Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made public on 14 March, a Notification with regard to certain writings by Fr Jon Sobrino, SJ - “Jesucristo liberador. Lectura histórico-teológica de Jesús de Nazaret” (Jesucristo) and “La fe en Jesucristo. Ensayo desde las víctimas” (La fe) -, on which it started a careful study in October 2001, “because of certain imprecisions and errors found in them”. Considering the wide diffusion of these writings, particularly in Latin America Latina, and their use in seminaries and various other institutes of study the Congregation decided to give urgent priority to the process of Examination. In July 2004 a list of erroneous or dangerous propositions found in the abovementioned books was sent to the Author. In March 2005, Fr. Jon Sobrino sent in his answer which was examined during an Ordinary Session of the Congregation on 23 November 2005, where “it was determined that, although the author had modified his thought somewhat on several points, the Response did not prove satisfactory since, in substance, the errors already cited in the list of erroneous propositions still remained in this text. Although the preoccupation of the Author for the plight of the poor is admirable, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has the obligation to indicate that the aforementioned works of Father Sobrino contain notable discrepancies with the faith of the Church.”
“The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the notification continues “has the obligation to indicate that the aforementioned works of Father Sobrino contain notable discrepancies with the faith of the Church… One must note that on some occasions the erroneous propositions are situated within the context of other expressions which would seem to contradict them3, but this is not sufficient to justify these propositions. The Congregation does not intend to judge the subjective intentions of the Author, but rather has the duty to call to attention to certain propositions which are not in conformity with the doctrine of the Church. These propositions regard: 1) the methodological presuppositions on which the Author bases his theological reflection, 2) the Divinity of Jesus Christ, 3) the Incarnation of the Son of God, 4) the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, 5) the Self-consciousness of Jesus, and 6) the salvific value of his Death.”
The Notification is accompanied by an explanatory Note which recalls that preoccupation for the poor “has been one of the characteristics of the Church’s mission”, illustrates the procedure followed by the Congregation to examine the doctrine and offers remarks on the particular case of Fr. Sobrino. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 15/3/2007; righe 27, parole 384)
