On Nov. 12, California Catholic Daily published an article, “The real split among U.S. bishops,” which divided the prelates into the Concilium (liberal) and Communio (conservative) groups.
The two names come from journals founded after Vatican II. Concilium‘s founders in 1965 included Yves Congar, Hans Küng, Karl Rahner, Henri de Lubac, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Edward Schillebeeckx. Its purpose was to promote theological discussion in the “spirit of Vatican II.”
In 1972 Henri de Lubac and Hans Urs von Balthasar broke off from Concilium and with Joseph Ratzinger founded Communio. One reason for the split given was that the board of Concilium proposed itself as another official teaching authority alongside the bishops.
Off and on during the 1990s and early 2000s, a group of laymen and clergy held Communio discussions in Tijuana, San Diego, and the Los Angeles area.
Beginning on Sunday, Dec. 8, 1:30 p.m., these discussions will resume. The first meeting will take up two short articles in the most recent issue of Communio (Fall-Winter 2018), “What Makes Persons Persons?” by Robert Spaemann and “The Many Homes of Anna Karenina” by Agata Rottkamp.
(See below for entire articles.)
Spaemann was a close member of Pope Benedict XVI’s Schulerkreis (scholars’ circle) until Spaemann’s death in Dec. 2018. Though Spaemann considered himself left-wing after World War II, he was one of the co-signers of “A Europe We Can Believe In” and in a 2016 interview with Catholic News Agency criticized Pope Francis’s Amoris laetitia.
The Dec. 8 discussion will take place at the office of the San Diego Reader, 2323 Broadway, #222, San Diego CA 92102. For more information and to get admission to the front door of the Reader building, call or text Jim Holman at (619) 565-3434.
Full Text of What Makes Persons Persons
Full Text of Many Homes of Anna Karenina
I’ve always wondered why we usually use political terms to classify differences in theological points of view. No, I don’t have a suggested alternative.
mike m—- you’re absolutely right. for example, it’s not at all illogical for a political conservative to be a theological “liberal” and a political liberal to be a theological “conservative”—and vice-versa.
Rober Spaemann…my favorite theologian. We have only begun to understand just how profound was his thinking and insight.
Thank you CDC for all the excellent links on this article. Love the articles on Europe and “Anna Karenina”. The latter really opens the eyes to the foolishness and downright stupidity of trading ones spouse and children for an uncommitted relationship.
In the past I also read a biography of an opera star who was in such a relationship and aborted the only child she ever had. After the man left her for another woman, she died all alone in her “luxurious” mansion. A very tragic ending.
I am sure this discussion would be way over my head. For those who host and those who attend, may God bless your meeting and send the Holy Spirit to guide you.
I hope this new way to divide us doesn’t catch on though. Labeling others is lazy and distorts truth.
This is not a new way to divide what has been divided all along. Just click on the blue link “a 2016 interview” In it Professor Spaemann, a good friend of St. John Paul II, tells how “Amoris Laetitia” trashes what was taught in “Veritatis Spendor” by Pope John Paul II and what all past popes have taught.