[Oe List ...] Matt Fox and the pope

[Nancy Lanphear]

Dear Jim,

I found your response to Matthew Fox one of great wisdom.  Thank you 
for your thoughtfulness in the response as well as your questions.

I hope this email finds you in good spirits.  Please give Alice and hug 
(and Alice , please give Jim one as well).  I think of you often as I 
reflect on the journey of the Order and the wonderful people who are in 
our lives.

Remember that you are loved.

Nancy

On Apr 26, 2005, at 6:44 AM, Jim Baumbach wrote:

> Thanks Jann for alerting us to the thoughts of Matthew Fox toward the 
> new Pope.  I, too, shared the utter frustration of watching another 
> radical fundamentalist taking a world leadership role as Cardinal 
> Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI.  Then it occurred to me that 
> radical reactionism such as shown in Fox's questions (which were in my 
> mind as well) would build such a barrier to any effective dialogue 
> that only defensiveness and hatred would be perpetuated.  Instead, I 
> saw the opportunity for another "road to Damascus" type miracle.
>
> Despite the controversial actions of Cardinal Ratzinger during John 
> Paul's term, perhaps the only people truly capable of bringing about a 
> transformation among the "fundamentalists on the other side" are those 
> with the credentials respected by them.  I have used the phrase 
> "fundamentalists on the other side" to remind myself that I am also a 
> fundamentalist who believes his side is the right one and that the 
> others must change.
>
> From my understanding, the Catholic church has many issues to deal 
> with and how they are handled is very important.  From the Pope's 
> perspective how would these be handled in a manner that would be 
> effective in our world today?
>
> For example:
>
> 1. How should the growing religious fundamentalism of the church in 
> the southern hemisphere be balanced and reconciled with the growing 
> secularity of the church in the northern hemisphere?
> 2. What should be done with the crisis of leadership in the church?  
> Despite the early precedences, more recent tradition has established 
> the male-only priesthood and celibacy of the priesthood, should these 
> be changed?  If yes, how to make these changes?  When?  Where? If no, 
> what consequences would this have on the world?
>
> 3. What role should women have in the leadership of the church?  Why?
>
> 3. Consider the issues of sexuality: How to help the church deal with 
> homosexuality in a Christ-like manner? How to deal with pedophilic 
> priests?  Why?
>
> 4. And the politics of our world...How to survive and reunify humanity 
> amid the hatreds and adverse diversity? How to influence the waring 
> factions of the world and bring them into productive dialogue?  How to 
> embrace all of the humanity of this planet?  Why?
>
> These are the questions I would like to ask Pope Benedict XVI.  Of 
> course, it would not be done in an air of confrontation but without 
> expecting him to have all the answers or even answers that I want him 
> to give.
>
> Jim Baumbach.
>
> LAURELCG at aol.com wrote:
>
>> I'm forwarding a couple of responses to Matthew Fox's 22 questions.  
>> They were on the D.Min list serve today, from current students in the 
>> program.  The first is from a recent convert to Roman Catholicism; 
>> she has found the church quite meaningful to her.  Below that is a 
>> letter from Jim Garrison, who succeeded Fox as the president of the 
>> University of Creation Spirituality, and changed the name to Wisdom 
>> University.
>> I don't know what happened to the NPR interview.  Will let you know 
>> if I hear.
>>
>> Blessings,
>> Jann McGuire
>>
>>
>>
>> In the spirit of constructive comment/conscience, would recommend
>> Matt's 22 questions be compared to the original petitions presented
>> by Martin Luther against the church, and written in a similar manner.
>>
>>
>> While the drama might be important and significant, this could also
>> backfire.  Especially, if it is not handled in such a manner as to
>> promote truly open dialog.  As currently designed, it will put the
>> Vatican on an immediate, reactionary, defense.  Does UCS/WU believe
>> that by personally attacking Ratzinger (the new Pope), open dialog
>> will happen?  At a minimum, separate the accusations personally
>> against Ratzinger, from those issues with the RC church as a whole.
>>
>> Where reform is called for, state it in "visionary, desired
>> outcomes", rather than it's present form -- condemning and critizing.
>>
>> e.g.
>> 1.  We believe in a church where all are welcome and affirmed as
>> original blessings from God our Creator.
>>
>> 2.  We believe God is both male and female, adult and child,
>> indivisible from all created beings.
>>
>>
>> I once heard that the real cause for Martin Luther breaking from
>> the "Mother Church", was that Rome sent a group of experts to debate
>> with Martin Luther and "to publically prove him wrong".   If Rome
