Thursday, November 01, 2012

Book Burning, Clerical Bloggers!



Professor Beattie has had an engagement in San Diego cancelled and speaks about book burning and a vendetta against by clerical blogger, for those of us who do blog and occassionally mention her, I think our concern is the same as the CDF's, she is dissident. It is only her more outrageous statements that attract attention, she brings that on herself.

I certainly feel sorry for her, it is her livelihood and a series of cancellations of engagements is damaging, but "book burning", scheming clergy, is just hysterical self indulgent tosh!

I remember  one elderly priest I accompanied to Portsmouth Cathedral after it was first re-ordered horrendously, weeping when he saw what Bishop Worlock had done to the church of his ordination, then after a hour or so of being rather glum said, "I am priest, it is not my Church, I serve it, I don't own it".

We have to accept that the Church changes, the indulgence that might been given to an enfant terrible even a year ago is not there now. Today the Church in many places like the US is fighting for its very life, we don't have space  for revisionist theology or self indulgence.


Now if Clifton Cathedral and San Diego find her dissent too hot to handle, what about her Cafod involvement as a "theological adviser"; why is that fine?

16 comments:

The Bones said...

Our thoughts and prayers are with poor Tina at this harrowing time for her.

May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin and all the Saints bring her consolation.

Anonymous said...

"but "book burning" is just hysterical self indulgent tosh!"

Would she accuse me of mortal sin if I suggested that she be the guy on top of the bonfire? (Assuming she still believes there is such a thing.... mortal sin)

Fr Ray Blake said...

EFpe
I think Bones is more charitable though possibly not that sincere.

The Bones said...

What do you mean not sincere?

I offered up recent tooth extraction for Tina.

Hermione Redux said...

As an academic myself, I wouldn't say it is her livelihood that is at threat. She is paid a salary, provided she engages in teaching and what she thinks of as scholarship. Invitations to foreign travel, and revenue from books, are icing on the cake which enhance one's reputation.

Sadie Vacantist said...

Does Tina think Catholics need to hear rehashed secularism delivered with a Catholic wrap? I get enough secularism from my clever work colleagues.

Frederick Jones said...

The only remarkable features of Dr Beattie and Dr Kung is that they are in the Catholic Church. Would anyone be very interested in either if they were Anglicans or Methodists?

Fr Ray Blake said...

No PJ,
No.
In my "extensive and frequent" conversation with the Abp & CDF members I have mention her, not all.

Sue Sims said...

Hamish Redux is correct: Ms Beattie is Director of the Digby Stuart Research Centre for Catholic Studies at Roehampton University, and I think will be drawing down at least £45K a year from that alone.

Pétrus said...

I find myself fully supportive of the University of San Diego.

Ms Beattie is a dissenting Theologian. She is perfectly entitled to hold and express her opinions.

It is wholly inappropriate for the Church or any body affiliated with it to give her a platform.

BJC said...

Tina has some sauce. I used to think she was at least honest but not anymore after the way she and the others stitched up Cardinal Hume in that letter to the Times. That takes a rare level of dishonesty and a lack of regard for the truth. The latter attempts to bs their way out of it is just that - bs.

I'll leave it up to Deacon Nick to do the detailed analysis but I did find it striking that although she makes a big thing about how orthodox she is as regards the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Real Presence etc she doesn't mention the Papacy. How come? I thought that was a 'core doctrine' too as she likes to put it.

johnf said...

Strange organisation CAFOD

Not only Tina Beattie but Gordon Brown's attack dog, Damian McBride has found a home there

JARay said...

Well, one thing is certain. She knows why her invitation to speak was rescinded. Perhaps she will now look at her Catholicism and ask herself if she really is a Catholic. One can but hope that she will and pray about it.

Deacon Augustine said...

Why do we beat about the bush calling traitors of the faith "dissident"? They are Judas-theologians, Judas-politicians, Judas-Catholics.

They are all too happy to take the widow's mite which is given to the Church in good faith, and then turn and betray the very people who have fed them. If they had an ounce of integrity they would seek employment and support from organisations which they believed in.

Frederick Jones said...

Why do people take institutions such as Roehampton so seriously? Not long ago it was a Teacher Training College and its academic ranking is well down the scale. Certainly Dr Beattie has a doctorate from Bristol but that is on a very precise topic and scarcely gives authority to pontificate on a wide range of topics.

Furthermore how does she reconcile belonging to an organisation without accepting its ground rules. A member of for example the Labour Party who preached the virtues of unrestrained capitalism would feel it incumbent to resign,or would certainly be ejected. She appears to be in an analogous position regarding catholicism, belonging while rejecting.

She appears quite charming, and writes with eloquence, but leaves one very puzzled.

Anonymous said...

The only remarkable features of Dr Beattie and Dr Kung is that they are in the Catholic Church. Would anyone be very interested in either if they were Anglicans or Methodists?

It is a good, if somewhat tongue-in-cheek answer to the question of why dissidents don't leave the Church for another denomination that agrees with them doctrinally. It's the Matthew Fox Effect--once you leave, the mainstream media drops you from their address books. But really the answer is that liberal progressivism is an evil ideology that must destroy in Sauron-like fashion anything that isn't liberal progressive. It's already destroyed most of mainstream Protestantism, so there is no need for dissidents to go where the work is done. The Church is the last of the holdouts.

Scott W.

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