Jon Sobrino: Difference between revisions

▲|religion = [[Roman Catholic]]

▲Born into a [[Basque people|Basque]] family in Barcelona, Sobrino entered the Jesuit Order when he was 18. The following year, in 1958, he was sent to [[El Salvador]]. He later studied engineering at St. Louis University, a Jesuit University, in the [[United States]] and then theology at [[Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology]] in [[Frankfurt]] in [[West Germany]] for his Doctor of Theology (Dr.theol.) degree. Returning to [[El Salvador]], he taught at the Jesuit-run [[Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas"|University of Central America (UCA)]] in [[San Salvador]], which he helped to found.

▲Sobrino's main works are ''Jesus the Liberator'' (1991) and its sequel, ''Christ the Liberator'' (1999), along with ''[[Christology]] at the Crossroads'' (1978), ''The True Church and the Poor'' (1984), ''Spirituality of Liberation'' (1990), ''The Principle of Mercy: Taking the Crucified People from the Cross'' (Orbis, 1994), ''No Salvation Outside the Poor: Prophetic-Utopian Essays'' (Orbis, 2008).

▲Because of the theological positions he took in his works, Sobrino was the subject of a theological [[Notification (Holy See)|Notification]]; a critique statement and an admonishment by the [[Holy See|Vatican]] and the [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]] in March 2007.

▲The Congregation declared that Sobrino placed too great an emphasis on the human nature of [[Jesus Christ]], downplaying Christ's divine nature, and that his "works contain propositions which are either erroneous or dangerous and may cause harm to the faithful."

▲While certain of his teachings were declared false, the Congregation did not condemn or censure him, or prohibit him from teaching or lecturing. However, [[Federico Lombardi]] at the [[Vatican Press Office]] hinted at the possibility that his bishop or superior in the Jesuit order might choose to take action.<ref>[http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20070318010724/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0701439.htm Vatican criticizes Jesuit liberation theologian, issues no sanctions] Catholic News Service, 15 March 2007</ref>

▲The Congregation emphasized in the notification that it was issued as part of its service "to the people of God, and particularly to the simple and poorest members of the Church." They emphasized the people's "right to know the truth...about Christ," and therefore their corresponding duty to intervene. The notification was premised on Benedict XVI's teaching that "the first poverty among people is not to know Christ."

▲According to the Notification, Father Sobrino's erroneous propositions concerned: "1) the methodological presuppositions on which the Author bases his theological reflection, 2) the Divinity of Jesus Christ, 3) the Incarnation of the Son of God, 4) the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, 5) the Self-consciousness of Jesus, and 6) the salvific value of his Death."<ref>{{cite web | author = The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith | url =http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/19857.php?index=19857&lang=po#TRADUZIONE%20IN%20LINGUA%20%20INGLESE| title = Nota explicativa alla notificazione sulle opere di P. Jon Sobrino, S.I. | publisher =www.vatican.va| accessdate =March 14, 2007}}</ref>

▲At the root of what the Vatican saw as Sobrino's error is his affirmation that "the '[[Church of the poor]]' is the ecclesial 'setting' of Christology and offers it its fundamental orientation." However, the Vatican believes that "only the [[apostolic faith]] which the Church has transmitted through all generations that constitutes the ecclesial setting of Christology and of theology in general."

▲Contrary to criticisms that the Vatican acted without due consultation and unfairly, the Vatican says that a Notification is made after notifying the author of the statements that are seen to be problematic and after awaiting a reply from the author who is given 3 months whereby to respond.<ref>[http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/19857.php?index=19857&lang=po#TRADUZIONE%20IN%20LINGUA%20%20INGLESE Holy See - Vatican City State]</ref>

▲Retired professor of theology Peter Hünermann (then Tübingen, Germany) declared in April 2007 that the Vatican notification was a "shock" for all theologians. Because along with Sobrino, "the most distinguished exegetes and systematic theologians - both Catholic and Protestant - stood in the dock".<ref>[[Peter Hünermann]]: ''[http://www.khg-oldenburg.de/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=32&Itemid=42 Moderne Qualitätssicherung? Der Fall Jon Sobrino ist eine Anfrage an die Arbeit der Glaubenskongregation.]'' in: Herder-Korrespondenz 61 (2007) 4, S. 184-188.</ref> Supported by more than 100 professors of Catholic theology, Hünermann also demanded an "intelligent redevelopment" of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, because, as successor organization of the Holy Office, it still had the structure of an "early modern board of censors".

▲[[Category:Christian radicals]]