Posted on 10/01/2010 2:23:23 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Dawn Eden's thesis critiquing Christopher West's approach to presenting the teachings of John Paul II's Theology of the Body is continuing to generate debate. On Wednesday...Dr. Janet Smith weighed in on the issue, calling Eden's thesis “seriously flawed” after which author Steve Kellmeyer criticized Smith for unleashing “disjointed” attacks.
Eden’s thesis...has sparked controversy among some Catholics, as it critically examines popular speaker Christopher West’s presentation of John Paul II’s teachings.
Among the assertions made by West that she faulted was his claim that the Church’s liturgy “is modeled on the union of spouses,” which he supports by saying the Easter Candle is “truly” intended to be a phallic symbol. Eden countered this by citing documentation from the Consilium – the body of experts charged with revising the liturgy following Vatican II – showing that theologians appointed by the Magisterium had rejected the phallic interpretation of the candle.
...In an article on Catholic Exchange posted on Sept. 29, Dr. Janet Smith...offered a critique of Dawn Eden's thesis, saying she believed it to be “seriously flawed and may potentially do much harm.”
...“I fear some people have taken a mere glance at her thesis, and since they are predisposed to accept her conclusions, they are dazzled by the number of quotations and footnotes into thinking that she has provided a worthy critique West’s work,” Smith continued.
“When Eden’s work exhibits the care that West’s does, and when she exhibits his fairness, humility and docility, she will have a great deal to offer the Church.”
Reacting to Smith's post on Thursday, however, Catholic author and lecturer Steve Kellmeyer expressed dismay at the professor's Catholic Exchange piece.
In Sept. 30 post on his blog The Fifth Column, Kellmeyer wrote that “Janet Smith has unleashed one of the most disjointed, unscholarly attacks of her career.”
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
Catholic ping!
No man should be called Holy Father. Our bodies are not our own, but God`s.
I would like to see the Catholic Church condemn abortion, have not really seen that. Yes they talk about it, but are not told that killing God`s children is a disqualification for the Kingdom of God.
The teaching of the Church should be that voting Democrat separates us from God, but nobody that I am aware of seems to have the courage to say this. Everything else is basically irrelevant.
Why does the Church not teach that voting Democrat means you support the removal of Christ from the Public square and
that voting Democrat means you support infanticide, gay marriage and all the trimmings? Certainly all dis qualifiers of the Christian faith, at least in My Bible
No man should be called The Holy Father, totally unscriptural. For that matter no minister should be called Reverend, also unscriptural.
It’s “funny” how this is working out. About a decade ago Steve Kellmeyer permanently ruined the Easter Vigil for me by bringing up the whole paschal candle plunging into the new water imagery. Now he’s against it... I wish he’d been against it before he brought it up.
FRiend, this is a Catholic Caucus. Please, speak gently, or go elsewhere. The Mods do look in from time to time.
Thanks for the post. I have read some of West and I am also a big fan of Dawn Eden. I have been hoping she would write more beyond “The Thrill of the Chaste.” Thanks to your post I now have a copy of her masters thesis.
Regardless of whether one comes down in West’s camp or Eden’s the discussion is an important one for our culture. While he may have some misunderstandings, at least West has made an effort to bring the Theology of the Body to popular culture. Perhaps Eden’s critique will simply provide some balance.
ENOUGH WITH THE CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD!!!!!!!
Seriously, I get that West isn’t to everyone’s liking. But that’s the beauty of a universal church, there are different presentations of the truth. West speaks to a large demographic, and presents the beauty of Catholic teaching to many, including nonCatholics. He helped bring my husband home, to the Chuch, and I am eternally greatful to him for this.
Alice Von Hildebrand appeals to some. Janet Smith appeals to others. But in the end, we are all working toward the same goal, preaching to truth to the world. I hate this bickering, it is never resolved but causes scandal.
Considering West has Waldstein in his camp....I think he’s good to go.
I’m not going to chime in here, but i’m bookmarking so I can see what’s up from time to time.
Did God forgive sins before Jesus’sacrifice???
I would like to see ALL religions and people of good faith point to polygamy as the source for violent extremism of Islam......
Osama bin Laden has many wives, but the men he send to fight and die have no access to wealth or women......hence they can only lust after 72 virgins in the afterlife....
(poor virgins!...where’s THEIR reward???)
