Religion & Law

Over the past several days, many things?all things?in the world, in the Church, and within this web log have caught my attention. While I am still trying to take stock of all these things, I found it necessary to reflect on a passage from the works of Henri Cardinal de Lubac, S.J. that I have been reading in the context of the contemporary Church. Although written in 1964 while he was attending the Second Vatican Council, then Fr. de Lubac had this to say:

Today, even some of the faithful, and even some priests (without excluding the religious), are tempted ?to open themselves to the world? in such a manner that they free themselves to be invaded by it... As for non-believers, many will not neglect to say: the Church abandons little by little her dogmas. She is vaguely aware that her role is finished; thus she comes to us in order to preserve herself, without daring to yet abandon her religious phraseology.

I, for one, think that de Lubac?s words, although written forty-six years ago, aptly describe some segments of the Church, the world, and humanity today. In short, it seems that even though they may be people of good will, some Christian Catholics succumb to the siren sounds of the world and culture that surround them, thus failing to realize that the body of Christ, the People of God may, as a result, suffer because of their words and deeds. I further think that the condition identified by de Lubac and his discussion of them offer great insight into the problematic issues that confront the Church today. I hope to address the application of de Lubac?s point in subsequent postings in the coming days.

RJA sj