This from the New York Times' Ross Douthat:
"My dear professors!
"I read with interest your widely-publicized
letter to my editors this week, in which you objected to my recent coverage of Roman Catholic controversies, complained that I was making unfounded accusations of heresy (both “subtly” and “openly”!), and deplored this newspaper’s willingness to let someone lacking theological credentials opine on debates within our church. I was appropriately impressed with the dozens of academic names who signed the letter on the Daily Theology site, and the distinguished institutions (Georgetown, Boston College, Villanova) represented on the list.I have great respect for your vocation. Let me try to explain mine.
"A columnist has two tasks: To explain and to provoke. The first requires giving readers a sense of the stakes in a given controversy, and why it might deserve a moment of their fragmenting attention span. The second requires taking a clear position on that controversy, the better to induce the feelings (solidarity, stimulation, blinding rage) that persuade people to read, return, and re-subscribe.
"I hope we can agree that current controversies in Roman Catholicism cry out for explanation. And not only for Catholics: The world is fascinated — as it should be — by Pope Francis’ efforts to reshape our church. But the main parties in the church’s controversies have incentives to downplay the stakes. Conservative Catholics don’t want to concede that disruptive change is even possible. Liberal Catholics don’t want to admit that the pope might be leading the church into a crisis."
READ FULL REPORT HEREREMNANT COMMENT: What's this? No apology? No groveling? No boot-licking? Who is this strange man and from what planet does he hail?
(If and when they banish him from the Old Gray Lady, I hope Mr. Douthat will consider coming our way. The Remnant is small but it's becoming a rapidly-expanding refugee camp for homeless Catholic writers who want to speak the truth in a world growing increasingly allergic to it.)