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 CST
Faculty Submit Letter of Solidarity with Father Jon Sobrino, S.J.
Response of the Faculty of CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY regarding the
Roman Notification on the Works of Father Jon Sobrino, S.J.
Father Jon Sobrino, S.J., is one of the most respected, well read and
articulated systematic theologians of our time. As a Latin American theologian
of Liberation working across the boundaries of continents, races, confessions
and classes, he also bridges the limits of Catholic and Protestant theologies
in Latin America and world-wide. His impact, however, is precisely what
has caused the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to release a
Notification on the Christological thoughts of Father Sobrino, as expressed
in his books Jesucristo liberador. Lectura histórico-teológica de Jesús
de Nazaret (Jesus the Liberator) and La fe en Jesucristo. Ensayo desde
las víctimas (Christ the Liberator).
CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY, in solidarity with contemporary efforts
of truly ecumenical theologies in global interests of Liberation, concerns
for social and ecological justice, the striving for religious peace and
interreligious dialogue, is alerted and deeply concerned about this reaction
of the Congregation. The Notification not only raises questions regarding
Catholic identity and ecclesial discipline in silencing an outstanding
theologian, but it uplifts deep questions of theological responsibility
over against religious authority in light of the freedom in Christ. The
liberating force of the Christian message, we believe, always reaches
beyond all modes of power of restriction, destruction, obliteration, and
hindrance and only welcomes forms of breaking the circles of violence
that haunts our thoughts and actions, institutions and particular interests.
In this spirit, CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY asks the following questions:
1. Considering the fact that Father Sobrino, before publishing the incriminated
books, has sought the opinion of numerous theologians across all boundaries
to evaluate his theses, which by all theologians was considered to be
based on, and to remain within, the realm of Christian orthodoxy, we ask:
Does the condemnation of passages of his Christological works not only
target Father Sobrino, but fundamentally hurt the efforts of contemporary
theology to speak to our time with its deep concerns for solving its overwhelming
global problems and its search for all-encompassing liberation?
2. Why, if the Notification is concerned with the "Poor in the Spirit,"
we ask, does the theological approach of the Roman document not only ignore
the language of Second Vatican Council on a mandatory sensitivity for
the bodily poor, but also create an artificial measure for theology by
reinscribing anachronistically the categories of a past historical period
with its system of thought so insensitive to the complex problematic of
Liberation from poverty? How, without consulting the current exegetical,
historical, hermeneutical, and theological research and discourse, can
the restriction of theological language to, and the reinforcement of,
a theological mind-frame from the early modern period as the only entry
into orthodox theology create an alternative to a Christology of Liberation
and solidarity?
3. It would appear that the Congregation has ignored the complex processes
of contemporary theological discourse that Father Sobrino represents,
which is embedded in a multidimensional, multicultural, and multireligious
world of theory and practice, of academic disciplines and concerns for
encompassing notions of salvation in Christ, Sobrino has subdued himself
to, we ask: How can an antiquated institution of external, authoritative
control, based on the methods of the former Roman Inquisition, ever hope
for being heard by a world that strives for Christ the Liberator, with
which Father Sobrino is so eloquently and responsively leading us to begin
the adventure of becoming Christian today?
In line with such power-critical, non-violent, and solidarity-oriented
prolegomena for a truly contemporary Christian theology of Liberation,
the Faculty of CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY rejects the condemnation of
the works of Father Sobrino by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the
Faith based on its deep conviction that the instruments used, and the
implications following from its presupposition, will not in any way allow
for a liberating force of the Christian doctrine to be ensured, or even
more, to be initiated.
The Faculty of CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
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