International Justice Promoters Lend Support
to Embattled Theologian Jon Sobrino, SJ
SANTA SABINA, SANTA SABINA -- April 9, 2007-- In response
to recent Vatican criticism of the writings of theologian Jon Sobrino,
SJ, -- Prakash
Lohale, OP (Pakistan) and Toni Harris, OP, (Sinsinawa)
International Promoters of Justice and Peace for the Order, have written
in support of the liberation theologian and are encouraging others to do
the same.
In a simply
worded statement the promoters expressed their sadness at
" the recent action of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith
in relation to your theological work". Sobrino has been censured by
the Vatican for his work on Christology in the context of the poor.
According to the National
Catholic Reporter, two of his books on Christology contain statements
that are “either
erroneous or dangerous...and
may cause harm to the faithful." Further, it complains of insufficient
emphasis on the divinity of Christ.
Contrary to some early reports, the Vatican has not
barred Sobrino from teaching or publishing, though a Jesuit spokesperson
in Rome said that future disciplinary action has not been ruled out.
The dificulty centers around two of Sobrino's books, both of which recieved
imprimaturs from other theologians.
According to reports, the Portuguese translation of Jesus the Liberator,
carries the imprimatur of Cardinal Paolo Evaristo Arns of São
Paulo, Brazil. For Christ the Liberator, Sobrino cites a number
of theologians who he says found the book free of doctrinal error: Frs. J.
I. González
Faus, J. Vives and X. Alegre of the Monastery of San Cugat, Spain; Fr. Carlo
Palacio, of Bello Horizonte, Brazil; Fr. Javier Vitoria of the University
of Deusto in Spain; and Fr. Martin Maier, of the German Jesuit publication Stimmen
der Zeit.
John Allen of NCR reported that "Sobrino says it would not be honest for
him to accept the Vatican’s
findings, and that to do so would be to question the judgment of these other
theologians."
Vatican newspaper says Jesuit was right to
apply Gospel to injustice
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican newspaper said Jesuit Father Jon Sobrino, whose
work was recently criticized by doctrinal authorities, was right in trying to
apply the truth of the Gospel to concrete situations of global injustice. READ
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