Dear People of “Open Book”:

I have followed with great interest your discussion of
my interview with Godspy and Amy’s reactions to it,
focused especially on the question of divisions in the
Church, and what to do about it. What I’d like to
offer here is an attempt to synthesize your discussion
so far, as a way of seeing if there are some core
points upon which all can agree, that might serve as a
basis for efforts to move forward. Since I’m
considering writing a book on this subject, your
comments would be extremely helpful to me.
Do the following five points seem like a fair summary?

1. Any call to communion in the Church, or to dialogue
as a means to that end, which implies going soft on
Catholic doctrine has no future. If people sense that
the price of admission is fuzziness about Catholic
identity, such efforts will be dead upon arrival. At
the same time, calls to communion which come off as
efforts to stifle legitimate debate, or to avoid adult
conversation, will be similarly unproductive.

2. Discernment is an important element in real
dialogue, meaning the right to reject an idea as
erroneous without violating the rules of polite
exchange. The aim is not just “getting along,” but
getting to the truth. Indeed, the reason we want to
open ourselves to others is the hope that in doing so,
more of that truth might become clear to us.

3. We shouldn’t exaggerate the problems of division
today. Division has always been a fact of life in the
Church, and in many ways it’s healthy. Nor should the
accusation of creating “division” be lodged against
those trying to defend strong convictions. Harmony
feels good, but it rarely leads to change; it is
loving challenge that forces us to grow. Hence we
shouldn’t demonize division, just as we shouldn’t
demonize those from whom we are divided.

4. While “ideological” borders are important in the
Church, there are other divisions that are just as
worthy of notice, including, as one poster observed,
the difference between those engaged in direct
pastoral work in the Church and those who aren’t.

5. One should not allow the media, or virtual
conversations such as Internet blogs, to dominate
one’s impression of the current situation in the
Church. As always, it is the most shrill and
determined voices which make noise, but they don’t
fully represent most people on the ground. Indeed, on
the question of communion and dialogue, many “average”
Catholics are probably far ahead of the chattering
classes.