If there is one thing one can uphold about Bishop Nkea is that he is a gifted orator ! However, one can feel his being uncomfortable with the question of the Priest-Journalist on the reaction of the Cameroonian Episcopal Conference to Fiducia Supplicans. One feels that the Journalist gets the nuance of the new theology of pastoral blessings proposed by FS. Bishop Nkea rattles some answers. He says he can bless a homosexual and not a homosexual couple. Fair enough ! This is exactly what FS is saying. Blessings are directed to individuals who genuinely and spontaneously come for a blessing outside of any liturgica context. "Blessings, like Holy Communion, are not a reward for the perfect but food for the journey." (Michael Seans). Bishop Nkea says, he cannot bless a homosexual couple. But FS is not about gay couples but "human persons" living in an "irregular union." His argument is that, " benediction" means "speak well." How could one speak well of a gay couple? Etymologically, Bishop Nkea is very right. However, he is also committing the Etymological fallacy which is the faulty argument that the "true" or "proper" meaning of a word is its oldest or original meaning. Because the meanings of words change over time, a word's contemporary definition can't be established from its origin (or etymology). In linguistics there is a huge difference between semantics and pragmatics. And everyone, will agree that when a priest blesses water, the intention is not solely reduced to "bene- dire" (speak well of) from the etymological point of view. But "blessed water" is a sign of God's renewed presence ! This implies that meaning is always in context ( this pragmatics in linguistics cf. Silva Moise- Biblical Words and their meaning). In this case, a "blessing' could be an invitation to conversion or a reassurance of God's assistance despite the sinner's condition. And consequently, a call to conversion. A spiritual journey!!! It is the context that defines "meaning." This is where many people missed the point including some bishops. "Our sins degrade our human dignity but they do not remove it. Grace, the grace of the cross, removes the sins and grounds the dignity of the human person." (Michael Seans). The priest Journalist captures this nuances excellently ! Bishop cites the argument of "authority" to underscore his point by quoting Card Fridolin Ambongo, President of SCEAM. Nonetheless, Bishop Nkea signed a document which accused the Declaration of "hypocrisy" and consequently, Card Fernandes and ultimately the Pope. Was this a fair judgment? This lacked a "discerning listening". Would this have ever happened in the time of Pope Benedict? For me, where the Bishops erred pastorally, was the failure to give a press conference, explained to journalists the intention of the FS or ask for clarification of DDF before Bishop Nkea signed his rejoinder which lacked intellectual depth and too reactionary. This would have reduced the anxiety among the faithful and the media blitz it caused. My final observation is about the interview. Bishop Nkea refutes the allegation that Cameroonian bishops are disunited. He gives the example of the Ambazonia. For me this is sheer sophistry. Truth is the truth. Sometimes these divergent views from the bishops are informed by the acquaintance with Biyaland regime ! On n'est pas dupe !!! Quand meme ! Even the blind sees this !
This is an outstanding and objective comment about the interview. Thank you so much for your objective mind. Please, could you contact me at (nchumbong@yahoo.com) I will be waiting.
One can easily see that Bishop Nkea is very uncomfortable with the question concerning FS. Monsieur l'Évêque ne cache pas son embarras ! J'ai le pressentiment que Mgr Nkea n'avait pas écrit lui-même le texte qui a été signé au nom de la conférence épiscopale. J'ose croire et peut-être, je me trompe, que l'un des théologiens anti-Pope Francis a proposé ledit text. Sinon, pourquoi, il recours à l'argument d'autorité en faisant recours au Card Frédolin pour asseoir son argument? Le text de SCEAM était publié bien après!! For those who read the different reactions, public opinion has it that the Cameroonian version was the hardest (embarrassing???) because of the adjective "hypocrisy"qualifying FS.
