Picture of the statue of Saint Magnus the Great in the church of the same name London, UK (Church of England-High Church/Anglo-Catholic would be my guess). Taken on the last day of my recent visit 10/9/2012. I have no words......
by Jose Maria Castillo
The recent writings of h. Küng and l. Boff, on this subject, and these days are circulating on the network, make us reflect. The Church weakens day after day, loses credibility and the vast majority of people don't care anymore. Be sure that this church has no future?When I speak of the Church here, I'm not referring to the enormous amount of people, each as may, are interested in Jesus of Nazareth and the one who teaches (or taught) the Gospel. I am not speaking of people of faith, a very personal issue that everyone runs as God gives him to understand.In saying that this church has no future, what I mean (as does Küng) is that the papacy and the Vatican curia, as they are organized and work, not only do not go anywhere, but also – and especially – are very damaging to the Church itself and, even more so, so many people of goodwill who loses even the interest in religion when he sees the sad spectacle that is giving the so-called "Roman system".Why do I say these things? The Church, which has concentrated all his power and his authority in the Pope and the Vatican curia and that works so that you and only you-do you think to have the full truth and unquestionable power to impose this truth, to decide what is good and what is bad and what people should or should not do; a Church does not have any arguments to prove that everything has to be so, nor enjoys the credibility essential to convince that things should go as well.For this, because the "Roman system" lacks credibility and arguments to persuade us that possesses the powers that says he has, for this reason, the papacy and the curia in conscience think that it is better to hide things that, if you knew, would dismiss more people. And scandals would be multiplied, contradictions, half-truths and many obscure business which the Vatican City State attempts to cover unsuccessfully in many cases.From this, the incessant contradictions of the already mentioned "Roman system".In theory, praises and defends human rights, but, to date, does not respect these rights in its legislation and in its form of Government, nor has signed international treaties on this fundamental issue.In theory, praises and preaches the Gospel, but, in practice, any person who enters the Vatican it is difficult to see what resembles the simplicity of the Gospel and to the proximity of Jesus with the most unfortunate people of this world.In theory, the Pope and the curia complain and denounce the economic corruption, sex scandals, lying as a system of Government .... but the fact is that the Vatican Bank gave serious grounds for scandal and, what is worse, it is known that the Vatican policy is an important element (for what it says and for what is silent) in the legitimacy of Governments and rulers who are because of the economic crisis and they sink into misery many creatures innocent.In these conditions you can preach the Gospel? And if the so-called "Roman system" is not needed for this, as you can keep it standing for a long time? We're not just talking about a problem of bad or good morality. The problem is much more serious. What is at stake is the ' to be or not to be ' of the Church that you let manage the Roman system ".Why, throughout the Bible and in the Christian tradition, the "being" is determined by – it depends – «happen». We are not faced with a problem of metaphysics, but a problem of historical development. And when that happens you away so much from its origin and its raison d'etre, the most reasonable thing is to think that a church as well, i.e., "this church" has no future.
Translated with Bing Translator
"...whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Mark 10:43b-45
