Sister Johnson rips USCCB critique of her work
June 09, 2011
Fordham University theologian Sister Elizabeth Johnson has written a 38-page letter defending her 2007 book Quest for the Living God against a recent critique by the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“Ideas are taken out of context and twisted to mean what they patently do not mean,” she writes. “Sentences are run to a conclusion far from what I think or the text says. False dilemmas are composed. Numerous omissions, distortions, and outright misstatements of fact riddle the reading. As a work of theology, Quest for the Living God was thoroughly misunderstood and consistently misrepresented in the committee’s Statement. As a result, the Statement’s judgment that Quest does not cohere with Catholic teaching is less than compelling. It hangs in the air, untethered by the text of the book itself.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Fordham theologian strenuously defends 2007 book (National Catholic Reporter)
- Full text of Sister Johnson’s letter (National Catholic Reporter)
- Cardinal Wuerl defends USCCB critique of Sister Johnson’s book (CWN, 4/19)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: -
Jun. 10, 2011 11:23 AM ET USA
Does Sister Johnson have a mandatum? You know, the requirement for teaching theology at a Catholic college?
-
Posted by: pauljworthington637024 -
Jun. 10, 2011 9:43 AM ET USA
This is what you get with loose canons and bad habits.
-
Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Jun. 10, 2011 8:22 AM ET USA
What if we all just ignored her? She's a graying relic of the 60s. Her time is long past.
-
Posted by: Anselm -
Jun. 09, 2011 11:37 PM ET USA
And the maximum effective range of an excuse is?
-
Posted by: Gil125 -
Jun. 09, 2011 2:15 PM ET USA
And the bishops would deliberately distort what she said because...?
-
Posted by: -
Jun. 09, 2011 11:27 AM ET USA
She's wearing a turquoise blazer instead of a habit- Nuf said.
