Some good points have been brought up in the comments section of the last thread about how exactly a "regime change" in the Church would be brought about without the risk of a liberal takeover? Or how do you overhaul the episcopacy and the curia when the men who'd be in charge of such an overhaul are insiders themselves, when what we need are outsiders?
I'd say there are some possible suggestions (again, I'm not necessarily advocating them, just putting them out there).
One might be having an upper age limit on the new bishops. Like...get rid of the current brood of vipers by lowering the resignation age to 55 (and accepting most of the resignations) and then replace them with all men under 40 (or 35, or 30...)
Or have the bishops discretely suggest as their successors single laymen who have shown themselves to be orthodox pillars of the community. The Vatican could do a quick interview (perhaps without telling them why or even that they are from the Church) to assure their orthodoxy/traditionalism, and then draft them as coadjutors and have them sped through Orders whether they like it or not. Like what happened with Ambrose, Becket, etc.; reluctant draftees pressured into it seem to have a sense of duty, and are certainly more likely to be free of ambition and careerism and intra-clerical nepotism.
Or...draft an orthodox Eastern bishop as Pope next time, perhaps a widower, and let him bring some new blood and new way of thinking to the curia...
There are lots of creative solutions if they're willing to think outside the box. The problem seems to be that they aren't willing to think outside the box. Well, we need to get some men in there who are. One major change would simply be becoming willing to consider such creative solutions and to open themselves to the suggestions of lay people and outsiders, and seriously consider their proposals rather than having it all be kept within the institution of the clergy, largely top-down, dismissive of innovation. To stop being a No Organization.
Any further creative suggestions you can think of will be very welcome in the comment box (but think outside the box!)
Of course, if there are not also structural changes to the socio-political dynamics of the clergy (like making celibacy optional), all these new men could wind up just as corrupted. A New Boys Club is little better than an Old Boys Club...
I'd say there are some possible suggestions (again, I'm not necessarily advocating them, just putting them out there).
One might be having an upper age limit on the new bishops. Like...get rid of the current brood of vipers by lowering the resignation age to 55 (and accepting most of the resignations) and then replace them with all men under 40 (or 35, or 30...)
Or have the bishops discretely suggest as their successors single laymen who have shown themselves to be orthodox pillars of the community. The Vatican could do a quick interview (perhaps without telling them why or even that they are from the Church) to assure their orthodoxy/traditionalism, and then draft them as coadjutors and have them sped through Orders whether they like it or not. Like what happened with Ambrose, Becket, etc.; reluctant draftees pressured into it seem to have a sense of duty, and are certainly more likely to be free of ambition and careerism and intra-clerical nepotism.
Or...draft an orthodox Eastern bishop as Pope next time, perhaps a widower, and let him bring some new blood and new way of thinking to the curia...
There are lots of creative solutions if they're willing to think outside the box. The problem seems to be that they aren't willing to think outside the box. Well, we need to get some men in there who are. One major change would simply be becoming willing to consider such creative solutions and to open themselves to the suggestions of lay people and outsiders, and seriously consider their proposals rather than having it all be kept within the institution of the clergy, largely top-down, dismissive of innovation. To stop being a No Organization.
Any further creative suggestions you can think of will be very welcome in the comment box (but think outside the box!)
Of course, if there are not also structural changes to the socio-political dynamics of the clergy (like making celibacy optional), all these new men could wind up just as corrupted. A New Boys Club is little better than an Old Boys Club...
2 comments:
Hm, forced into the Orders. like St. Augustine of Hypo, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory... I had forgotten this used to be done. A question though: why was it dropped?
Probably for the same reason that mandatory celibacy needs to be dropped.
Boom! Slap!
lol
Post a Comment