Paul Collins (Australian religious writer)
Encyclopedia
Paul Collins is an Australia
n historian, broadcaster and writer.
over his book, Papal Power.
In explaining his resignation, Collins cited the increasing rigidity and sectarianism of the Vatican, stating that the August 2000 declaration Dominus Iesus
expressed “a profoundly anti-ecumenical spirit at odds with the sense of God’s grace permeating the whole cosmos”.
, Father Hans Küng
, Father Charles Curran
, Lavinia Byrne, Sister Jeannine Gramick
and Father Robert Nugent, describing their experiences with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
He has stated publicly that the current Australian Catholic Archbishop of Sydney George Pell
is too fundamentalist.
He is a lifelong supporter of the Richmond Football Club
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n historian, broadcaster and writer.
Doctrinal investigation
The Vatican’s investigation centered on his 1997 book Papal Power, which was said to imply that “a true and binding revelation” does not exist; to deny that the Church of Christ is identified with the Catholic Church and to deny the doctrine of papal infallibility. Collins was further accused of holding the view that a teaching, to be considered church doctrine, must be approved through the sensus fidelium - the "sense of the people" - as well as by bishops and theologians.Resignation from priesthood
In March 2001 he resigned from his role as a Catholic priest due to a dispute with the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the FaithCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
over his book, Papal Power.
In explaining his resignation, Collins cited the increasing rigidity and sectarianism of the Vatican, stating that the August 2000 declaration Dominus Iesus
Dominus Iesus
Dominus Iesus is a declaration by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was approved in a Plenary meeting of the Congregation, and bears the signature of its then Prefect, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, and of its then Secretary, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, now...
expressed “a profoundly anti-ecumenical spirit at odds with the sense of God’s grace permeating the whole cosmos”.
Subsequent publications
Subsequently Collins published The Modern Inquisition (Overlook Press, 2002), containing interviews with Father Tissa BalasuriyaTissa Balasuriya
Tissa Balasuriya is a Sri Lankan Roman Catholic priest and theologian.-Theological work:In 1971 Balasuriya founded the Center for Society and Religion; four years later he founded the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians. In 1990, Balasuriya published the book Mary and Human Liberation...
, Father Hans Küng
Hans Küng
Hans Küng is a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and prolific author. Since 1995 he has been President of the Foundation for a Global Ethic . Küng is "a Catholic priest in good standing", but the Vatican has rescinded his authority to teach Catholic theology...
, Father Charles Curran
Charles Curran
Charles Curran may refer to:* Charles Curran , British Conservative politician, MP for Uxbridge 1959–1966* Charles Curran , BBC Director-General 1969–1977...
, Lavinia Byrne, Sister Jeannine Gramick
Jeannine Gramick
Jeannine Gramick, S.L., is a Roman Catholic religious sister and a co-founder of the activist organization New Ways Ministry.-Career and work:...
and Father Robert Nugent, describing their experiences with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Works
- Mixed Blessings (Penguin Books, 1986)
- No Set Agenda: Australia’s Catholic church faces an uncertain future (David Lovell Publishing, 1992)
- God's Earth: Religion as if matter really mattered (Harper Collins, 1995)
- Papal Power: A proposal for change in Catholicism's third millennium (Harper Collins, 1997)
- Upon This Rock: The popes and their changing role (Melbourne University Press, 2000)
- From Inquisition to Freedom: Seven prominent Catholics and their struggle with the Vatican (Simon and Schuster, 2001)
- Hell's Gates: The terrible journey of Alexander Pearce, Van Diemen's Land cannibal (Hardie Grant, 2002)
- Between The Rock and a Hard Place: Being Catholic today (ABC Books, 2004)
- God's New Man: The legacy of Pope John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI (Melbourne University Press, 2006)
- Burn: The epic story of bushfire in Australia (Allen & Unwin, 2006)
He has stated publicly that the current Australian Catholic Archbishop of Sydney George Pell
George Pell
George Pell AC is an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Sydney, serving since 2001. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne...
is too fundamentalist.
He is a lifelong supporter of the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
.