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Infallible?: An inquiry

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In the book the controversial Swiss theologian Hans Kung investigates the problems of dogmatic infallibility in the Catholic Church.

He begins by discussing the fact that Popes and ecumenical councils have contradicted each other in the past.

He then goes on to explain the development of infallibility and shows that it was not always universally accepted in the Church. He also argues that the idea of bishops being direct successors to the Apostles is historically false.

He then argues from a philosophical standpoint that dogma cannot be infallible because of the limitations of human language. After this, he gives a description of his vision of the Church. One where bishops and Pope act as leaders but give more freedomg to theologians to engage in scholarship and teach doctrine. In Kung's vision, the bishops would only step in and exercise binding teaching authority when there was an "emergency" where the Church was rife with heresy and disunity

Father Kung, the great Catholic theologian of the Conciliar age and theology professor of the present Pope (and who in fact got him a teaching job at the seminary and the rest is history), here dares open an historical and theological examination of the question of infallibility as declared at the end of the 1800's. He does so out of a great loving concern for our Church and a strong desire for us to ask, to consider and to understand (the work of any great theologian) the true meaning and development and history of that unique concept.

This book, published in 1971, really opens our eyes to the nature of our present Church and its development after the Second Vatican Council. As Father Kung wrote this book so shortly after the closing of that great Ecumenical Council, which he served at the request of the good Pope John XXIII as theological expert, it gives us a landmark by which to consider our present course as a Pilgrim Church lurching towards the Kingdom.

This important work is best considered in companionship with another two major works by Father Kung of that critical period in our Church history. Please read carefully aloing with this one Church and Truthfulness - The Future of the Church. Also good to read is his examination of the nature of our Faith in the popular On Being a Christian and his short history of our Church The Catholic Church: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles), and as many as possible of his hundreds of thoughtful, prayerful, devoted spiritual and theological writings available here upon the amazon.

Like every excellent professor Father Kung raises questions we need to hear and to consider but cannot answer, questions which lead on to further questions and deeper vision. He raises questions he himself may not be able to answer to the complete satisfaction of everyone, but he courageously raises the questions which we must begin to consider. Our Faith can only be strengthened by, not weakened by such consideratio and reflection. Our Faith in gaining such understanding only grows stronger, and as an excellent, trained, proficient Professor of Theology, Father Kung knows what open ended questions to raise that we may grow in our Faith and strong her theological understanding.

Father Kung is a theologian we most need to read, prayerfully, thoughtfully, constantly in our post-modern times which some would have us call post-Christian. Through pursuing the prayerful and loving and committed thinking and inquiry of Father Kung, may our Faith live, and grow, and live to the fullest within our hearts and within our opening, active God-given minds and within our troubled and lost world of pain longing for the Love of God.

Hans Kung's book seems attractive and convincing on the surface, but careful analysis reveals that time and time again Kung grossly over-exaggerates, contradicts himself, analyzes historical situations anachronistically, misquotes his sources, etc. Kung's analysis lies somewhere between historically inaccurate at best, and dishonest at worst. For those genuine truth seekers who aim not merely to confirm their subjective views but who sincerely aim at the truth, I highly recommend reading "The Historical Credibility of Hans Kung: An Inquiry and Commentary", by Joseph F. Costanzo. It is difficult for anyone without thorough historical knowledge to pick up on the plethora of errors in Kung's book; Costanzo, primarily a historian, provides a thorough and honest rebuttal to Hans Kung. He takes Kung point-by-point and refutes him emphatically. If anyone wishes to quickly see some of the more egregious errors in Kung's book, visit

http://www.amazon.com/review/R2YQ3ATQMOQ83B/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0815803702&nodeID=283155&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful

This is a comment I wrote to someone else's review of Costanzo's book. My response is a bit lengthy, but worthwhile for anyone genuinely seeking clarity on this issue.