It appears to be very hopeful, but unless the Vatican becomes willing to dialogue about the very things that have driven people away—sexism, homophobia, etc.—this is nothing more than spin control. It would require some genuine action on the Vatican's part to convince skeptics that this is remotely sincere.
I don't doubt the sincerity. But dialogue is dialogue. One may safely presume that the Church is not about to conclude that atheists, for example, have a point. As for the sexual aspect, it would be nice if the Church would resume the attitudes that prevailed in the Middle Ages (I believe that a bishop found masturbating in a church had do penance for 50 days.) It wasn't until the 14th century that the current views emerged and those were later reinforced by the old-testament puritanism that dominated the Reformation and Counterreformation. Bear in mind, too, that the Church is growing fastest in regions of the world where such things as feminism and gay rights do not top the social agenda.
It appears to be very hopeful, but unless the Vatican becomes willing to dialogue about the very things that have driven people away—sexism, homophobia, etc.—this is nothing more than spin control. It would require some genuine action on the Vatican's part to convince skeptics that this is remotely sincere.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt the sincerity. But dialogue is dialogue. One may safely presume that the Church is not about to conclude that atheists, for example, have a point. As for the sexual aspect, it would be nice if the Church would resume the attitudes that prevailed in the Middle Ages (I believe that a bishop found masturbating in a church had do penance for 50 days.) It wasn't until the 14th century that the current views emerged and those were later reinforced by the old-testament puritanism that dominated the Reformation and Counterreformation. Bear in mind, too, that the Church is growing fastest in regions of the world where such things as feminism and gay rights do not top the social agenda.
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