Grounded and Adaptable

Grounded . . .

It is not good enough to decide complex moral, social, or doctrinal issues based on popularity polls or yesterday’s newspaper. To decide difficult questions, a valid authority should be historical. The authority should show continuity with the historical experience of Christianity. While churches that have existed for four or five hundred years can demonstrate this to a degree, only the Catholic (and Eastern Orthodox) Church has a living link with history that goes back to Roman times — and then, through Judaism, back to the beginning of human history.

. . Adaptable

And yet being well grounded in history, it still needs to understand and incorporate new developments whether they arise in a secular or religious context.  Consequently, the understanding of value-of-life issues stays current with changes in medical technology and considers the religious implications of extreme measures for sustaining life.  It grasps the implications of such techniques as in-vitro fertilization and articulates a reasoned explanation of its moral implications.  It can articulate a nuanced acceptance of those with same-sex attraction, while maintaining its well-reasoned understanding of chastity and the sanctity of marriage.

Summary:

The foundation of the Catholic Faith is bedrock – historical and sound – while the architecture built upon that foundation can be renovated with new, better materials as they become available. Yet the structure will not collapse because it is built upon a secure foundation.

4 Traits 2 Know

Fr. Longenecker had moved away from the Protestant understanding that Scripture is the only authority, and as an Anglican, believed that authority rested in Scripture, tradition, and reason. Both Protestants and Anglicans, however, eventually encounter a dilemma: the Protestant who believes in sola scriptura (scripture alone) has to face the question, "Whose interpretation of Scripture?"   While the Anglican has to face the question, "Whose reason and whose tradition?"  In spite of their earnest desire for truth, they, nonetheless, arrive at distinctly different conclusions.

It was this awareness that led Fr. Longenecker to a serious examination of Church authority.  As a result of his extensive efforts, Fr. Longenecker identified twelve attributes, which he has grouped into six paired sets. I will call these sets “traits.”  Taken together, he argues, these traits justify the Catholic claims regarding authority.  I will present four of these traits that I consider to be the most meaningful for “finding your Catholic voice.”

While other churches might be able to claim some of the qualities, the Catholic Church embodies all three signs offered by Patrick Madrid and all four of the traits described by Fr. Longenecker.

For each trait, Fr. Longenecker identifies two counterbalancing attributes:

1.      Grounded and Adaptable

2.       Universal and Local

3.       Intellectual and Accessible

4.      Human and Divine

Next time we will begin our examination of these.

The Protestant Dilemma

To Patrick Madrid’s three signs of Visibility, Foundation, and Preservation, we now add four of Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s traits. But before we do that, the story of what inspired Fr. Longenecker to closely examine Church authority is instructive.  While an Anglican, Fr. Longenecker struggled with a dilemma resulting from Luther’s action: He saw that, from a human point of view, both the people in favor of women’s ordination and those against it have good arguments. Both sides were arguing from Scripture, tradition, and reason. Both sides argued from practicality, compassion and justice.  Both sides honestly considered their arguments to be persuasive. And both sides were comprised of prayerful, church-going, sincere Christians who genuinely believe the Holy Spirit is directing them.

But how could both be right?

Furthermore, the divisions over women’s ordination in the Anglican Church were no different, in essence, than every other debate that has divided the thousands of Christian denominations. Some groups split over women’s ordination; others split over whether dancing is appropriate conduct. Some split over doctrinal issues; others split over moral issues.

Whatever the issue and whatever the split, the basic problem is one of authority. If Christians have a sincere disagreement, who decides?

Evangelical Protestants say the Bible decides, but this begs the question when the two warring parties agree that the Bible is the final authority. They eventually split because they can’t agree about what the Bible actually teaches.