International Theological Commission
Encyclopedia
The International Theological Commission (ITC) of the Roman Catholic Church
consists of up to 30 Catholic theologians from around the world. These theologians are appointed for renewable five year terms and have tended to meet together in person once every year for a week. The function of the ITC is to advise the Magisterium
of the Church, particularly the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(CDF), a dicastery
of the Roman Curia
. The Prefect
of the CDF is ex officio the president of the ITC, which is based in Rome
. According to Joseph Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict XVI
- the idea for this group was put forward during the first Postconciliar Synod of Bishops in 1967.
. Four working groups were set up for the duration of the first term to explore: (i) the unity of the Faith, (ii) the priesthood, (iii) the theology of hope: the Christian Faith and the future of humanity, (iv) the criteria for Christian moral conscience.
The October plenary session of 1970 studied a paper on "The Priestly Ministry" prepared by the sub-commission on the priesthood. The October plenary session of 1972 saw the ITC study the topic of Theological Pluralism prepared by the subcommission on the unity of the Faith. It has also been claimed that the ITC "made a useful contribution to Mysterium Ecclesiae (1973)"
had produced a document on the principle questions which he felt should be addressed. However, Rahner resigned after the first term claiming that the ITC was "stewing in its own juices". His complaint was that the CDF, and in particular Cardinal Seper, were not prepared to seriously consult the ITC on questions of the day.
The October plenary session of 1974 addressed the topic of Christian Ethics. In 1976, the ITC issued a report on liberation theology
titled, "Human Development and Christian Salvation." The Holy See
subsequently cracked down on liberation theology in the 1980s.
.
was appointed as the new Cardinal President of the CDF and therefore took over the presidency of the ITC.
In 2007, the Commission called limbo an "unduly restricted view of salvation." http://www.insidethevatican.com/newsflash/2007/newsflash-apr27-07.htm (The full text can be found here.http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html)
Although this report has been interpreted as "closing Limbo," such an interpretation is incorrect. The proper understanding is that existence of Limbo—especially, relative to unbaptized babies—must be considered in light of God's universal salvific will. The ITC acts as an advisory board and its documents are not considered expressions of Church teaching. The Commission, which serves in an advisory role to the Vatican and whose "documents are not considered expressions of authoritative church teaching," noted the theory's limitations in a document published April 20, 2007.
, O.P. was appointed as the new secretary general of the ITC. University of Notre Dame
Professor John Cavadini, chair of the Theology department, was added to the ITC and concurrently made a Knight of St. Gregory.
In November of 2011, Father Morerod was named a diocesan Bishop-elect by the Holy Father
, His Holiness
, Pope Benedict XVI
, meaning that a new secretary general of the ITC will likely have to be named.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
consists of up to 30 Catholic theologians from around the world. These theologians are appointed for renewable five year terms and have tended to meet together in person once every year for a week. The function of the ITC is to advise the Magisterium
Magisterium
In the Catholic Church the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church. This authority is understood to be embodied in the episcopacy, which is the aggregation of the current bishops of the Church in union with the Pope, led by the Bishop of Rome , who has authority over the bishops,...
of the Church, particularly the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
(CDF), a dicastery
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. The Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of the CDF is ex officio the president of the ITC, which is based in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. According to Joseph Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
- the idea for this group was put forward during the first Postconciliar Synod of Bishops in 1967.
The First Term (1 May 1969 - August 1974)
The ITC was established on an interim basis by Pope Paul VI on 11 April 1969 (ref needed) and the first appointments were announced on 1 May 1969. The first meeting of the ITC took place on 6–8 October 1969 and was presided over by Cardinal Franjo ŠeperFranjo Šeper
Franjo Šeper was a Croatian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1968 to 1981, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1965....
. Four working groups were set up for the duration of the first term to explore: (i) the unity of the Faith, (ii) the priesthood, (iii) the theology of hope: the Christian Faith and the future of humanity, (iv) the criteria for Christian moral conscience.
