, can be placed outside this ongoing dynamism of dialogue.”
The critique says this amounts to saying: “The Church does not possess the truth but must take its place alongside other voices.
“Were the Church to abandon her ministry of preaching, that is, were the roles of the teaching Church and the listening Church to be inverted, the hierarchy itself would be inverted and the ministerial priesthood would collapse into the baptismal priesthood.
“In short, we would become Lutherans.”
The anonymous theologian finishes the critique by accusing Instrumentum of taking a “relativistic conception of vocation.”
He quotes references in Instrumentum about “personal holiness” and one’s “own truth,” adding: “This is relativism.”
He warns against the “false humility” of prioritising “accompaniment” over that of preaching.
This, he says, “gives the impression that absolute truth is not found in God.”
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