Thanks to all who entered last week’s drawing! Congratulations to Nicolas D., Theresa V., Bridget O., Sean W., and Brent M. Each has won a copy of Thomas Rausch, SJ’s Eschatology, Liturgy, and Christology: Toward Recovering an Eschatological Imagination. Stay tuned for future giveaways from Liturgical Press and Pray Tell.
We are pleased to share here the front matter, introduction, and first chapter of Rausch’s book. Chapter 1 deals with “the loss of the eschatological imagination,” illustrated with examples from the liturgy.
“Can the mission of the church simply be reduced to witnessing to
God’s reign, especially to the disadvantaged, without falling into the
perennial temptation of liberal theology of reducing Christianity to ethics?”
The post V-2 RC Church, has placed its emphasis away from religious formation to ethical, values clarification for its members. Hence, most religious orders, especially the female Leadership Group under investigation, are now in conflict with the Magisterium to a greater or lesser degree.
The recent New Jersey survey identifies 60% of responding Catholics calling Jesus just another sinner while among us. So, at this point we have no Catholic religion and are bereft of ethics because the “sinful Jesus” can not be a reliable guide to ethical living. Certainly not a sure means of salvation.
This conclusion may sound provocative but truth often is provocative when put to paper.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,n so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor 5:21
Perhaps we were bereft of ethics when Catholics believed Christ was not “made sin”? It makes more sense as distancing God from humanity allows us to treat imperfect humanity as fodder for death mills.