Crying censorship

Carl Olson has the background on the story of Bishop Braxton of Belleville, Illinois banning an upcoming talk by biblical scholar and professor of theology Luke Timothy Johnson that was being sponsored by Commonweal. Commonweal is of course crying censorship even though when it comes to writers totally faithful to the magisterium consistently appearing in their magazine it seems oddly that there point of view are censored by them.

Carl goes over the writings of Luke Timothy Johnson that while quite solid in many areas leave the rails when it comes to women priests, homosexuality, Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, contraception, the Virgin Birth, and even casts into doubt the Eucharist and other sacraments as not being essential. His view seems to be if it is not in the Creed it is not essential, unless of course it is is women's ordination and same sex marriage.

Carl also goes into Bishop Braxton's rather impressive resume and the numerous articles that he has written which have even appeared in Commonweal. He has been a rather polarizing figure since he was appointed bishop there. A group of 50 priests had signed a letter protesting his selection and there feeling that they were not consulted. There were also some financial moves by the bishop that were called into question. But mostly people have been upset when he has reacted in a manner totally consistent with the faith such as this occasion and the time he refused to give the sacrament of Confirmation to a 20 year old women who he considered had not studied enough.