One of the most studied essays on Christian doctrine could provide an answer to the controversies surrounding Pope Francis’ leadership, according to one of the world’s leading experts on St John Henry Newman. Source: ACU.
Visiting professor Stephen Morgan said yesterday that the Catholic Church needed to re-embrace Newman’s seminal work on doctrinal development.
The theory of doctrinal development, coined by Newman in the 19th Century and thought to have influenced his decision to convert to Catholicism, is one of the most analysed concepts on Christian doctrine.
This includes a 2021 book by Professor Morgan, a Welsh deacon and rector of the University of St Joseph in Macao.
Speaking on Wednesday at the third annual Newman Symposium, a joint initiative of Australian Catholic University and the University of Notre Dame Australia to mark the saint’s feast day, Professor Morgan said the English cardinal’s insights into the challenge of tradition and development were still relevant today.
Importantly, some of the controversies surrounding Pope Francis’ papal documents – which some observers have called “The Francis Effect” – showed the need for “a theological framework that can reconcile with the ongoing struggle of theological change and continuity”.
Newman’s concept of doctrinal development, as outlined in An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, published 179 years ago, was the perfect blueprint for this challenge, Professor Morgan argued.
“By embracing Newman’s vision, the Church can maintain doctrinal coherence and continuity, fostering unity and clarity in its teachings and practices, and effectively addressing the evolving needs of the modern world,” Professor Morgan said.
At the centre of Newman’s theory was the idea that doctrine, or the Church’s teachings on faith and morals, must govern practice. That is, doctrine provides a framework for how Catholic’s practice their faith.
“(Newman) insisted that any development in doctrine must be coherent with the original deposit of faith, reflecting a continuity with the apostolic tradition,” Professor Morgan said.
“This ensures that the Church’s teachings remain true to the core truths of Christianity while allowing for organic growth and adaptation over time.”
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Does Newman’s doctrinal development theory explain The Francis Effect? (ACU)
