A call is issued to respond to the “provocation” offered by Pope Francis in his Encyclical Fratelli Tutti by “creating an atmosphere of ‘intellectual fraternity’ that reinvigorates the noble sense of ‘intellectual service’ that culture professionals – theological and not – owe to the community.”
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, and Mgr Pierangelo Sequeri, Dean of the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute, have summoned a group of ten theologians to launch an appeal titled Rescuing Fraternity – Together in order to promote “deeper and more continuous dialogue between the intelligence of faith and the human dimension”.
The appeal is mean for the whole Church and for wise men and women of good will that they may respond to the “provocation” offered by Pope Francis in his Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, by “creating an atmosphere of ‘intellectual fraternity’ that reinvigorates the noble sense of ‘intellectual service’ that culture professionals – theological and not – owe to the community.”
The appeal also contains a highly critical note. “The Lord is the only Savior. This is our unwavering certitude. In today's Kairos of the Church there are many troubling signs that this shining truth is being hidden.
‘The off-putting fussiness of hair-splitting and stuffy polemics that turn the practice of theology into tribal warfare (‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Kephas,’ 1 Cor 1:12), is today even surpassed by [the] obvious failure to see through the fakery and perversions that characterize the exercise of pastoral responsibility.”
“This call ‘is an impassioned plea to professional theology—and to every believer—to offer a privileged spot and common space to the commitment to deconstruct the twofold dualism that currently holds sway, separating the ecclesial community from the secular community, and separating the created world from the saved world.’
“The Church is not a spiritual aristocracy of the elect, but a welcoming tent that shelters the rainbow of the covenant between God and human creatures. Faith will learn to dwell within the languages of the secular world, without prejudice to its proclamation of God's closeness.”
The appeal is signed by Kurt Appell, Carlo Casalone SJ, Fr Dario Cornati, João Manuel Duque, Isabella Guanzini, Fr Marcello Neri, Fr Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, Vincenzo Rosito, Gemma Serrano, and Lucia Vantini.