The October plenary session of 1970 studied a paper on "The Priestly Ministry" prepared by the sub-commission on the priesthood. The October plenary session of 1972 saw the ITC study the topic of Theological Pluralism prepared by the subcommission on the unity of the Faith. It has also been claimed that the ITC "made a useful contribution to Mysterium Ecclesiae (1973)"
The Second Term (August 1974 - August 1979)
The second term saw a large number of changes with only thirteen of the original thirty theologians being reappointed. Back in October 1969 at the first meeting of the ITC Karl RahnerKarl Rahner
Karl Rahner, SJ was a German Jesuit and theologian who, alongside Bernard Lonergan and Hans Urs von Balthasar, is considered one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century...
had produced a document on the principle questions which he felt should be addressed. However, Rahner resigned after the first term claiming that the ITC was "stewing in its own juices". His complaint was that the CDF, and in particular Cardinal Seper, were not prepared to seriously consult the ITC on questions of the day.
The October plenary session of 1974 addressed the topic of Christian Ethics. In 1976, the ITC issued a report on liberation theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
titled, "Human Development and Christian Salvation." The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
subsequently cracked down on liberation theology in the 1980s.
The Third Term (August 1979 - August 1984)
Following his appointment as the Prefect for the CDF, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger took over the presidency of the ITC on 25 November 1981. Ratzinger had already served as a member of the ITC since its inception in 1969. On August 6, 1982, Pope John Paul II issued the Motu Proprio "Tredecim Anni" to reconfirm the institutional structure of the ITC.The Sixth Term (August 1994 - August 1999)
In 1997, the commission produced the document "Christianity and the Religions." In the next few years, a series of disciplinary actions were taken against Catholic clergy involved in religious pluralismReligious pluralism
Religious pluralism is a loosely defined expression concerning acceptance of various religions, and is used in a number of related ways:* As the name of the worldview according to which one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and thus that at least some truths and true values...
.
The Seventh Term (August 1999 - August 2004)
In 2004, the document "Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God" was published on the relationship between creation, evolution, and Christian faith. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.htmlThe Eighth Term (August 2004 - August 2009)
In April 2005 Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. William LevadaWilliam Levada
William Joseph Levada is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Since 2005, he has served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, making him the highest ranking American in the Roman Curia. He was previously the Archbishop of Portland from 1986 to 1995 and...
was appointed as the new Cardinal President of the CDF and therefore took over the presidency of the ITC.
In 2007, the Commission called limbo an "unduly restricted view of salvation." http://www.insidethevatican.com/newsflash/2007/newsflash-apr27-07.htm (The full text can be found here.http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html)
Although this report has been interpreted as "closing Limbo," such an interpretation is incorrect. The proper understanding is that existence of Limbo—especially, relative to unbaptized babies—must be considered in light of God's universal salvific will. The ITC acts as an advisory board and its documents are not considered expressions of Church teaching. The Commission, which serves in an advisory role to the Vatican and whose "documents are not considered expressions of authoritative church teaching," noted the theory's limitations in a document published April 20, 2007.
The Ninth Term (August 2009 - present)
On 22 April 2009 Father Charles MorerodCharles Morerod
Charles Morerod, O.P. , is a Swiss Dominican prelate. On 3 November 2011 he was appointed as bishop of Lausanne, Genève et Fribourg by Pope Benedict XVI. He had previously served as rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas , professor of dogmatic theology...
, O.P. was appointed as the new secretary general of the ITC. University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
Professor John Cavadini, chair of the Theology department, was added to the ITC and concurrently made a Knight of St. Gregory.
In November of 2011, Father Morerod was named a diocesan Bishop-elect by the Holy Father
Holy Father
Holy Father may refer to:*God the Father, the title given to the god of many monotheistic religions*The Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church*The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the head of that church...
, His Holiness
His Holiness
His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. In Christianity, specifically the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic...
, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, meaning that a new secretary general of the ITC will likely have to be named.
Further reading
- Malone, Richard and John R. Connery eds. Contemporary perspectives on Christian marriage: propositions and papers from the International Theological Commission (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1984).
- Sharkey, Michael ed. International Theological Commission: Texts and Documents, Volume 1, 1969-1985 (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1989).
- Sharkey, Michael and Thomas Weinandy eds. International Theological Commission: Texts and Documents, Volume 2, 1986-2007 (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2009).