Fr Hunwicke's Mutual Enrichment: Blessed Pius IX, Idolatry, Syncretism, and Pachamama

JMJ

Fr. Hunwicke has written a short post that touches on syncretism (link). I think he captures a good perspective in these paragraphs:

Yes, followers of Isis taught; we all worship the same One, but under varied names and with different ceremonies ... but the Cult of Queen Isis is the truest and the best. ... One of her Greek titles was Polyonumos: She of Many Names. Pachamama can be added to the list of names without the tiniest problem!!
This is the religious system known as Syncretism. It is tolerant ... it is inclusive. ... And when PF signed a document which applauded Diversity of Religion as being the will of God {Abu Dhabi}, I came the closest I have ever been to feeling that PF is a syncretist apostate and therefore manifestly cannot be pope. I quickly recovered! ... it remains true that his creation of such a blasphemous ambiguity was one of the most truly terrible moments in what has been a consistently terrible pontificate.

The statement that offended Fr. Hunwicke is quoted below from the Vatican's copy of the 2019 document (link).

The pluralism and the diversity of religions, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. This divine wisdom is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives. Therefore, the fact that people are forced to adhere to a certain religion or culture must be rejected, as too the imposition of a cultural way of life that others do not accept;

This phrase mixes error and truth. Following Catholic teaching, it is true that one cannot be 'forced to adhere to a certain religion'. Conversion is a free act of the will. However, that God wills, as opposed to permits, a diversity of religions is erroneous.

As usual, there seems to have been a flurry of opinions, condemnations, and approvals of this document. Bishop Schneider speaking the 1P5 provided his thoughts here: 1P5: Commentary by Bishop Schneider.

I wonder if Dave Armstrong looked with approval upon the document.

P^3

Comments

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