Notre Dame's Fr. Jenkins Twisting Pope's Words?
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez questions whether Notre Dame President John Jenkins is twisting the Pope's words at Catholic University in order to justify such nonsense as The Vagina Monologues:
... An Associated Press story after the pope’s speech Thursday suggests Fr. Jenkins may have adapted the speech to defend himself:[More]The Rev. John Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, said he appreciated the pope’s message that Catholic educators “shouldn’t make any untruth appealing or attractive.”I hope I’m wrong in reading that. Some views don’t need a forum at a Catholic university. Everyone in Catholic education should read and pray on what Benedict had to say Thursday and reflect on what he says about academic freedom:
He said Catholic colleges and universities already do that by distinguishing between “providing a forum where various views can be expressed and promoting views.”In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges universities, I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university’s identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church’s munus docendi and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.
Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Bishop D'Arcy Responds to Notre Dame
Notre Dame President Approves Vagina Monologues -
Catholic Bishops Seminar Won’t Meet at Notre Dame Because of "Vagina Monologues"
No Monologues on Notre Dame Campus This Year
Backing Down at Notre Dame - Selling Our Kids' Souls for Job Security
Weigel: A Golden Dome Opportunity Missed
An Open Letter to the Notre Dame Community Regarding Catholic Identity [UPDATED AGAIN]
Bishop D'Arcy Issues "Pastoral Response" to Father Jenkins' "Closing Statement"
Rape Survivor (ND Graduate) "Shocked" and "Depressed" by Father Jenkins' "Closing Statement"
Bishop D'Arcy Denounces Notre Dame Policy
Some GOOD Things Happening at Notre Dame, Too
The "Scooby Doo" Ending to the Academic Freedom Debate at Notre Dame
An Open Letter to the Notre Dame Community Regarding Catholic Identity [UPDATED]
Father John Jenkins, Moral Coward
More of the Same at Our Lady's University?
Labels: Catholic Education, Catholic Identity, Fides et Ratio, Higher Education, Pope, Priests
posted by Pro Ecclesia 6:46 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
The Pope has totally taken the rug out from under Academic Freedom and those who continue to use it to justify Academic License do so knowing they are being dishonest.
Well, let's be careful how we say that.
The Pope supported academic freedom, but he put it in its place, the same way he puts personal freedom in its place. Jenkins is being obtuse. A Catholic/Christian cannot equate freedom with the 'right' to do whatever you wish'. A Catholic/Christian sees freedom in the context of 'good' and 'evil'. Some choices are good, some are evil. We are free to choose evil. but it isn't 'good' to do so, and its not something a Catholic Univ. should be doing. Semantics doesn't really convince us that the 'VM' is not evil. Jenkins is showing his obtuse, relativistic stripes.
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