Bishops in Germany and the U.S. Defy the Pope.


Catholics are supposed to believe Jesus told Peter to carry on the work of Jesus. More and more Bishops are coming to believe Jesus wants them to tell the Pope what to believe rather than visa versa. In the U.S., Bishops are telling the Pope priests must not give communion to politicians who hold liberal views on abortion. In Germany, priests are telling the Pope it's good to bless same sex marriages and they are doing so.

One Christian pundit, not a Catholic, believes Catholic structure has changed permanently. Current events make a joke of those Catholics who say they are happy to be in a religion with structure, unlike the helter skelter of Protestantism. Maybe Catholics will find some scripture where instructing Bishops to tell Popes what to believe.

The Catholic hierarchy has been skillful for centuries at incorporating various cultures into something resembling it core messages. Now, it seems to me, things are different. Cultures and politics of white European cultures are separating from the narrow dogma of much of the clergy. The clergy foolishly drew lines in the sands on a few unimportant issues. Now this foolishness is being recognized in huge parts of the faithful and prosperous countries. The conservative branch of the clergy has painted itself into a corner.  

The Pope skillfully handled the issue of serving communion to divorced Catholics. He said local priests are in the best position to judge those who have been divorced. Apparently, the document now being drafted ultimately will leave the decision of serving communion to liberal politicians to local clergy. It will, however, shake its collective finger at clergy telling them the conditions such politicians are to meet. 

Some years ago a priest friend of mine who is an academic said that what the Catholic branch has going for it is a complete set of documents and a hierarchy to carry out the mission stated in the documents. That is why, he said, it will survive longer than Islam and most of Protestantism. 

Current circumstances and the strategic mistakes Catholicism is making put that confidence in doubt.

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