(Hermetic) Reasons to be Cheerful

I will be returning to the theme of the (unwitting) colluding of the New Age culture with secularist materialism.

In the meantime, I am aware of many painful images in this webblog so far, and thought there was call for cheer.

Now, something that brings deep and great cheer to my soul are certain recent developments in Catholicism. Developments, which contrary to the myths surrounding that much vilified spiritual giant, John Paul II, have not been negated since Vatican II – but radically extended.

I have in mind, for example, these words from him who is already and will be increasingly called John Paul the Great:

‘Normally, it will be in the sincere practice of what is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates of their own conscience, that the members of other religions respond positively to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while they do not recognise or acknowledge him as their saviour.’

Now here John Paul defends the Glory at the heart of the Church – the Glory that transformed the cosmos on Calvary, since which time, that Glory has become the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

At the same time, the head of 60% of global Christianity, decisively sheds the usual interpretation of Extra Ecclesiam Nullus Sallus (‘Outside the Church, there is no salvation’) by arguing that the **normal** way for non-Christians is through their own religion. And in my view, this is more decisive than anything said by Vatican II.

This is also consistent with John Paul renouncing ecclesiastical intimidation in other striking ways as well. For example, his ideal of a Church that only ‘PROPOSES’ - and ‘IMPOSES NOTHING’ (Emphasis in original).

Americans of a certain generation sometimes say: ‘Only Nixon could go to China.’ They mean that only such a staunch conservative as Nixon could have credibility in America, for not 'selling out' to Communism.

In a similar way, perhaps only such a staunchly and beautifully traditional Catholic pontiff as the great John Paul could **consolidate** and extend such radical ideas of Vatican II. Preserving the tradition – but extending freedom. In a way that will last … how long? Forever, perhaps.