Monday, August 8, 2022 (08:22)

Here is somebody with whom I don’t agree regarding how the ideal church should work and live together: Cardinal Pell on environmental encyclical: Church has ‘no particular expertise in science.’ (an article from 2015-07-17)

Pell: “But the church has no particular expertise in science … the church has got no mandate from the Lord to pronounce on scientific matters.” “We believe in the autonomy of science.”

Luc: God gave us a brain, eyes and ears. And he wants us to use them. That’s exactly what science does. God wants us to use science as a tool for exploring his Creation as much as everybody else. Science is neither independent nor neutral. It depends on and serves those who pay for it. Every choice in our daily life is a “scientific matter”. God wants us to be careful when choosing how to use science. It is important to do honest scientific research. Honest scientific research must be led by public corporations with transparent funding. Scientific research led by private corporations can’t be honest because their ultimate purpose is in conflict with God’s will [1]. God does not want the rich to become richer. A synodal church must use and recognize honest science as a tool to live according to the Gospel.

Pell: “the pope should not be wading into the political and scientific debate”

Luc: The church should assume her role as the only really independent orientation provider in every domain of the visible world, including political, economical and social debates. She should develop her skills of criticizing evil activity and fostering good activity by providing clear advise based on scientific methods.

I read the Wikipedia article about George Pell and saw symptoms of a spirit I don’t classify any more as compatible with a synodal church: refusing communion to people who ask for it, or saying that female priests are impossible because the “church’s divine constitution” says so. A synodal church would instruct people like George Pell to meditate in silence. That’s of course just my current amateur opinion. Unless somebody asks me for clarification, I shake the dust off my feet.

Footnote

[1]

For example, the communication industry won’t research honestly whether mobile phones cause harm to our health. The pharmaceutical industry won’t develop medicaments for those who have no money. The food industry won’t try to terminate hunger in the world because that would deprive her from her source of profit. The entertainment industry won’t research the negative effects of