Hi, Gustavo —

Thanks for your question.

I'm assuming you are referring to Catholic theologians in your question. With that in mind,
the relationship between the Magisterium and any theologian must be 100% compliant on issues of "faith and morals".

• Why?

Because we are talking about safeguarding the "Divine Teachings" of Jesus which go back to
33 A.D. while proclaiming and evangelizing the Gospel to those who have not yet heard it like our Muslim friends and others.

Nevertheless, not all issues you have heard fall into the category of "faith and morals". Sometimes, even on cable T.V., like Fox News, this point is not stressed enough.

There are issues and topics of conversation where the Church has not spoken in a manner that bind all Catholics in faith. These are non-doctrinal issues. There are two main areas:

1. traditions (with a small "t",) or disciplines e.g. customs and/or disciplines, and
2. theological opinion

The latter are mainly customs and practices on how to carry out our Lord's "T"eachings — both the Oral "T"raditions and Written "T"raditions.

Theological opinion are areas where the Church has not taught anything definite. In these areas, Catholic theologians are allowed to speculate on the existence of certain issues and comment on certain matters of contention which will only be known, when and if, we get to Heaven.

Any issue that is "theological opinion" held by any theologian, must be one that the Holy Father would also consider to be an issue of "theological opinion".

Back in 1997, the (CDF) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith came out with Regulations for Doctrinal Examination:

• Regulations for Doctrinal Examination

An important note:

There is one Magisterium.

• Why?

Because Catholic theologians should be passing on the Teachings of Christ, not contradicting those Teachings!

As a priest-friend of mine, referring to others in the Church, who should know better:

If you don't believe, what we believe, you are a heretic. Period.

I hope this answers your question.

Mike

Hi, Gustavo —

The Church expects theologians to "color within the lines." In other words, theologians have great latitude in what they can discuss, contrary to the impression you get from some, but there are some hard boundaries that are not to be passed. This only makes sense; any organization has boundaries its members are expected to conform to. Moreover, the role of the Catholic Church is to proclaim the truth revealed by God; this necessarily involves admitting some views and excluding others. There is a tremendous amount that can be discussed within the boundaries.

Some theologians respect the boundaries, but others have a preoccupation with zeroing in on them and transgressing them. Media reports that focus on these theologians have a tendency to make it sound like the Church is being unreasonably strict. In point of fact, the theologians have just found a hot button they like to push, which provokes the hierarchy. You can go (almost) anywhere in the country within the speed limit and not be molested by a cop. If you speed at
100 MPH you *will* attract cops, who will not likely be sympathetic.

• Are they being strict, or are you being contumacious?

Imagine a parent in a toy store with a child. The child wants one particular toy which the father does not want to give the child, perhaps because he feels it will do her harm. The child throws a temper tantrum and insists on having that one toy, despite the hundreds of toys her father would be happy to get her. She makes a scene; shoppers wag their tongues and wonder what sort of cruel parent this is. No one understands the real situation though, only the sound bites.

There is great diversity within the Catholic Church (many places to drive) and ample room for discussion, just not on a small number of issues. There is no discussion allowed on:

• the morality of homosexual acts
• artificial birth control
• premarital sex, or
• on various other issues

which happen to be popular in our culture.

Any Catholic theologian knows this. These are antithetical to our beliefs as Catholics, and if you are going to be a *Catholic* theologian, these are boundaries you must respect. If such theologians cannot agree with them, then perhaps their consciences are compelling them to find another Christian church to serve.

By the way, Mike commented that:

This is to be understood in the sense of those outer boundaries: If one insists on going beyond the boundaries which we believe in, then that person is, technically, a heretic. It doesn't imply that we have to agree on absolutely everything; there is still much room for diversity of opinion.

Eric Ewanco

Hi, Gustavo —

You stated in your question:
It appears that the Church encourages:

• discussion
• dialogue, and
• even dissent

The one item you mentioned that I would respectfully disagree with is "dissent." It is true that the Church encourages a broad discussion of ideas, particularly in a modern world, where the need to meet ideas "head on" is critical. However, the Church never encourages someone to hold an opinion that would undermine or contradict the Faith.

Whatever insights arise, must be organically connected and consistent with the content of faith as passed on by Christ.

Peace,

Bob K.