Is that Christopher West or Mae West.....light your candle/too hard to handle....
I hate this bickering, it is never resolved but causes scandal.
^^^
Conflict does attract media coverage, which can, perhaps, be a good thing if more people are exposed to the information through it. But I see your point, especially since the goal of many in the media today is to destroy the Church.
Sometimes a candle is just a candle.
You wrote:
“I would like to see the Catholic Church condemn abortion, have not really seen that. Yes they talk about it, but are not told that killing God`s children is a disqualification for the Kingdom of God.”
You would like to see the Catholci Church condemn abortion? We are EFFECTIVELY the only Church that does condemn abortion. We ARE the Pro-Life movement.
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.
2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. “A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,” “by the very commission of the offense,” and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.
2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a “criminal” practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1911495,00.html
http://www.lifenews.com/int1039.html
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=12192
I am not hearing the condemnation. Catholics are not being told that they can not vote Democrat.
Yes I go away, not to worry! Just that the fact remains, Catholics are not told that they cant vote Democrat, so it is pretty much accepted, voting for a pro abortion platform is not STRONGLY condemned by the Church. Those are the facts, sorry
You wrote:
“Then why are Catholics that vote Democrat allowed to remain in the Church?”
You know all their names, right? Oh, that’s right. We have SECRET ballots in this country. The bishops don’t really know who a person votes for. Second, not all Democrats claim to be pro-abortion or even pro-choice. I think all Democrats are pro-abortion because their party is, but that doesn’t mean what you probably want it to.
“Why are Catholics that openly vote for the party of death allowed to remain in the Church?”
There is no way to effectively stop them from coming to Church. The could be excommunicated, but that doesn’t stop them from attending services nor does it mean they are out of the Church.
“I am not hearing the condemnation.”
You probably don’t want to.
“Catholics are not being told that they can not vote Democrat.”
Because there is no such teaching. Again, not all Democrats claim to be pro-abortion or even pro-choice. Also, those who vote for Democrats probably wouldn’t care what the bishops taught on abortion anyway.
“Yes I go away, not to worry! Just that the fact remains, Catholics are not told that they cant vote Democrat, so it is pretty much accepted, voting for a pro abortion platform is not STRONGLY condemned by the Church. Those are the facts, sorry”
You should be sorry - for assuming it is a Catholic teaching that people can’t vote for Democrats. There is no such teaching. Whether or not you think there should be is irrelevant. You’re in a sect. What you think is simply not relevant.
And as far as I can tell, pretty much no Republicans claim to be concerned about poverty, which Catholics (in tune with the Gospels, incidentally) are concerned about. Conservative policies would be better for the vast majority of the poor, but Republicans, with few exceptions, don't make the case. (There was Kemp, with his "enterprise zones," and a number of Republicans on charter schools.) And most voters don't know enough economics to figure it out for themselve. Most aren't even really conscious of the fact that, while gov't prints the money, the private section produces all the stuff that makes having money worthwhile.
Not too many of either party seem to run an explicitly anti-abortion campaign. Not that I've heard anyway.
As John Wayne would say, “Now, we’ll all CALM DOWN!”
My goodness, people get in a dithering fluster over just anything these days.
When a person, Catholic,protestant, whatever, votes Democrat, they are saying they are just fine with infanticide, gay marriage,Removing Christ from the class room/public square and everything the Bible teaches against.
When anybody votes Democrat, they are saying they support liberal judges on the Supreme Court, you well know what that includes...
That is absolutely fact! When a person votes democrat in any way shape or form, they spit on Christ. You can not have it both ways.
Christian Democrat is a oxymoron, but unfortunately Catholic Democrat is not. Why you would want to defend those that vote against the Gospel of Christ, is beyond me.
Take care Peace:)
I went with my wife and daughter and several of her girl friends to a Chris West “Theology of the Body” “concert” recently.
To my surprise I really got A LOT out of it. It was really cool, and all the teenagers loved it.
“And as far as I can tell, pretty much no Republicans claim to be concerned about poverty, which Catholics (in tune with the Gospels, incidentally) are concerned about.”
You haven’t heard any pubs talking about how their policies really help the poor while the liberal ‘crats policies assure poverty? The welfare state locks folks into poverty and subverts the role of the Church, like most things gubberment is involved with. The “war on poverty” is just a phrase that does the opposite of what it implies.
Freegards
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