Who knows what is happening at SMUC?
EF Pastor has the story but what is the backgound? All this security guard stuff at lectures on Christolgy, good if they are enforcing Nicea!
EF Pastor has the story but what is the backgound? All this security guard stuff at lectures on Christolgy, good if they are enforcing Nicea!
Even Ms P is reporting, it must be important, they even have a picture!
Yet there resignations.Dozens of students staged a silent protest outside a governors meeting of St Mary's University College on Thursday evening. Students at the Catholic college are unhappy about a plan to merge the school of theology and the suspension this week of the head of that department, Anthony Towey.
....
In a statement Bishop Moth said that the plan to merge the theology school was going ahead and that the "governors have total confidence" in St Mary's senior management team.
Is SMUC a good or bad thing?
What about Towey? I know he is an ex-priest but little else.
SMUC validates the Degress of both Wonersh and the Beda.
Fr Tim has put up a bit of of the background, it sounds a little like a repeat of the Cardinal Vaughan fiasco.
13 comments:
Do we need to know anything about Towey's private life? Very Daily Mail/Sun.
How about just praying for all involved, you know, like Catholics do.
TF,
Certainly not but I do want to know about his theology, don't you.
If your objection is to my mentioning he is a former priest, remember that according to the CCL that being an ex-priest prohibits a man from certain functions, so that is quite relevant.
Would you like to remind all of us what they are please?
Not teaching in "Catholic" Universities or being involved in the formation of priests are two prohibitions.
Tony Flavin,.
If you want a conversation with me telephone me. I really do not have the time to either answer your questions or respond to what seems upset you!
Since much of Dr Towey's theology is published, I assume that you mean something else.
As to restrictions on laicised priests, any or all can be dispensed. May just be that Tony Flavin and others, like me, don't care for ad hominum arguments about serious matters.
I have never read any of Tony Towey's works, or anyone who has, if you have tell us about them, I was not making an ad hominen attack, simply saying that his being an ex-priest was all I knew about him.
In fact what I have heard about him as a lecturer seems really quite good, so tell us more about what he actually says, please.
You'll find a list of Dr Towey's articles and publications on SMUC website. Happy reading.
M B Karamba, yes that I have seen his list but I haven't read any of it.
You obviously have, so briefly tell us! Is he indeed a staunch defender of the hermeneutic of continuity, for example?
Think the whole episode is connected with a staunch defense of the importance of teaching Catholic Theology - not sure about anything else.
I'm afraid that I won't be able to summarise his thoughts and ideas in a few soundbites and I don't have time to answer all your questions.
So, as Tony Flavin said earlier, why not just pray for all those involved, as Catholics do.
Because this is probably terribly important, I think as much light as possible needs to be thrown on it.
It sounds a bit like a repeat of Card Vaughan fiasco.
Prayer is important but so is light.
Deacon X,
No I won't publish that, the thing that makes me a little concerned about Dr Towey is the bitter aggression of his supporters.
Does it come from his theology or is it just simply they themselves are bitter and aggressive?
Not sure I recognise bitterness and aggression in many of his supporters, but I'm sure there may be exceptions.
Dr. Towey has made a reasoned case for maintaining the structures at SMUC and a prominent position for the teaching Theology.
That case has met with a steamroller from the management across the summer vacation period. The proposal to merge has required 'reserved business' for governors, public removal of a lecturer, refusal of a consultative vote at the academic board and the flat refusal of a motion of no-confidence which had been proposed and seconded at the academic board. There are several resignations as well as the suspension of Dr. Towey.
The recent meeting of staff at which a vote of no-confidence in the Principal was passed with no votes against contained about one third of the academic staff of the College.
Some people conclude that if not bitter, the management seem aggresive. I'm sorry if one of Dr. Towey's supporters has lost sight of the fact that this started as a defense of Catholic Theology and should be conducted as such with truth and respect rather than bitterness and aggression.
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