“Father wucherpfennig is the pawn.”

The Vatican has voted against another term for Father Ansgar Wucherpfennig at Sankt Georgen Theological College because of his positive comments about homosexuality. For canon lawyer Schuller the case is scandalous.

Interviewer: "Nihil obstat" – Nothing stands in the way. This means a declaration by which the Vatican indicates its agreement when, for example, a theology professor is appointed. Why do you need this "Nihil obstat" when it is usually just a formality from Rome?

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schuller (Director at the Institute for Canon Law at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Munster): It is an administrative act. A routine process in prominent offices at church colleges and Catholic theological faculties, looking to see if the person conforms to Catholic parameters in doctrine and lifestyle. Normally this is an uncomplicated process.

In the current case we are dealing with a professor who has already received the Roman "Nihil obstat" for his profer as a New Testament scholar. So he was certified to be orthodox in his way of life and in his doctrine. It is all the more astonishing that this "Nihil obstat" is now denied when the election of the rector is confirmed.

Interviewer: You mentioned in the "Frankfurter Rundschau" that Pope Francis has additionally expanded the Vatican's powers in appointing leadership positions at universities. How does this fit with the decentralization of the Church otherwise pushed by the Pope?

Schuller: The pope is a master in sending paradoxical messages, and this is such a paradoxical message. In the old law "Sapientia Christiana" – still from John Paul II. – it was said that only the elected directors and rectors of ecclesiastical universities require confirmation by the Congregation for Education. This still seeks the advice of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, that is also important in this case now. Pope Francis, with "Veritatis gaudium" at the end of 2017, stipulated that the election must be confirmed not only in the case of rectors, but also in the case of deans of ecclesiastical universities and Catholic theological faculties. This is a clear centralization. It does not fit with his government program of decentralization – that is, strengthening the local church on the ground.

Interviewer: Are there prominent other cases where the "nihil obstat" from Rome has been denied?

Schuller: This exists in the context of the appointment of professors of theology. There are always problems worldwide. But I don't remember that in the last 20 or 30 years – that's the period of time that I'm looking over with my waking eyes – the election of a rector of an ecclesiastical university has not been confirmed. I mean, there was once an example from Peru. But that was a long time ago. All the more this case is unique and a worrying sign.

Interviewer: In the case of Professor Ansgar Wucherpfennig, it is not a matter of filling a chair at all, but of a leadership position at a theological faculty. So does the "no" from Rome here refer more to the question of representation or authority than to his task as a professor of theology?

Schuller: One will not be able to separate this. The Congregation for Education has apparently involved the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in this matter as well. Here it has become publicly known through third parties – that is always intransparent – that Father Wucherpfennig has given an interview. And suddenly there are content-related parameters added. The office of the rector is a political office. He/she represents the university externally and internally. This has nothing to do with teaching and research.

Now, however, apparently criteria were used which refer to the doctrine. That is a bizarre situation. If one already thinks he would contradict doctrine on the question of "ordination of women, dealing with homosexuals" one could have simply activated formal divorce proceedings. It doesn't fit, it's likely to be a political decision.

Interviewer: Ansgar Wucherpfennig is a Jesuit, as is the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the pope himself. And Sankt Georgen is a renowned university run by Jesuits. What light does this refusal of the "Nihil obstat" throw on the Jesuit Order??

Schuller: It is a clear affront to the Jesuit Order, which intellectually pushes things forward and faces the questions of the time – that has also been the program of St. Ignatius. It is all the more incomprehensible that such an impeccable theologian, who is really not known for rebellious thoughts, as Father Ansgar Wucherpfennig is quasi the pawn with which one probably wants to hit the entire Jesuit community.

But it is also a message to the theological scene worldwide: "Don't think that you can now push things that were previously fixed by the magisterium – keyword: handling and evaluation of homosexuality. We still have disciplinary means in the quiver to lead you on a tight leash." This is the point that my theological colleagues are very upset about at the moment in the decision.

Interviewer: The Vatican has called on Professor Wucherpfennig to recant his position. The latter immediately refused to do so. Believe that this may still have consequences for his profer?

Schuller: It's hard to see that. If that were the case, proceedings should have been opened by now. I do not believe that. This now goes to the 15. October to. Until then, the parties must come to an agreement, and Rome would be wise to withdraw this decision. There are also forces that say: The pope should please take it into his own hands, he can suspend and take back every decision of his curia.

This is not a good development. Father Wucherpfennig is personally damaged. That is actually the scandalous thing about it: that a person is used to negotiate completely different political ies.

The interview was conducted by Hilde Regeniter.

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Christina Cherry
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