My Dear Brethren,
In the days before Vatican II the Paschal Candle remained in the sanctuary until Ascension Thursday, but nowadays it seems to be a common feature of Conciliar Churches throughout much of the year. Its presence is not without significance as it alludes to the new doctrine of “the Paschal Mystery,” ‘which has become the foundation of, and the key to, the meaning of the entire Christian liturgy.’
According to the ‘new theology’ this Paschal Mystery is not a total innovation but rather one which presents ‘a fresh look at the traditional dogma of the Redemption.’ Indeed, the expression ‘Redemption’ is now considered to be too negative in that it overemphasises the notion of atonement and satisfaction of Divine Justice, the cooperation of man, and the pains of Christ’s Passion. In a word, ‘Redemption’ is “too Old Testament!” The new doctrine of the Paschal Mystery is meant to put things back in their proper perspective by emphasising the great importance of love, the initiative of God, and the new life of Resurrection.
In reality the new doctrine of the Paschal Mystery implies the abandoning of a former position as it no longer wishes to consider the Passion of Christ as a propitiatory offering to divine justice offended by sin. In order to justify this change there is a new theology of sin in which the work of Redemption appears in a new light: it is to be seen as a work of love - and not of justice - whereby God reveals the infinite charity with which He pursues man. Sin is no longer to be regarded as an offence against God but only as something detrimental to man and to society. The humanity of Christ need no longer offer satisfaction to appease the divine anger provoked by our offences!
Hence Redemption is no longer the satisfaction of divine justice as wrought by Christ’s sacrifice upon Calvary; it is instead ‘the supreme revelation of the eternal covenant which God made with humanity and which has never been destroyed by sin.’
As the messianic mission by Christ is no longer to be understood as His satisfying for the sins of man, but only to reveal fully the love of the Father, so the traditional doctrine of Redemption has also been ‘corrected’ in two additional ways. Firstly, the work of Redemption must be attributed to God the Father rather than to Christ as Man; ‘Jesus is no longer Redeemer properly speaking - he is rather the arena where God the Father saves us.’ Secondly, the principal act of Redemption is no longer the death of Christ, but rather His Resurrection and Ascension.
His new teaching is said to have rediscovered “Paschal dynamism;” the mystery of the Cross remains, but of the Cross seen in the fullness of its wonderful fruitfulness, insofar as it includes the Resurrection of Christ,
His Ascension, and the showering of all the marvellous gifts upon man through Christ who has become pneuma or life-giving spirit. ‘The Paschal Mystery is identified with Christ-pneuma whose saving work now rediscovers a presence or actuality in the sacramental and liturgical mysteries . . .
The doctrine of the Paschal Mystery was very much present at Vatican II, at least as a general atmosphere influencing the various constitutions. For instance, nowhere in the conciliar documents is it said that sin creates a debt in justice towards Almighty God or that sin is an obstacle to God’s love for us. In the texts concerning Christ not once do we see the idea of satisfaction.
Following the Council, a document of the International Theological Commission made explicit the central teaching of the Paschal Mystery, namely the putting aside of Christ’s vicarious satisfaction. This theology of the Paschal Mystery became the soul of the “liturgical restoration” and has affected all the new rites. Since the Redemption is now seen as a full revelation of the Father’s free and superabundant love for us, the response which the celebration of the new liturgy embodies can only be one of thanksgiving and petition. And as the vicarious satisfaction of Christ and His mediation in prayer no longer prove to be essential, such notions have largely been removed from the New Missal and notably from the Eucharistic Prayers. It is God the Father, rather than the Son, who brings about universal Redemption through pure love, the fruits of which are obtained by commemorating the mystery. . .
The differences between the Traditional Missal and the New Missal are nothing other than a reflection in the Liturgy of two divergent doctrines. One doctrine - the traditional one - describes the expiatory value of the Death of Christ as essential to the work of Redemption. The other - the new theology - considers the expiatory value of Christ’s Death to be a theological opinion incompatible with the goodness of God!
In this time of the Passion, as we consider the great work of the Redemption, and whilst awaiting the joys of Easter, we do well to consider again St Paul’s words to Timothy:
Dearly beloved, I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by His coming and His kingdom: preach the word; be instant in season and out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time when they shall not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires they will heap to themselves teachers, having twitching ears, and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant . . .
