Pope Francis faces church divided over doctrine, global poll of Catholics finds

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/pope-francis-faces-church-divided-over-doctrine-global-poll-of-catholics-finds/2014/02/08/e90ecef4-8f89-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html



By Michelle Boorstein and Peyton M. Craighill, Published: February 8

Most Catholics worldwide disagree with church teachings on divorce, abortion and contraception and are split on whether women and married men should become priests, according to a large new poll released Sunday and commissioned by the U.S. Spanish-language network Univision. On the topic of gay marriage, two-thirds of Catholics polled agree with church leaders.

Overall, however, the poll of more than 12,000 Catholics in 12 countries reveals a church dramatically divided: Between the developing world in Africa and Asia, which hews closely to doctrine on these issues, and Western countries in Europe, North America and parts of Latin America, which strongly support practices that the church teaches are immoral.

The widespread disagreement with Catholic doctrine on abortion and contraception and the hemispheric chasm lay bare the challenge for Pope Francis’s year-old papacy and the unity it has engendered.

Among the findings:

●19 percent of Catholics in the European countries and 30 percent in the Latin American countries surveyed agree with church teaching that divorcees who remarry outside the church should not receive Communion, compared with 75 percent in the most Catholic African countries.

more at link

[rug]

1. Naysayers to the contrary, this is why theology is important.

It develops in an almost Hegelian manner.

[skepticscott]

2. In the first place

the division over doctrine is really irrelevant. The laity, whatever their individual views, have absolutely no say in Catholic Church doctrine or the resultant practices. Unlike other churches, these things do not change based on majority decision of any sort of democratic body, and never will.

Second, what exactly IS the challenge for the new wonder pope? Certainly not to try to change church doctrine to bring it into line with the feelings and views of Catholics not mired in the Middle Ages. Is it to crack the whip and bring dissenting Catholics' beliefs and practices back into line with church orthodoxy? Or just to keep the PR machine cranking, doing everything he can to make people overlook what a homophobic, misogynistic organization the RCC is and will remain.

[rug]

3. One thing I've noticed is that you always know what a dogmatist will say before he opens his mouth.

[okasha]

9. Maybe we should ask him

to start posting lottery numbers and stock trends. At least those might have some possibility of being right.

[Laelth]

4. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Humanist_Activist]

5. Seems to me that the Catholic Church is mirroring the divide in the Anglican Communion on similar...

issues.

I would imagine this will lead to more Catholics in developed countries becoming apathetic towards the church, switch churchs, or become schismatic. A boon for some protestant denominations, and it will probably help grow independent Catholic parishes.

[hrmjustin]

6. Yes. You can see it in the same countries in the Anglican Communion and

The RCC.

[Humanist_Activist]

7. However, I don't see any great schisms arising from this, but more of an erosion of...

Catholic parishes until they are empty, or some parishes breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church due to irreconcilable differences. We have one parish here in St. Louis that left the Roman church, is currently independent, and may join the Episcopal church. Not so surprising, it actually has a huge gain in attendance since the conflict and break from the Archdiocese.

[Igel]

8. The heresies have happened.

But the heretics aren't organized enough around a single heretical idea nor cohesive enough around a single set of doctrines to form a schism. So, no, no schism.

The other reason is that the church hasn't bothered to enforce orthodoxy, so there's been no reason for the heretics to become organized. You can sit in a Catholic Church and be a "good member" given pretty much any set of beliefs. The only requirement is that you not be so offended as to get up and leave. (No, wait, that's not sufficient--if you leave and still call yourself Catholic, even if you don't observe any of the doctrines, that's still enough to make you a member in good standing. Catholicism is, for many, mostly just a speech act: I say I'm a Catholic, therefore I am.)

Religious organizations that enforce membership requirements are frowned upon in enlightened US society.

Other organizations can enforce requirements in a rather draconian way, as long as their requirements are acceptable to enlightened non-members.

[okasha]

10. The Episcopal Church

has already created a clearly marked road though these issues. The Presiding Bishop is a woman, and a liturgy for same sex marriage is in place. Lutherans are a short step behind. The time has come for obstructionists like Akinola to lead, follow or get out of the way.

[cbayer]

11. I hope that those that disagree will help move the church, but we shall see.