An excellent response to the CDF document
In my mind, one of the best theologians among evangelicals is Al Mohler, the Southern Baptist theologian who is also the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He keeps a regular blog which is always worth reading, whether one agrees with him or not. This week he posted a response to the CDF document we discussed a few days ago. He rightly recognizes that the document is helpful to ecumenical dialogue because it honestly spells out just what is at stake. He quite obviously disagrees with the position of the Vatican, but is wise to see that theological discussions are not for the faint of heart; we make no progress by trying to mollify everyone. Notice that he doesn't engage in any kind of ad hominem by claiming that there is a lust for power or that the Vatican is arrogant. Instead he mentions, without elaboration, that he thinks their arguments are wrong. It is a theological argument, not an emotional argument.
One of the things that I've been wondering this week about the response to the document is why anyone would want the Vatican to be dishonest about what they believe. Wouldn't it be a sin to lie about what one believes, just to make everyone like you? Wouldn't giving people false hope that this will be easy be fundamentally dishonest and sinful? Do we want the Pope to lie?
One of the things that I've been wondering this week about the response to the document is why anyone would want the Vatican to be dishonest about what they believe. Wouldn't it be a sin to lie about what one believes, just to make everyone like you? Wouldn't giving people false hope that this will be easy be fundamentally dishonest and sinful? Do we want the Pope to lie?
posted by Lux Intellectus at 4:45 PM
<< Home