Intellectually Challenging . . .
If
an authority system is to speak to the complexities of the human situation, then
it must be able to hold its own with the philosophical
and intellectual experts in every field of human endeavor. What other
ecclesial system can marshal experts from every area of human expertise to
speak authoritatively in matters of faith and morals? Time and again, the Catholic Church has been
able to speak with authority about the spiritual dimension of economics, ethics,
politics, diplomacy, the arts, and philosophy.
… Accessible
Nonetheless,
while the authority system must be intellectually vigorous, it must also be accessible
to peasants and the illiterate without being in any way condescending. Some
denominations appeal to the simple and unlearned, but have trouble keeping the
top minds. Others appeal to the educated elite, but lose the masses. Catholicism,
on the other hand, is a religion of the greatest minds of history and the
religion of illiterate peasants. It is a religion that is complex enough for
St. Thomas Aquinas and simple enough for St. Joseph Cupertino. It has room at
the manger for both the magi and the shepherds.
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