Neuer Anfang (New Beginning) is a group formed by anthropologists, philosophers, theologians, and Catholic journalists.
Newsroom (25/02/2023 7:19 PM, Gaudium Press) As has been reported, four theologians who were part of the German Synod Path have made it public that they are abandoning it, stating in an open letter that they consider that their “participation in a process, in which the repeated warnings and interventions of Vatican authorities and the Pope himself are ignored, would mean supporting a course that is leading the Church in Germany to isolate itself from the universal Church.
They are Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz, Katharina Westerhorstmann, Marianne Schlosser and Dorothea Schmidt.
Now the German Catholics of the “Neuer Anfang – New Beginning” initiative (a group of Catholic anthropologists, philosophers, theologians, and journalists) have not only praised the decision made by these women theologians but have made an explicit invitation to bishops who do not want to go down heterodox paths to abandon the so-called German Synodal Way as well.
“These women have courageously presented what should also have been done long ago by those bishops who do not support all this in terms of content, but continue to persevere in this body,” highlighted the New Beginning initiative, which critically follows the drift of this synod of the German Church.
Thinking about the last assembly of this synod that will now take place in March, Neuer Anfang spoke of three possible scenarios:
The first scenario, “a reconciliation of all involved and a return to the teachings of the Church,” is something unfortunately unlikely.
The second, the “most likely,” a “dirty schism,” veiled kind. “In this scenario, the Synodal Way adopts all presentations as planned and without contemplation, without addressing the content of the numerous Roman objections. Rome’s instruction of January 16, 2023, will also be ignored and the installation of a Synod Council is being prepared and a permanent body with non-transparent competencies is being institutionalized.” “Formally, criticism is invoked to act according to canon law and without obliging or coercing the bishops, so as not to allow a schism to manifest itself formally,” they indicate. “However, the decisions will be applied in the course of a ‘voluntary self-obligation’ by the bishops in their dioceses.”
And the third scenario, “that a manifest schism occurs. In this, all the demands of the Synodal Way, including the schismatic ones, are decided and applied by many bishops. If they then refuse, despite Roman requests, to return to unity in doctrine and ecclesiastical discipline according to Roman guidelines, Rome reacts according to canon law and removes the bishops.
With information from CNA/Infocatolica
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
