A friend of mine, now deceased, was on the faculty at Sacred Heart Major Sem at the same time Janet Smith was there.
Smith has things to say about the Church in America and they are dark forebodings. The fact that she--an ultra-orthodox theologian*--is speaking at the "cancelled priests" convention is telling in and of itself.
You won't like what she has to say, but you will not be very surprised.
*See combox
Dr. Smith is not a theologian: She studied Classics at Grinnell College, earning the B.A. degree in 1972. She also received the M.A. in Classical Languages at the University of North Carolina in 1975, and a Ph.D. in Classical Languages at the University of Toronto in 1982. Her doctoral dissertation, under the supervision of Timothy Barnes, was titled "Plato's Use of Myth as a Pedagogical Device."
ReplyDeleteThere is a major problem in the Catholic blogosphere and that is that people, on both the left and right, are considered theologians and/or experts and they are not. George Weigel calls himself a theologian, for example, with an MA in theology. Massimo Faggiolo is touted as a theologian and he is not. He has a degree in ecclesiastical history.
We can know through both Faith and reason, that to remain in The Catholic Church, one must first and foremost be in communion with The Catholic Church, and thus affirm The Deposit Of Faith.
ReplyDeleteA Catholic Theologian who would deny an element of The Deposit Of Faith is an oxymoron. We cannot transform Christ, Christ Transforms us, Through Salvational Love, God’s Gift Of Grace And Mercy, available to all who desire to repent and believe The Good News.(See Catholic Canon 750)
“It is not possible to have Sacramental Communion without Ecclesial Communion”, due to The Unity Of The Holy Ghost. (Filioque)
You can only have “A Great Apostasy”, “A Great Falling Away”, from The True Church, Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, existing “Through, With, And In Christ, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque)”,outside of which there is no Salvation, due to The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque).
“I Know My sheep, and My sheep know Me.”- The Good Sheep, Jesus The Christ
Here are the words of Our Loving Savior, “Now Go, and sin no more.”
No where, does Christ tolerate, accommodate, justify, or mandate, exchanging The Truth Of Love, for a lie.
Catholics and Catholic Institutions are Called to be Temples For The Holy Ghost, they are not called to misrepresent The Word Of God Made Flesh.
“For the Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter that by His revelation they might make known new doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles. "
“4For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come...”, to not believe that Christ’s Sacrifice On The Cross will lead us to Salvation, but we must desire forgiveness for our sins, and accept Salvational Love, God’s Gift Of Grace And Mercy; believe in The Power And The Glory Of Salvation Love, and rejoice in the fact that No Greater Love Is There Than This, To Desire Salvation For One’s Beloved.
“Hail The Cross, Our Only Hope.”
"Hold fast to what is good!"--St Paul, also not a theologian.
ReplyDeleteI watched the talk a couple of days ago from a link I found here. Can't find it now to share with a friend.
DeleteI am not arguing moral authority, and I read and I like what I read from both Dr. Smith and Mr. Weigel. That said, it does not engender respect or trust in either when they claim an official title which they do not have.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to listen to her talk again to hear her claim to 'theologian.'
OTOH, Weigel was in my town to give a speech, during which he denigrated Catholics who were attached to the Latin Mass. This was about 35 years ago. Haven't had much use for him since although I understand that his bio of JPII is excellent.
Janet is former professor of moral theology at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.
ReplyDeleteThe link is in my post. Click on 'has things to say.'
ReplyDelete