The Congregation for Doctrine issued a brief paper today on what constitutes a true Church. It’s alreday being commented on in the press, people are complaining, etc.
Here is the document, which is 2 and a half pages long (excluding footnotes) and takes under four minutes to read. There is an introduction and then asks and answers five rhetorical questions. The excerpt below the link is from the intorduction.
Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church
The consequent duty of theologians to expound with greater clarity the diverse aspects of ecclesiology [Doctrine relating to the Church] has resulted in a flowering of writing in this field. In fact it has become evident that this theme is a most fruitful one which, however, has also at times required clarification by way of precise definition and correction, for instance in the declaration Mysterium Ecclesiae (1973), the Letter addressed to the Bishops of the Catholic Church Communionis notio (1992), and the declaration Dominus Iesus (2000), all published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The vastness of the subject matter and the novelty of many of the themes involved continue to provoke theological reflection. Among the many new contributions to the field, some are not immune from erroneous interpretation which in turn give rise to confusion and doubt. A number of these interpretations have been referred to the attention of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Given the universality of Catholic doctrine on the Church, the Congregation wishes to respond to these questions by clarifying the authentic meaning of some ecclesiological expressions used by the magisterium which are open to misunderstanding in the theological debate.
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