Modernist professor says Church should not become "a folklore club with Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis".

The Church should not become "a folklore club with Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis", says the retired Tübingen dogmatist Bernd Jochen Hilberath. In the interview he talks about his relationship to the official church and takes a look at current discussions.

The emeritus theologian Bernd Jochen Hilberath turns 75 today. Born in Bingen, he taught dogmatics first in Mainz and then for more than two decades in Tübingen. After Hans Küng left, he also headed his institute for ecumenical theology. In an interview with the Catholic News Agency (KNA), he comments on current church-political issues. His faculty wants to honor him with a scientific event on November 17th.

Question: Professor Hilberath, are you worried about your church?

Hilberath: Yes, very much. As an old 68er, I often talk to people about what our plans and utopias were like 60 years ago. It was always important to me: Christianity must be authentic and biblical-Jesusan. For a while we thought we could do it, but quickly saw that we couldn't.

Cathcon: The diminishing summer-of-love modernist sect in whose thought-patterns the Professor is trapped.  

It bothers me that theological arguments still don't count in the eyes of those in power in the church. There have been plenty of arguments about the current hot topics for decades, but it's always said: we have to look again, we have to be considerate of the universal church. At that time I was full of hope, today I scrape together the last grains of hope. The institution is always further away from me.

Question: The question for the dogmatist: Aren't there many problems in the tenure of Pius IX. (1846-1878) who, among other things, declared Papal Infallibility to be a binding doctrine?

Hilberath: Absolutely right. The resistance against Enlightenment and the French Revolution and the intensification of the concept of truth and law, according to which ultimately the Pope alone decides what is true and what is law, are still a burden today. We historians of dogma would be happy if the First Vatican Council had never existed. In the past, the supremacy of the pope was still part of the consensus of the whole church.

Question: Canonists like Norbert Lüdecke say that many believed in changes after the Second Vatican Council, but that the less reform-oriented Canon Law of 1983 came about under John Paul II

Hilberath: This assessment is largely correct; Canon Law has at best only partially implemented the Council. Canonists say that the doctrine laid down in the law is the standard. Dogmatists say the doctrine must be developed, has the right to follow life. Tradition shows that there was and is a great deal of leeway to continue teaching. The professors have the power of the word, but they achieve very little.

Question: You have repeatedly defended the current Synodal Path reform project. Aren't you afraid that it will end like the Würzburg Synod half a century ago, when nothing happened?

Hilberath: Yes. I defended the Synodal Path to give the project momentum. But I never had much hope that the decisions expected by the vast majority of Christians would be made. The bishops are too afraid for that. A plus point is that it is now at least clear that the bishops do not agree.

Question: In your opinion, what are the fundamental debates that need to be held today?

Hilberath: The future of the church lies in the congregations that develop independently and go their own way alive in the spirit of Jesus. Otherwise, the church develops into a folklore club with Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis to maintain some traditions.

Cathcon:  Truth becomes divisible and the Catholic Church ceases to exist.  The Holy Spirit leads you into all truth not your own personal truths.

The question of power and faith, of democracy and church constitution must be dealt with theologically. The internal church resistance to democracy is based on a distorted image.

Question: Catholic scientific theology is coming under pressure from many quarters. The number of students is falling, there is a lack of qualified young people for the chairs, and there are plans by the bishops to centralize the training locations for the few remaining prospective priests. What perspective do you see?

Hilberath: The acceptance of the churches can sink so much that denominational religious education and denominational faculties are hardly justifiable. So far, the political parties have not wanted to mess with the churches, but this consideration is likely to wane.

The faculties must rethink and show that they deal with issues that deserve to be negotiated in the forum of reason. A few fully equipped faculties will suffice for this. The professors also have to change and act more offensively: At the moment they either don't see the really important questions, or they miss the opportunity to publicly represent their topics.

Question: You yourself stand for the approach of a communicative theology. What exactly does that mean?

Hilberath: Similar to liberation theology, it is about looking at the whole reality of human life. Theological thinking changes with biographies and with time. People must be invited to speak about their lives, their experiences, theology must always be personal.

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