Planetary Theology on Election Eve...

From the Review "News Briefs", we read:

Theologian and author Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, will speak on planetary theology and the papal encyclical "God is Love" from an Asian perspective.

He will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at St. Cronan Parish, 1202 S. Boyle Ave. on the near Southside, and at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at St. Louis University, in room 142 of the humanities building, 3800 Lindell Blvd. For information call Margaret Mary Moore at (314) 781-3231.

Speaking of Planetary Theology, I can't help but recall the very first time I learned the "Mother Earth" is our greatest Sacramental - and this was announce during a homily at a "Pro-Life" Mass...The reason I think this is significant is that the priest giving that 'erudite' homily is now the Pastor of the above mentioned parish...

Anyway, for those who are unfamiliar with this theologian, he was one of the few, in recent times, to have been formally excommunicated. A year after his excommunication which occurred on on 2 Jan 97, Balasuriya signed a Profession of faith and the excommunication was lifted...Balasuriya's beliefs and writings were at odds with Catholic teaching and doctrine. For more information on the reasons for his excommunication, click here.

Balasuriya's evaluation of the Holy Father's encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" can be read here. But that should not prevent us from looking at a paragraph or two of his "Companion" to the Pope's encyclical:

While acknowledging a variety of viewpoints, the Encyclical remains firmly grounded in a traditional Western context. Adherents among the many strains of contemporary Christian theology may thus find much to take issue with here. Feminist theologians will object to its occasionally sexist language, along with its arguments with respect to reproductive rights. Liberation theology in the Latin American grain receives no acknowledgment of its unique contribution to the development of Christian teaching over the past several decades (e.g, love as it relates to compassionate activism and efforts at constructive social change). Proponents of liberation theology in its Asian and African incarnations will have much to say about their experience of the "Christian love" imposed on them through Western colonialism. Those seeking inter-religious dialogue may wish to remind the Pope that the traditional Christian interpretation of "God is love" seems not to have applied to them throughout much of Catholicism's history. And those concerned with inter-racial justice, global ethics, and ecology may also find fault with Christian theology and spirituality as they experienced it.

Or this:

The superpower world of the 21st century has been built up by force and invasion during the five centuries since 1492 when the Christian Churches were partners with Europe in global conquest. These crimes call for reparation. The Church has been far from being an effective witness to the God of love during the creation of this unjust, racist world (dis)order. Most of the saints mentioned by the Pope as icons of social charity were far from being champions of the rights of the oppressed, or of the conquered peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Global social justice was hardly their concern during the period when the current exploitive world system was in the process of being established. They were inspired by a theology and spirituality that presented the message of Jesus in a manner that legitimized the Western colonial adventure.

And there's much more than this...I don't have the stomach to go through it all. I believe the inclusion of this "talk" by the St Louis Review to be questionable, at best.

Perhaps it's me, but I find Balasuriya's writings and attitude offensive - offensive to me as a Catholic - as one tries to do all I can to submit faithfully to everything which is proposed by the Church for our belief. I find it offensive that one who was accepted back into the fold, still finds time to criticize the Church and encourage others to do likewise. I sometimes find myself questioning his sincerity in his expressed Profession of Faith.

Be that as it may, I would certainly hope and pray that more Catholics will be attending Holy Mass, praying the Rosary, and/or a Novena, or something of that nature, petitionaing our Lord for His grace and intervention on the eve of a most important day for our State and its citizens (including those yet to come into existence).