Yours truly in Christ Our Saviour,
Father Paul Morgan
In the days before Vatican II the Paschal Candle remained in the sanctuary until Ascension Thursday, but nowadays it seems to be a common feature of Conciliar Churches throughout much of the year. Its presence is not without significance as it alludes to the new doctrine of “the Paschal Mystery,” ‘which has become the foundation of, and the key to, the meaning of the entire Christian liturgy.’
According to the ‘new theology’ this Paschal Mystery is not a total innovation but rather one which presents ‘a fresh look at the traditional dogma of the Redemption.’ Indeed, the expression ‘Redemption’ is now considered to be too negative in that it overemphasises the notion of atonement and satisfaction of Divine Justice, the cooperation of man, and the pains of Christ’s Passion. In a word, ‘Redemption’ is “too Old Testament!” The new doctrine of the Paschal Mystery is meant to put things back in their proper perspective by emphasising the great importance of love, the initiative of God, and the new life of Resurrection.
In reality the new doctrine of the Paschal Mystery implies the abandoning of a former position as it no longer wishes to consider the Passion of Christ as a propitiatory offering to divine justice offended by sin. In order to justify this change there is a new theology of sin in which the work of Redemption appears in a new light: it is to be seen as a work of love - and not of justice - whereby God reveals the infinite charity with which He pursues man. Sin is no longer to be regarded as an offence against God but only as something detrimental to man and to society. The humanity of Christ need no longer offer satisfaction to appease the divine anger provoked by our offences!
Hence Redemption is no longer the satisfaction of divine justice as wrought by Christ’s sacrifice upon Calvary; it is instead ‘the supreme revelation of the eternal covenant which God made with humanity and which has never been destroyed by sin.’
As the messianic mission by Christ is no longer to be understood as His satisfying for the sins of man, but only to reveal fully the love of the Father, so the traditional doctrine of Redemption has also been ‘corrected’ in two additional ways. Firstly, the work of Redemption must be attributed to God the Father rather than to Christ as Man; ‘Jesus is no longer Redeemer properly speaking - he is rather the arena where God the Father saves us.’ Secondly, the principal act of Redemption is no longer the death of Christ, but rather His Resurrection and Ascension.
His new teaching is said to have rediscovered “Paschal dynamism;” the mystery of the Cross remains, but of the Cross seen in the fullness of its wonderful fruitfulness, insofar as it includes the Resurrection of Christ,
His Ascension, and the showering of all the marvellous gifts upon man through Christ who has become pneuma or life-giving spirit. ‘The Paschal Mystery is identified with Christ-pneuma whose saving work now rediscovers a presence or actuality in the sacramental and liturgical mysteries . . .
The doctrine of the Paschal Mystery was very much present at Vatican II, at least as a general atmosphere influencing the various constitutions. For instance, nowhere in the conciliar documents is it said that sin creates a debt in justice towards Almighty God or that sin is an obstacle to God’s love for us. In the texts concerning Christ not once do we see the idea of satisfaction.
Following the Council, a document of the International Theological Commission made explicit the central teaching of the Paschal Mystery, namely the putting aside of Christ’s vicarious satisfaction. This theology of the Paschal Mystery became the soul of the “liturgical restoration” and has affected all the new rites. Since the Redemption is now seen as a full revelation of the Father’s free and superabundant love for us, the response which the celebration of the new liturgy embodies can only be one of thanksgiving and petition. And as the vicarious satisfaction of Christ and His mediation in prayer no longer prove to be essential, such notions have largely been removed from the New Missal and notably from the Eucharistic Prayers. It is God the Father, rather than the Son, who brings about universal Redemption through pure love, the fruits of which are obtained by commemorating the mystery. . .
The differences between the Traditional Missal and the New Missal are nothing other than a reflection in the Liturgy of two divergent doctrines. One doctrine - the traditional one - describes the expiatory value of the Death of Christ as essential to the work of Redemption. The other - the new theology - considers the expiatory value of Christ’s Death to be a theological opinion incompatible with the goodness of God!
In this time of the Passion, as we consider the great work of the Redemption, and whilst awaiting the joys of Easter, we do well to consider again St Paul’s words to Timothy:
Dearly beloved, I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by His coming and His kingdom: preach the word; be instant in season and out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time when they shall not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires they will heap to themselves teachers, having twitching ears, and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant . . .
Yours truly in Christ Our Saviour,
Father Paul Morgan