In this volume five cardinals of the Church, and four other
scholars, respond to the call issued by Walter Cardinal Kasper for the Church
to harmonize "fidelity and mercy in its pastoral practice with civilly
remarried, divorced people".The contributors are Walter Cardinal Brandmüller; Raymond Cardinal Burke; Carlo Cardinal Caffarra; Velasio Cardinal De Paolis, C.S.; Robert Dodaro, O.S.A.; Paul Mankowski, S.J.; Gerhard Cardinal Müller; John M. Rist; and Archbishop Cyril Vasil', S.J.
Cardinal Kasper appeals to early Church practice in order to
support his view.
The contributors bring their wealth of knowledge and
expertise to bear upon this question, concluding that the Bible and the Church
Fathers do not support the kind of "toleration" of civil marriages following
divorce advocated by Cardinal Kasper. They also examine the Eastern Orthodox
practice ofoikonomia (understood as "mercy" implying
"toleration") in cases of remarriage after divorce and in the context
of the vexed question of Eucharistic Communion. The book traces the long
history of Catholic resistance to this practice, revealing the serious
theological and pastoral difficulties it poses in past and current Orthodox
Church practice.
As the authors demonstrate, traditional Catholic doctrine,
based on the teaching of Jesus himself, and current pastoral practice are not
at odds with genuine mercy and compassion. The authentic "gospel of
mercy" is available through a closer examination of the Church's
teachings.
"Because it is the task of the apostolic ministry to
ensure that the Church remains in the truth of Christ and to lead her ever more
deeply into that truth, pastors must promote the sense of faith in all the
faithful, examine and authoritatively judge the genuineness of its expressions
and educate the faithful in an ever more mature evangelical discernment." - St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
Above From Website: Ignatius Press - Remaining in the Truth of Christ
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