Why is the Catholic Church so Defensive?

The recent PBS documentary from
Frontline, “Secrets of the Vatican,” was an artful mix of baroque music,
sweeping cinematography, imaginative speculation, and recycled conspiracy
theories. It contained a gelatinous mixture of truths, half-truths, and no
truths. Still, it left me feeling like nobody will ever know why Pope Benedict
resigned his office, why the Vatican Bank is such a mess, why canon law is
evidently hard to enforce, and why the Church hierarchy can’t be more open and
transparent about its inner workings.

By drumming
on the fact that the Vatican is a City State, as if its geography is evidence
of an inherently insular mindset, the Frontline documentary wanted viewers to
feel outrage at the arrogance, pride, and hubris of the Vatican. I felt some of
that, but mostly I just felt sad that the Church does not do a better job of
listening to its critics, no matter how unfair they are. The source of
complacency in any large organization is usually too much self-satisfaction, as
well as an overburdened and overly complex bureaucracy, and there is a lot of
that in Catholicism.

Kant once
wrote a book criticizing a “newly raised superior tone in philosophy,” and I
think a similar book could be written about a “very old superior tone in Roman
Catholicism.” Catholic priests, theologians, and apologists too often have a
triumphal tone that grates on Protestant and secular ears alike. There is an
assumption of correctness, of moral rightness and theological certainty that oversteps
the virtue of humility, the all-too-human history of the Church, and its own
teachings.

The great intellectual and moral
riches of the Church make it an easy target for scoffers and cynics, but that
wealth can also insulate it from its own rank and file. The Church is so
defensive on internal matters that it is not surprising that it often seems unable
to listen to more serious charges from the outside. The result is a program
like “Secrets of the Vatican”—lurid stories aimed at people who believe,
rightly or wrongly, that the Church is too self-important to admit its weaknesses
and mistakes.

Every
Catholic knows what these internal problems are, even if they won’t admit it.
Parish life is ailing. Music in masses is still barely tolerable. There is very
little effort to get the laity involved in the mission of the Church beyond
fundraising. The lackluster role of the laity is symbolized by the
announcements they are allowed to make at the end of the mass. Who is listening
to them?

The problem stretches beyond the
uninvolved laity. Priests are often good administrators, great counselors, and
inspiring moral examples, but many priests are not good preachers and most, it
seems to me, are not really theologically inclined, no matter how long their
schooling. And too many Catholic parishes have ridiculously low standards for
Christian education, whether it is the RCIA program or confirmation classes.

Catholic theology itself is an
insider’s game with little fiefdoms and big lords. The Catechism is treated as
an end in itself—as a serious theological work that answers all
questions—rather than as a means to good discussion by raising all the good
questions. The creeds are used to shut down important theological debates. Too
many theological topics are assumed to be closed that are still open to anyone
who has examined them. We seem to be entering into a new period of Scholastic
Thomism, which will result, no doubt, in another cycle of radical calls for
theological renewal and defensive echoes of Thomas.

The Church does
not need a renewed anti-clericalism based on individualism and relativism, but
it does need a new appreciation for the laity and a more open attitude toward the
ongoing life of the mind. It needs to wear its moral and theological authority
with a little less ostentation. With so much truth, what is there to hide? It needs
leadership that is curious, flexible, humble, and energized. That suggests to
me that it needs, during this sad time, precisely what God has given it, and
that would be Pope Francis.

Stephen H. Webb is a columnist for First Things. He is the author of Jesus Christ, Eternal God and, forthcoming, Mormon Christianity. His book on Bob Dylan is Dylan Redeemed.

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