As the Church has always taught. . .
As an undergraduate, a wise Jesuit told us, "Whenever you hear it said by the church, 'As the Church has always taught,' hold on to your wallet." This wise priest was suggesting that, whenever the institutional Church, feels the need to reassert the continuity with doctrine, something new is emerging. I am not at all uncomfortable with that. Looking over Church history and the many councils, they have always introduced something new. If they were not, there would be no need to say anything. It is to bring a new understanding into our present moment. The development of doctrine , as articulated by Blessed John Henry Newman and others, helps us to understand theologically this movement. To be honest, I do not intend to offer a protracted theological analysis of the synod at this point. I have not read as closely as I would like the important documents. I have not heard from important participants. I am just writing about what I hear happening a continent away. ...