>> had instead taken the approach of reconcilliation, and addressed
>> Luther's orginal petitions/call for reformation, then perhaps the
>> Christian church would have remained "one, holy, universal" church.
>> Would it not be a novel approach for UCS/WU be the leaders for
>> church reformation in "peace, compassion, wisdom, and love" as
>> opposed to criticism, condemning and media drama?
>>
>>
>> UCS/WU teaches "we are all one", and that we are all connected
>> through "sacred unity".  It would be refreshing to see whether or
>> not UCS/WU could approach this new drama in a spirit of
>> reconcilliation (without compromising what UCS/WU teaches), as
>> opposed to creating a new confrontation and media drama based on a
>> polarization of views.  Why go to war with the vatican?  Violence is
>> not the solution to disputes.  Would a constructive approach be more
>> appropriate than a condemning approach?  Can UCS/WU embody what it
>> teaches?
>>
>> my thoughts.  Janis Burns Buyarski
>>
>> I would also suggest reframing the issue as fundamentalism in 
>> particular, rather than the Catholic church in general. When I look 
>> beneath Matt's anger toward Ratzinger, perhaps appropriately directed 
>> at him though it may be, I see the deeper issue of fundamentalism.
>>
>> Dear Students and Alumni,
>>
>>
>> There are many exciting things happening to which I would like to
>> draw to your attention.
>>
>> We are developing an extraordinary and provocative strategy for Matt,
>> given the fact that his nemesis Josef Ratzinger is now Pope.  Matt is
>> wring a letter to Ratzinger challenging him to make good on his
>> assertion in his first mass after his installation on April 24th
>> to "listen to the whole church" by meeting first with all those he
>> expelled or silenced while he was Head of the Congregation of the
>> Doctrine of the Faith. As you know, scores of other leading
>> theologians and priests besides Matt were silenced or expelled by
>> Ratzinger in the squelching of dissent while he was Head of the
>> Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, including Hans Kung, a
>> German theologian, and Leonardo Boeff, a Brazilian Jesuit.   All of
>> them are being invited to co-sign Fox's letter.
>>
>> Additionally, Matt is preparing a manifesto called "The New
>> Reformation:  Toward a Mature Christianity," in which he proclaims
>> that we are in fact confronted with two churches: one dominated by
>> the image of the punitive father, personified by the long and harsh
>> career of Ratzinger himself and his long suppression of internal
>> dissent, rejection of other religions, and protection of pedophile
>> priests; and the other expressed by the feminine spirit of Wisdom and
>> personified by a compassionate mother/father god of justice and
>> compassion.  It is time for the church to choose whom it will
>> follow:  an angry exclusionary god or the loving open path of
>> wisdom.
>>
>> To dramatize his letter and his Proclamation, Matthew will be
>> preaching a sermon on Pentacost Sunday May 15 in Germany near
>> Frankfurt. He will proclaim the need for a new reformation and
>> expound the choices before the church, while inviting the Pope to
>> meet with him and others who like him were silenced or expelled.   He
>> will then travel to Wittenberg, where Martin Luther nailed his ninety-
>>
>> five theses at the Cathedral in 1517, and nail his Proclamation on
>> the same church doors.  From Wittenberg, he will travel to Rome where
>> at the gates of St. Peter's Cathedral he will challenge Ratzinger to
>> a debate about the future of Christianity at this moment of
>> historical crisis and opportunity.
>>
>> Isn't this totally cool?
>>
>>
>> A related development all of you should know about is our launch of a
>> new Center for the Study of Religious Fundamentalism. Check out our
>> website at www.wisdomuniversity.org for further details.  The reason
>> this is important is twofold:  first, Matt needs assistance urgently
>> to research some aspects of what the fundamentalists are saying and
>> doing for his "New Reformation" piece.  Secondly, we are looking for
>> interns who would be willing to donate some time to do research I
>> would like to begin immediately on the fundamentalists for a
>> coalition of groups we are participating in as a result of a visit to
>> Washington last week.
>>
>> If there is anyone interested in researching the money flows between
>> groups identified with the Christina Right and also the relationships
>> between American groups and other right wing fundamentalist groups in
>> Europe and the Middle East, please contact me directly.  I would be
>> happy to talk with your professors about having the work count for a
>> paper or dissertation.
>>
>> That's all for now.  All very exciting, including the fact that
>> seventeen of you have signed up for the Pilgrimage with Andrew and
>> Apela in September.  We have room for a dozen more, so spread the
>> word.
>>
>>
>> Always a pleasure,
>>
>>
>> Jim
>>
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