The Question: What can Pope Benedict XVI say and do to repair the growing rifts between the Vatican, the clergy and the laity in America?
The Pope should convene the Third Vatican Council so that the hierarchy can solemnly return the gift of infallibility, and beg instead for the gift of accuracy, and maybe also for the gifts of transparency, honesty, and integrity.
The Roman Catholic Church is a hierarchy, a tradition, and a community -- these three but the greatest of these is community. And that is the root of the problem. The hierarchy has first separated itself from and then equated itself with not only the tradition in its ongoing development but even the community in its living reality. That is why one often hears that “the Church teaches” something when it only means that “the hierarchy teaches” it.
The hierarchy often replies that the church is not a democracy. But, then, neither is it an tyranny. It is the People of God in its triadic interaction of—in this order—community, tradition, and hierarchy. To understand the hierarchy’s abuse of power within God’s people, we start with the New Testament from which the hierarchy claims its authority.
In Roman Catholic theology, the Pope is the heir of Peter and the bishops are the heirs of the Twelve Apostles. The Cardinals or Princes of the Church are not mentioned in the New Testament nor is that perverse system by which a Pope appoints the Cardinals who will elect his successor. Does anyone seriously think that God or Christ or common sense would approve such an incestuous conflict of interest? In any case, back to the New Testament, which I read here using the same lack of historical criticism used in the Pope’s recent book on Jesus.
First, Peter is appointed by Christ to be the leader of the Twelve Apostles and is included always as the first of their listed names (Mark 3:16; Acts 1:13). Whenever he separates himself from them and operates on his own, disaster occurs: he confesses Jesus incorrectly, rebukes him, and is rebuked back (Mark 8:32-33); he sink beneath the waves of doubt (Matthew 14:28-31), or he denies Christ thrice (Mark 14:66-72). Christ, by the way, also nicknames him the Rock which could be a compliment unless one thinks of the church as a boat. In any case, to be the heir of the New Testament Peter is to inherit a ferociously ambiguous destiny.
Second, both Peter and the Twelve are warned severely by Christ about the mode of leadership they should administer. At the Last Supper in Luke, Jesus said to the Twelve that, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (22:25-27).
In John’s account of that last night those words are given a sacramental and symbolic embodiment—something like the official ordination of those present. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God” (13:3) proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples as a servant would before a meal. And, predictably, Peter wants to have none of that servant-model of leadership. “Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me’” (13:8). Jesus also told him that, “’You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand’” (13:7). But, unfortunately, Peter still does not understand how to lead like Christ.
In other words, our question must be rephrased at a deeper level. The Pope’s problem is not just that he has a growing rift with the clergy and laity of America but that he has a growing rift with the God and Christ of the New Testament.
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