The cross of dissent

The Vatican's ban on Fr. Antony De Mello's books, eleven years after his death, does little damage to him, but exposes the contradictions in...

The Vatican’s ban on Fr. Antony De Mello’s books, eleven years after his death, does little damage to him, but exposes the contradictions in the Church’s avowed position.

A couple of years ago, when the question of the celibacy of the clergy came up for debate, the Holy Pontiff ruled that what dictated the Church’s position was the “Jesus’ Example”. Jesus is the high priest par excellence and since he remained a celibate it was necessary for the clergy to remain so. The absence of any scriptural text was not relevant.

Now, if one is to follow the Holy Pontiff’s argument of “Jesus’ Example,” one can hardly fault a priest or a lay Christian for being critical of the Church and its institutions. Jesus himself proved by example that authentic challenge, disagreement, and questioning of established religion was necessary to clear the rot. During the three years of his public ministry he mounted one of the most severe attacks on the Jewish religion and its leaders.

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When the Pharisees complained to Jesusthat his disciples were doing “what is unlawful on the Sabbath by plucking ears of corn and eating them,” Jesus retorted, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and he and his companions ate consecrated bread — which was not unlawful for them to do”. (Math 12:3-5). Then going from that place to their synagogue he saw a man with a shrivelled hand. The Jews seeking to trap him asked: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath.” Once again Jesus lashed out saying, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” His exchange on the Sabbath ends with the telling statement that “man is not made for the Sabbath, but Sabbath is made for man” (Math 12: 8.11). At one stroke he exposed the obsessive involvement of the Jews with their law while they grossly neglected the humanness and thequalities of the heart.

Fr. De Mello had come nowhere near such a bludgeoning attack against the Church and organised religion. In banning his books, the Church, contrary to its claim of upholding “Jesus’ Example’,’ has cast itself in the role of the Pharisees and scribes who were so angered by Jesus’ criticism that they finally condemned him to the death on the Cross.

Another objection in the Vatican’s notification says that Fr. De Mello spoke of “Christ as one master among many”. This is considered not to be in accordance with the Church’s teaching. What is a matter of concern in this regard is that the Church itself has been massively involved in interfaith and interreligious dialogue. The implication of the Vatican’s notification would mean that the Church is not willing to accept the equal status of other founders and their religions. If the Church explicitly enunciates this position, then it will have to explain the objective of its dialogue agenda.

With the Vatican II a new era ofliberalisation was ushered in. Indigenous theology, inculturation and the use of regional language for worship have all contributed greatly to the Indian Christians feeling rooted in their multi-religious environment. Terms like Om, Shanthi, Prabhu and Param Guru have become a part of Indian Christian religious discourse. Great luminaries like Abhishektananda and Bede Griffiths with painstaking care and effort have lighted the lamp of Indian Christian Ecumenism.

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Cardinal J. Ratzinger and the Vatican officials’ expressing dissatisfaction that the basic Church teaching in India and Asia were being diluted to make them more compatible with predominantly non-Christian cultures sounds ominous and threatening. With deep pain and anguish, one may ask if the more spacious vision of Christianity is going to be denounced and if another inquisition is on the cards.