Three Key Arguments For and Against Francis
There are three key arguments for or against Pope Francis’ attempt to change Church teaching on marriage, the U.S. columnist Ross Douthat told NcRegister.com (April 16). Douthat summarises the arguments …More
There are three key arguments for or against Pope Francis’ attempt to change Church teaching on marriage, the U.S. columnist Ross Douthat told NcRegister.com (April 16).
Douthat summarises the arguments in favour of Francis like this:
- the Church has [allegedly] changed her teaching before, on issues such as usury and religious liberty
- the Pope is the pope and Catholics are supposed to submit to his interpretations
- spouses who divorce were simply incapable of the true consent required by a Catholic marriage.
Against these arguments Douthat objects:
- the Church teaching on marriage is more fundamental than on usury and religious liberty and goes back to Christ himself
- the Pope’s authority cannot be invoked for leading the Church into self-contradiction - marriage is not only for perfect Catholics and an automatic annulment would turn marriage into a pleasant fancy. Picture: © Mazur, catholicnews.org.uk, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsLlbstereay
Douthat summarises the arguments in favour of Francis like this:
- the Church has [allegedly] changed her teaching before, on issues such as usury and religious liberty
- the Pope is the pope and Catholics are supposed to submit to his interpretations
- spouses who divorce were simply incapable of the true consent required by a Catholic marriage.
Against these arguments Douthat objects:
- the Church teaching on marriage is more fundamental than on usury and religious liberty and goes back to Christ himself
- the Pope’s authority cannot be invoked for leading the Church into self-contradiction - marriage is not only for perfect Catholics and an automatic annulment would turn marriage into a pleasant fancy. Picture: © Mazur, catholicnews.org.uk, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsLlbstereay
