You have recently reported that some Church members, bishops and priests included, are concerned about possible alterations to the Church's stance on certain major issues at the 2015 Synod (The Tablet, 7 May).
The anti-Modernist Papacy of a little over 100 years ago condemned thinking about certain developments in biblical studies. Yet only 60 years later the Pontifical Biblical Commisssion corrected the earlier views in its "On the Historical Truth of the Gospels" statement of 1964. To have been so very wrong about the sacred texts was highly embarassing - even if not actively passed on to the Church at large.
Is it not wise for this year's Synod to take account of the developments of understanding by responsible experts in the fields of theology, human relationships, medical and other sciences, and to review the Church's belief and practice in these areas ? We can all adapt to new insights, as the Church has done in so many fields over the centuries.
Michael Egan, Blackheath, London SE3
Loading ...
