The Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) has posted a report on its website from an ad hoc committee that cites a lack of respect on the part of the CTSA for more conservative theologians, writes Michael Sean Winters.
The ad hoc committee report concluded: “The self-conception of many members that the CTSA is open to all Catholic theologians is … self-deceptive.”
The report stated that CTSA meetings “include jokes and snide remarks about, or disrespectful references to, bishops, the Vatican, the Magisterium, etc. These predictably elicit derisive laughter from a part of the audience.” It further notes that public discussions at CTSA meetings frequently display demeaning references towards conservative theologians and cites these two examples: “The phrase ‘thinking Catholics’ is sometimes used to mean liberals. The phrase ‘people who would take us backwards’ is sometimes used to mean conservatives.” The report charges that CTSA elections are tilted away from the concerns proper to a professional society: “Scholarly credentials seem often outweighed by voters’ partisan commitments.”
CTSA president Richard Gaillardetz urged members to pay attention to issues raised.
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