Category:Issue of Religion

Paul Kelly sj reflects in The Issue is Religion Itself (link)

The beginning of the segment addresses the sex abuse scandals, which leads Kelly to questioning the issue of religion:"...

We held our breaths, hoping that civilian authorities would continue to look the other way, after a bit of flustering to salve their consciences, and leave the investigations, uncoverings, and disposal of those who failed to act as if they were human beings with normal appetites and recreational pursuits. We weren’t so easy on bishops who covered up out of fear the church would lose some glitter from its reputation hard earned over two thousand years...."

"..To me, none of that. (throwing the damage control bums out) I fretted, of course, at the conspiracy to keep things quiet as the word was passed on from chancery to chancery throughout the world, with a Curia nodding assent, if not with a “Hurry up, get the word out. Look concerned. Cover up. Pretend you’re in control and are repairing the damage. Watch those bank balances carefully.” We saw through that, even as we had accepted similar conduct from the hierarchy at almost every scandalous outburst during two thousand years of slow growth from a mission church of Saints James, Thomas, Peter and Paul, spreading slowly around the Mediterranean. "...

...."We even felt a little glow of pride for the unbelievable powerful boys of Rome who sat above and talked with emperors and kings and their underlings, telling them precisely what they could and could not do, as Popes toppled the highest and the mightiest of the most powerful rulers of civilization, in the name of Jesus Christ the King. God help us, we even honored the name by which our church came to be known, not simply Catholic, but Roman Catholic Church, the one, true Church of God Himself. "

...Some of us, myself included, saw a startling, frightening, awesome issue that would obliterate humanity itself. We saw Religion as the issue. Religion itself. In whatever format, custom, language, church by any name. Lurking deadly ...

It was the emptiness of Religion itself, its colors and music and sacred literature and holy men and women notwithstanding. Would, no, could Religion survive, once the people saw that it and it alone was being challenged as the binding glue of civilization?"

After forthright conclusions Kelly poses a list of questions,

Does Religion have a place in our world?

Do we need an organized church at all?

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Must we submit to hierarchs as leaders whom we must obey?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Did Jesus himself found any church?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Did Jesus himself found a religion?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Were the founders of Catholicism just a couple of apostles?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Could a Paul of Tarsus, who never saw, heard or met Jesus be his principal spokesperson?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Has Religion, in any formal form, passed its time?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Are we not spiritual beings, as well as human?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Is spirituality, whatever it may be, the successor to organized religions?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Is religion a discarded term of the early years with A.D. after the number?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Are we growing up now as people, ready and able to become one world?

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-left: 1in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Is the Paraclete close by, urging us on?

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Can we go it alone? <span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Must we have a great big bunch of communities to hold us together? <span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">What would we call them, if the term ‘church’ is no longer meaningful? <span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Do we hunt for what might soon be called a synonym for Religion?

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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-themecolor: dark2">Should we get bogged down in what we decide to call ourselves? ====== In a previous blog several years previous, Paul Kelly did refer to a religious identification, he said this:

"As one of the Companeros, .... by a childish faith of not to worry, for I don't have to get all worked up about being "Catholic" as long as I can stay "Jesuit."

I don't know if Kelly has since changed his connection to a Jesuit Identity in light of the list of questions. I would venture to guess no, as the Jesuit Identiy was not mentioned. and a committed Ignatian could answer "Jesuit" to many of those questions. So a question for Kelly would be, would you, Paul Kelly, be asking these questions if it included casting aside being one of the "Companeros"? Can you NOT get bogged down in being a member (retired) of the "Society"; try out a thought experiment (call it a non ignatian educational excercise) of visualizing a world SANS Society of companeros... stay in that place for 30 days, and then ask yourself the questions again, using a new paradigm, can globalisation occur without the interfernce of the spirit of St. Ignatius? Are Jesuits ready to become part of the world as non jesuits? Has the time for having "The Society" passed? Can the "Society" become a discarded term of the 16th century, with it's members casting aside the SJ after their names? '''

Just wondering....

--Ecumenistan