Kenotic Ecclesiology: Context, Orientations, Secularity (original) (raw)

Four communicative disjunctions are ways in which, "the Catholic Church today is … out of phase with the world it wants to speak to." 1 Unless and until the influence of Pope Francis permeates the Church at all levels and in all contexts his charismatic leadership cannot be said to have changed this condition altogether. He surely has set a direction away from the clerical culture among bishops that abetted sweeping clergy abuse of minors under a rug of silent re-assignments. Even the Church now represented in the deeds and words of Francis cannot bypass coming to grips with the disjunctions and with abuse. So George McLean's theological response to the disjunctions and crisis of abuse remains a valid, long-term project. He advises nothing less than, "… rethinking the entire nature of the Church and its public presence in quite different, indeed kenotic, terms." 2 That is a tall theological order. 3 What does a theological project of that scope involve? Outlining some directions along which to think about a kenotic theology of the Church draws on more than theological reflection and research. Interpreting the Word of God and the life of the Church depends not only on Scripture and tradition but also on nontheological knowledge of contexts. So sections I and II discuss