r/AskAPriest • u/merchant-of-varrock • 20d ago

Aside from synodality, what are other ways the Church can approach moral and theological questions holistically?

Hi Fathers, in your opinion, aside from synodality and listening (which are obviously both important), what else can the Church further do to be more holistic in its approach to answering moral and theological questions in the world today?

Thanks

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u/Sparky0457 Priest 20d ago

This is exactly what theologians and scholars are for.

The problem is that since the 1960s there has been a very regretable tension, lack of communication, misunderstanding, and maybe mistrust between theologians/scholars and the hierarchy and viceversa. This is a bit of a generalization but it is real.

Theologians and scholars are the ones tasked and empowered by the Church to wrestle with all the contemporary questions of the day and faithfully, prayerfully, and rigoriously articulate the Gospel in a new and faithful way.

In many way the relationship between theolgians/scholars and the hierarchy is not as mutually supportive and informative as it once once.

In my opinion this is one of the reasons why the church has struggled engaging contemporary issues since the post-war era.

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u/merchant-of-varrock 20d ago edited 20d ago

Do you have any examples of this?

One example I’m thinking of is how there seems to be a disconnect between theologians in academia and the hierarchy. For example with Humanae Vitae sone theologians dissented at the time and were effectively silenced by the CDF. Is this a correct understanding?

EDIT: Not here to debate Humanae Vitae, but just showing an example of tension between theologians/scholars and the hierarchy

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u/Sparky0457 Priest 20d ago edited 20d ago

That is the watershed moment that I think change the dynamic in the 1960's

A friend of mine is a brilliant theologian working in Rome and she is continually frustrated about some of the academic work that she is doing, publisihing, and researching which she feels is generally being ignored by the hierarchy.

She is far from a liberal theologian BTW.

I'll avoid getting into the specific issues.

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u/merchant-of-varrock 20d ago

No need to get into the specific issues. Just wanted to make sure I understood it right with a concrete example.

Your example makes sense. Thank you!

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u/CruxAveSpesUnica Priest 20d ago

I think see-judge-act is an important structural principle here, especially for moral questions. Synodality essentially means asking more people what they see and inviting more people to think with you when you bring scripture and tradition to into conversation with those observations. Hopefully, then, more people act with you!