Religion & Law

I appreciate the care with which Robby has articulated the issues in his post below.

Robby tells us what he understands the magisterium to say, both about its own teaching authority and about same-sex unions.  The focus of my dispute is not what Robby understands the magisterium to say about those two topics.  Rather, the focus of my dispute is what (according to Robby) the magisterium says about those two topics:  I dispute what the magisterium says, not only about same-sex unions but also, and more fundamentally, about its own teaching authority.  Why do I dispute it?  See Hans Kung, Infallible?  An Unresolved Enquiry.  For fuller theological and historical context, see Hans Kung, My Struggle for Freedom:  Memoirs;Hans Kung, Disputed Truth:  Memoirs Volume 2.  See also Charles Curran, Loyal Dissent:  Memoirs of a Catholic Theologian.

Archbishop Chaput believes that what the magisterium teaches about contraception and, relatedly, same-sex unions is are"teachings of Jesus Christ".  Like many other Catholics, and many other Christians, I believe that those teachings are false teachings--worse, false teachings that help to underwrite an unjust poliitcal-legal situation.  So I say "Thank God" that those teachings are not "teachings of Jesus Christ".