EDITOR'S ROUND-UP

Saturday, 07 March 2009

Asking silly questions: should we elect our bishops?

Dear Friends,

The simple answer to the silly question George Ripon asks today "why can't we have a say in electing our bishops?" would probably be given that "well we've simply never done it that way before". In fact that answer is not true. In the early Church the ordinary pew-sitters were given a say in who ministered to them and who led them. It was later innovations that saw "the ordinary pew-sitters" largely cut out of the process. George's commentary today poses some other valuable questions we might be discussing such as, if we have to have them, what is the role of a bishops today? I suspect there's some interesting further discussion coming up.
<Link to George Ripon's questions>
www.catholica.com.au/gc2/occ/033_occ_070309.php

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Catholic Tertiary Education in Australia In today's commentary, religious educator, Fr Daniel Donovan, argues the establishment of the first full Faculty of Theology in Australia at the Australian Catholic University provides rare opportunity for the collective ecclesial leadership in this country to make some critical decisions regarding the direction given to the university in particular, and Catholic Education in this country in general. The appointments made, and the tone the bishops establish for Catholic tertiary education have wider repercussions for our collective success in rejuvenating the institution in this country. Today's commentary is introduced by an editorial which argues: "One of the key starting points for the rejuvenation of Catholicism has to be a fundamental re-think of the role of the theologian in the Church and in society, and a fundamental re-think of the roles of bishops, the magisterium and the Catholic institutes of higher learning." <more>

"Conflict at Corinth" Over the next two weeks Dr Elmer turns his attention to St Paul's dealings with the churches of Corinth. He draws out the continuing parallels between the events we ought learn from this early history of the Church and events that are destablising of the institution today. <more>

Letters to My Children #2 Today Tom McMahon shares with us another of his letters written for his children and the archives. This one was written ten years ago in 1999 and is a pretty frank overview of his time as a priest and what led to his disillusion with clericalism and the institution. <more>

The Cosmic Mystery of Christ – Part II In this conclusion to his two-part essay Dr Andrew Kania puts forward a mix of challenging philosophical and theological ideas that ought generate considerable debate. Largely based on the insights of the Russian Orthodox philosopher, Vladimir Solovyov (1853-1900), he presents a mix of ideas some of which will feel comfortable when read from within the Western theological tradition and others which might challenge our contemporary perspectives within the scientific perspectives we operate within in society today. <more>

12.1: Persecution & Heresy Reign… The stories of the Christians and the Lions has an enduring fascination. Today Tom Lee recounts some of that story in the persecution that began in Lyons around the year 177. But this first of a two-part extract from Chapter 12 of his manuscript contains other valuable little insights into the origins of Christianity. For example when did the belief of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist develop? When did someone first start listing the Apostolic succession? What was the route by which Christianity first made its way to the Britons? <more>

Who's in communion and who's out? Why? Kerry Gonzales explores what me mean by the terms being "in" or "out of" communion. The recent situation of St Mary's at the local level and the enthusiasm of the Vatican to welcome back members of the Society of St Pius X providing confusing and contradictory contrasts. <more>

Best wishes for a great day wherever you happen to be ... in life or in our world!

Brian Coyne
Editor and Publisher