From: ajpg1322@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Angelo J. Paguia)
Subject: Re: Natures of Jesus
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 09:04:29 GMT

Len Howard <tas@PEGASUS.COM> writes:
>questions in theology, you don't get a simple answer.  Either Yes or
>No could be defended.  It is how you defend your answer that is
>important.  Our theology teacher made this very clear to us.  Now I
>realize that you have to hew to the line of the official teaching of
>the Roman Catholic Church, 

It was my brother that taught me that you can say just about anything
with the Bible. Most Fundamentalists today believe that anyone can
interpret the Bible and not be amiss. I couldn't prove my brother
right until I remembered that Jesus had a Scripture exchange in the
Temptation in the Desert with the Devil. (Also, refer to 2Peter 1:20
that warns against this.) This is why it is best to "hew to the line
of the official teaching". 

It is safer because of the infallibility
of the Church AND realize that this theology took probably about 40
generations of holy men devoting their lives to extracting doctrine
from Scriptures. That's literally millions and millions of people
spending at least 40 hours per week--not, say, 2 hours per week as
a lot of born-again Christians do--pondering Scripture, Tradition,
doctrine, etc over their belly-buttons. 

Even statistically speaking, I'd rather take the teachings of millions 
of people agreeing over the same doctrines (most of the time) over 2000 
years than that of a 20, 40, or even 100 year old born-again who works 
most of the week and studies Scriptures for, say, 2 hours everyday without 
reference to a history of doctrinal development. (Oops. Sorry I let my 
anti-Fundamentalist stance run amuck again.)

>BUT, I also realize that the usual RCIA
>teacher is not really teaching the exact teaching either, and there is
>much variation in the courses.  

>Shalom, Len                             Len Howard
>                                        tas@pegasus.com

Unfortunately, we who have recourse to the teachings of the Magisterium
do not always take the opportunity to learn. I taught CCD for a short time
and was shocked at the lack of knowledge of many of the teachers regarding
basic Catholic doctrines, especially Church stance on current issues (heck,
come to think of it, I was one of them !). In fact, somebody I work with
immediately returned "Introduction to Theology" by Frank Sheed to me when
I tried to lend it to her. She said she knew all of that already because
she taught Cathechism class. Asked about the doctrine of the Immaculate
Conception, she couldn't explain it, along with some other basic doctrine.
Is this, perhaps, the root of the variations in the teaching ?

The problem, I realized, is that most Catholics, even the ones that went
to Catholic schools, only have a junior high school level of religious
education, and hence also the same level of understanding. Of course, at
those levels of education, doctrine is thoroughly washed down, nuances
are left for the theologians to ponder, and the sheep are only fed light
desserts, fooling them into thinking that they had the entire dinner !

There is a deep need, IMHO, for adult catechetical or even theological
re-education in this Church.

Why shouldn't we try it ? The Biblical literalists are savoring every
morsel of their appetizer-level doctrines, not even knowing the
existence of the pot roast ! We, who have been invited to the feast, 
aren't even clamoring to eat ! The literalists can, on any 
given day, convince the average Catholic of the lack of Scriptural 
basis of the Church and drag the silenced uninformed to their fellowships.

If there is a crisis or a schism (I don't think so.) in this Church,
then maybe it is to wake us up, just as the Protestant Revolt did 
400-500 years ago.

To corrupt a quote by Frank Sheed from the above book, perhaps we do
not truly appreciate the nourishment of the Living Bread that we have
been given.

Study hard, Len Horn. You have been given the opportunity that many
of us will never have: adult catechetical education. Know the power
that is being given to you. I wish you, and I'm sure the rest of us
do, the understanding and wisdom that comes from the Spirit.

I bid you peace. I do not give it to you as the world gives peace.

Angelo
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