Thanks indeed for your kind words. Thanks for your helping people also to understand about the Church, its doctrines and Law. We all love the Church and want the Church to be place where we ALL feel welcome under the merciful love of God despite our struggling with the sin! This does not mean at all that anything goes !!! No ! Far from that ! God's mercy can heal !!! Le cléricalisme a vraiment la peaux dure chez nous !!! It will take time to be eradicated. Why is our clergy so clericalist?? Dommage tout de meme !@@georgenchumbonga2969
If there is one thing one can uphold about Bishop Nkea is that he is a gifted orator ! However, one can feel his being uncomfortable with the question of the Priest-Journalist on the reaction of the Cameroonian Episcopal Conference to Fiducia Supplicans. One feels that the Journalist gets the nuance of the new theology of pastoral blessings proposed by FS. Bishop Nkea rattles some answers. He says he can bless a homosexual and not a homosexual couple. Fair enough ! This is exactly what FS is saying. Blessings are directed to individuals who genuinely and spontaneously come for a blessing outside of any liturgica context. "Blessings, like Holy Communion, are not a reward for the perfect but food for the journey." (Michael Seans). Bishop Nkea says, he cannot bless a homosexual couple. But FS is not about gay couples but "human persons" living in an "irregular union." His argument is that, " benediction" means "speak well." How could one speak well of a gay couple? Etymologically, Bishop Nkea is very right. However, he is also committing the Etymological fallacy which is the faulty argument that the "true" or "proper" meaning of a word is its oldest or original meaning. Because the meanings of words change over time, a word's contemporary definition can't be established from its origin (or etymology). In linguistics there is a huge difference between semantics and pragmatics. And everyone, will agree that when a priest blesses water, the intention is not solely reduced to "bene- dire" (speak well of) from the etymological point of view. But "blessed water" is a sign of God's renewed presence ! This implies that meaning is always in context ( this pragmatics in linguistics cf. Silva Moise- Biblical Words and their meaning). In this case, a "blessing' could be an invitation to conversion or a reassurance of God's assistance despite the sinner's condition. And consequently, a call to conversion. A spiritual journey!!! It is the context that defines "meaning." This is where many people missed the point including some bishops. "Our sins degrade our human dignity but they do not remove it. Grace, the grace of the cross, removes the sins and grounds the dignity of the human person." (Michael Seans). The priest Journalist captures this nuances excellently ! Bishop cites the argument of "authority" to underscore his point by quoting Card Fridolin Ambongo, President of SCEAM. Nonetheless, Bishop Nkea signed a document which accused the Declaration of "hypocrisy" and consequently, Card Fernandes and ultimately the Pope. Was this a fair judgment? This lacked a "discerning listening". Would this have ever happened in the time of Pope Benedict? For me, where the Bishops erred pastorally, was the failure to give a press conference, explained to journalists the intention of the FS or ask for clarification of DDF before Bishop Nkea signed his rejoinder which lacked intellectual depth and too reactionary. This would have reduced the anxiety among the faithful and the media blitz it caused. My final observation is about the interview. Bishop Nkea refutes the allegation that Cameroonian bishops are disunited. He gives the example of the Ambazonia. For me this is sheer sophistry. Truth is the truth. Sometimes these divergent views from the bishops are informed by the acquaintance with Biyaland regime ! On n'est pas dupe !!! Quand meme ! Even the blind sees this !
This is an outstanding and objective comment about the interview. Thank you so much for your objective mind. Please, could you contact me at (nchumbong@yahoo.com) I will be waiting.
One can easily see that Bishop Nkea is very uncomfortable with the question concerning FS. Monsieur l'Évêque ne cache pas son embarras ! J'ai le pressentiment que Mgr Nkea n'avait pas écrit lui-même le texte qui a été signé au nom de la conférence épiscopale. J'ose croire et peut-être, je me trompe, que l'un des théologiens anti-Pope Francis a proposé ledit text. Sinon, pourquoi, il recours à l'argument d'autorité en faisant recours au Card Frédolin pour asseoir son argument? Le text de SCEAM était publié bien après!! For those who read the different reactions, public opinion has it that the Cameroonian version was the hardest (embarrassing???) because of the adjective "hypocrisy"qualifying FS.
Thanks indeed for your kind words. Thanks for your helping people also to understand about the Church, its doctrines and Law. We all love the Church and want the Church to be place where we ALL feel welcome under the merciful love of God despite our struggling with the sin! This does not mean at all that anything goes !!! No ! Far from that ! God's mercy can heal !!! Le cléricalisme a vraiment la peaux dure chez nous !!! It will take time to be eradicated. Why is our clergy so clericalist?? Dommage tout de meme !@@georgenchumbonga2969