Maroon

              The MAROON Vol. 61, No. 9 Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 0et01)cr29,1982 Theologians review consequences of Vatican II By Douglas Leal Staff Reporter A conference last weekend on issues facing the Catholic church 20 years after Vatican II included discussion on the "total insanity" of the arms buildup and calls for "some more credible sexual teaching" by the church. The conference was sponsored by the religious studies department in cooperation with the Albert J. Biever Memorial Lecture Series. Participating in the conference were the Rev. Avery Dulles, S.J., professor of theology at the Catholic University of America; Dr. George Lindbeck, professor of historical theology at Yale University; Dr. Gregory Baum, professor of theology at the University of Toronto and Dr. Francine Cardman, associate professor of historical theology at Weston School of Theology. Nuclear arms and sexuality were discussed during a press conference Friday and panel discussion Saturday. At the press conference, Baum spoke of "the revival of Catholicism, not about the organizational issues but about the real 'bread and butter' issues." He cited the "extraordinary movement of the American church towards peace" as an example of the "qualitative transformation" of the church after Vatican 11. Cardman discussed issues of sexuality and the family in her address, citing statistics which show that a great majority of Catholics, especially those in their twenties, disagree with the church's teachings on contraception, divorce and premarital sex. She questioned these statistics in relation to a doctrine issued by the council (Lumen Gentium) which states that "the body of the faithful as a whole cannot err in matters of belief." Cardman continued, "Might not nearly universal disagreement in such matters [of sexual and marital morality] be a strong indication that the disputed teaching is likely to be in error?" At the press conference, Cardman said that "some more credible sexual teaching would be helpful" to the church. Baum added, "Christianity hasn't got much wisdom when it comes to sexuality. It's not totally wrong. I don't think the pornographic world has much wisdom about sexuality either." At the panel discussion, Lindbeck said, "It has been my experience that by the time they [children] are in there middle twenties, they are enormously grateful that their set limits that gave them the power to resist peer pressure and that they didn't capitulate to the tyrannies of our permissive culture. And even if they did capitulate, now looking back say, 'it would have been better the other way.' " In discussing declining church attendance among young people, Cardman said "some decent liturgies" and better counseling might kefep young people in the church and that "campuses are probably best suited" to do this. To* the comment by Dulles that people begin returning to the church as they reach middle age, Cardman responded that "the church must be willing to wait patiently, too." The Rev. Gerald Fagin, S.J., chairman of the religious studies department, judged the conference to be "very successful. The reaction has been very positive." Fagin said that all the speakers agreed to a publication of the addresses delivered at the conference.The publication will also include an essay by the Rev. Stephen Duffy, associate professor of religious studies, which, according to Fagin, "was delivered to the College Theology Society" and "will provide a background for the talks." A book should be out in the spring, Fagin added. Fagin concluded that the consensus of the conference was that the church must "continue to build on the insights of Vatican 11, but we are basically moving in the right direction." Dr. George Lindbeck (top) and Dr. Gregory Baum (bottom).^,Dhotos byLba Clark New Catholicism Vatican council cleared way for modern era of openness in church By Douglas Leal Staff Reporter Some lively discussion was provoked at the Vatican II conference although the participants were not always in agreement. One thing all agreed upon was the enormous success of Vatican 11. News Analysis Dr. George Lindbeck, professor of historical theology at Yale University, expressed the feelings of all participants, "In thinking about it [Vatican ll] after 20 years, it seemed to me to be just an astonishingly successful event." Dr. Gregory Baum, professor of theology at St. Micheal's College in the University of Toronto, added, "I still marvel at what happened in the church — a qualitative transformation of the Christian experience." The change in the church was basically an opening: an opening to other religions, an opening to dissenting opinions, and a general opening to the modern world. One of the greatest issues which the modern world faces is the threat of nuclear war. It is in this area that Baum sees the church emerging as a practical religion, one concerned with social justice. . American bishops will vote next month on a draft of a pastoral letter that states that any use of nuclear weapons is immoral and the production of such weapons should be frozen at a minimum deterrence level aiming at disarmament. Such a proclamation, if approved, would put the Catholic church in the United States at odds with the government over a secular issue, an amazing development for a church which has the national flag in its sanctuary. The very discussion of the nuclear issue among the bishops shows that the American church is undergoing the faith experience that Baum spoke of in his address Saturday, the experience of faith and justice interconnected. The post-counciliar church, in the United States and other countries, especially Latin America, is reexamining the Gospel and its message. Conflicts are arising between the church and the world at large. The church is itching to get at the world and act on the imperatives it believes are in the Gospel, but the process is slow and halting. The church must tread carefully onto the political field, for it has not been there for centuries. This move into politics is an outgrowth of the uniqueness of the council's focus on believers rather than beliefs. For example, the draft of the pastoral letter on nuclear arms prohibits Catholic military personnel from participating in any actions leading to the use of nuclear weapons against civilian populations. This type of repressive "thou shalt not" moral teaching disturbs Dr. Francine Cardman, associate professor of historical theology at See Vatican 11/ page 4