Bishop calls for Holy See clarification on papal exhortation

April 27, 2016

Stating that certain passages in Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia [AL] are “objectively vulnerable to misinterpretations,” a Kazak bishop said that it would be desirable for the Holy See to clarify that the document’s teaching on the sacraments for the divorced and remarried should be interpreted in a manner consistent with previous magisterial teaching.

“Fortunately, there can be no doubt that AL contains theological affirmations, as well as spiritual and pastoral guidelines of great value,” wrote Bishop Athanasius Schneider, in a text published by the blog Rorate Caeli. “However, realistically speaking, it is insufficient to say that AL should be interpreted according to the traditional doctrine and practice of the Church.”

“If an ecclesiastical document – which, in our case, is neither definitive nor infallible – is found to contain elements likely to give rise to interpretations and applications that could have dangerous spiritual consequences, all members of the Church, and especially the bishops, as the fraternal collaborators of the Supreme Pontiff in effective collegiality, have a duty to report this and respectfully request an authentic interpretation,” he added.

 

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Further information:

• Official response of Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Amoris Laetitia (Rorate Caeli)