Religion & Law

Given the recent posts on issues relating to the Church position on homosexuality, an NCR commentary written by Regina Schulte, a theologian and the wife of the late James Schulte, coauthor of Human Sexuality: New Directions in American Catholic Thought, the 1977 study commissioned by the Catholic Theological Society of America, might be of interest to some.  Schlute argues that "[t]he roles of theologian and bishop in their complementary relationship are badly in need of re-examination and carefully nuanced distinctions."  She writes:

It is apparent that the hierarchy has usurped the entire teaching office -- the ?magisterium? -- for themselves; yet they are only one of three components endowed with this charism. Theologians and the wisdom born of experience in the ?sense of the faithful? comprise the other two. It would seem, then, that appropriate exercise of their distinctive roles requires that bishops collaborate rather than compete.

The full commentary is here.