Future of Catholicism

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Interesting "stuff" this week ....

Patheos has been hosting a Future of Religion series this summer. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism have had their weeks.

This is the Future of Catholicism week.

Guest writers who are being featured so you get a variety of views. 

Dear Friend Fran from There Will Be Bread has written a piece .

America Magazine  also has a feature on  this and I love this by Richard Rohr quoted in their comments section .....

"Catholicism is much more than merely a believing system.  Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations (that come by email) have recently been touching on what Catholicism is.  This is from one of his latest:

"It seems to me what religion has often become is a belonging system or a mere belief system, both of which ask very little of us.  If belonging and believing is our primary concern, Mormons and Moslems do that much better than most mainline Christians.  If we just want collective authority, all we have to do is attend and affiliate.

"Membership questions largely become a negotiation of who’s in and who’s out, who’s worthy, who’s unworthy, who’s right and who’s wrong.  This appeals very much to our ego’s control needs, and our ego’s need to feel worthy, to feel superior, and to feel a part of a superior group.  All are lamentable substitutes for actual transformation into the Mystery of God." - Fr. Richard Rohr

This excerpt from Patheos gives a flavour of what the debate covers....

For centuries, Western thinkers assumed that religion would decline throughout the world as scientific ideas spread and replace "superstition" with modern, rational, secular ways of life.

In recent decades, however, that assumption has faded. Across the globe, religion remains an influential force, one that impacts how we view ourselves, each other, and the world around us.

As new forms of worship and belief continue to evolve in the twenty-first century, we have asked thought leaders from a variety of religious traditions to talk about the future of religion. What trends will influence how people across the spectrum of faiths worship and practice? What are the challenges and opportunities that will confront faith leaders? What are the controversial issues? Will cooperation or conflict between religions be dominant in the years ahead? What reform movements will shape the future of belief?

Essays will tackle such subjects as race, interfaith relations, blogging, theological controversies, gender issues, proselytizing, music, emerging movements, politics, and film.