Dominus Jesus: For Now Respice Finem
by Alfred T. Stefanik

A former Roman Catholic priest, I found Dominus Jesus reminiscent. In long Latin sentences subordinate clauses, gerunds and gerundives shaved away all possibilities of misunderstanding. This firm restatement of Roman Catholic doctrine rekindled memories of seminary -- sacramental and moral theology texts re-edited (in) Latine. I recall texts originally printed in 1797 and updated to the 1930s by footnotes on the footnotes. Accordingly, Dominus Jesus rests on 102 footnotes, citing Nicea to John Paul II's Encyclicals.

By 1964 such centripetal forces were waning. New faculty introduced Schillebeeckx, Küng, Lonergan, et al. We secreted other authors to one another by tucking them in our belts under our cassocks. Bonhoeffer, Camus, Tillich, Barth and J.D. Salinger circulated despite Nihil Obstats and Imprimaturs. John XXIII and Vatican II had called for aggiornemento. In October the seminary rector started a discussion group with us deacons. A classmate committed to Jesus' way of life, stated priests ought to take a vow of poverty. The rector could not find such a command in the Gospel. The student responded that neither could the Gospels justify clerical celibacy. So, he asked, what prohibited the Church from legislating a vow of poverty for its clergy. The rector brought a book, Crisis in Faith to the next class. He read from the book - a monologue. Two weeks later the rector, snared between old Rome and new Rome, canceled the sessions.

By the time Schillebeeckx, Küng and other theologians found their writings were suspect, I had left Rome to work with families locked into patterns of abuse. Some families "in schizophrenic transaction" shared traits I had experienced in the Roman ecclesial system. It resembled a family "internally regulated by a symmetry which is exasperated to the point that each member perceives its open declaration as extremely dangerous. Therefore, everyone cooperates in keeping it hidden." (Palazzoli, 1978)

Examples of this abound in our church. A rector called to lead the whole parish quickly finds how a certain few people want it led. During WW I a commission of the House of Bishops investigating Bishop Paul Jones' objection to the war as unchristian, concluded, "the Bishop of Utah ought to resign his office." They repudiated Bishop Jones' right to object to war on grounds of faith and conscience. Faced with a nation at war, the commission seemed to say it was Christian to stand against war but not right now. Schizophrenic transactions are predictable when the status quo is at risk.

Dominus Jesus unearths the rootstock of the Roman response in its only two citations of Mark -- in the Introduction ä1 (Mk 16:15-16) and in section 6 ä20 (Mk 16:16). These verses stand within Mark 16:9-20, an addition not in reliable early manuscripts. Unnerved by its conclusion at the tomb some needed to tack on a pleasant ending. Ched Myers (1994) refers to this addendum as "an injection of the amphetamine of triumphalism." Jesus appears, rebukes the disciples' lack of faith, commands them to preach, and ascends. The disciples repent and evangelize. The Lord confirms their work with signs. Christus vincit blends with Pax Romana - order descends from a throne.

Presently the Vatican is buttressing its walls and from its perspective with good reason considering the debates disrupting our church. Dominus Jesus chooses the pars tutior - when times change, restate the past. It concludes: "The intention of the present Declaration (is) in reiterating and clarifying certain truths of the faith. Faced with certain problematic and even erroneous propositions, theological reflection is called to reconfirm the Church's faith and to give reasons for her hope in a way that is convincing and effective."

Here faith and Church's faith take on substantive existence. Faith so understood means doctrine. Fully adhere to it or be labeled deficient. As noun, faith is neatly intelligible when contrasted with human encounters. "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mk 9:24) Approaching Jesus with his demon-possessed son, the father's faith twists and turns. Faith in Mark is a messy verb in the imperfect tense -- it started and is ongoing. Communally expressed ongoing faith energizes arenas like General Convention or the United Methodists General Conference, but not yet modern Roman Catholic councils.

The Declaration's sectarian themes "to recall to the Catholic faithful certain indispensable elements of Christian doctrine" (Intro. ä3) are hurting Roman Catholics in a pluralistic society. In a letter to the National Catholic Reporter (9/29/00) Paige Byrne Shortal how a Baptist father had habitually attended Mass with his Catholic family until Dominus Jesus. He wrote the priest: "It is unfortunate that, in your eyes, my non-belief in the primacy of a man, elected by men, to lead your church places me in such a 'gravely deficient situation' that I fail to receive the 'fullness of the means of salvation'." Ms. Shortal centers on pastoral needs, not doctrine.

Doctrinally Episcopalians are fuzzy and do well among the vicissitudes of pastoral care. For example, during my time as campus minister a Roman Catholic faculty member told me, "You are the only catholic church on this campus who can truly dialogue with anybody."

It also allows us to dialogue with monologists. How heartwarming that a church states it is fully the Church. In the spectrum of Christianity faith communities possessing truth stand at one pole opposite communities needing to flow with contemporary culture. Between these poles stretches a spectrum so wide, no one needs to feel turned away from Christ by one single interpretation. Nonetheless prayerfully comparing itself to Scripture "should convince every Christian community that it is neglecting part of the New Testament witness." (R. E. Brown, 1985) In lieu of claiming prerogatives, all churches might better serve the world by dialogue centered on the Scriptures Hebraice et Graece.

"My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on;

Judge not the play before the play is done:

Her plot hath many changes; every day

Speaks a new scene; the last act crowns the play.

Francis Quarles - Epigram, Respice Finem.

Alfred T. Stefanik is the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Roslyn, N.Y. (Episcopal Diocese of Long Island).