Frank Bruni has an op-ed in the NYTimes this morning that is nothing short of savage
concerning what Bruni sees as the “privilege” granted the Roman
Catholic Church in investigating the child abuse scandals that have
haunted it in recent times. Bruni is so dismissive of the role that
religion plays in our society that I find myself in the unenviable
position of seeming to rise to defend the indefensible.
But then that is not really the case. The Roman Catholic Church is without defense when it comes to both the abuse that occurred and the cover up of that abuse. Theologically, such is the nature of our sinful state. There is no excuse, no defense – There is but the grace of God. It is my hope and my prayer that this ugly, ugly situation will result in the church rediscovering its reliance not on itself, but on that grace. The Roman Catholic Church, or any other institution claiming to operate in God’s name, should be naked before the world in the face of such wrongdoing. As the confessional opens the penitent for grace, so will exposure open the Roman Catholic Church to it.
http://www.kvoi.com/hugh-hewitt/when-the-church-fails/
But then that is not really the case. The Roman Catholic Church is without defense when it comes to both the abuse that occurred and the cover up of that abuse. Theologically, such is the nature of our sinful state. There is no excuse, no defense – There is but the grace of God. It is my hope and my prayer that this ugly, ugly situation will result in the church rediscovering its reliance not on itself, but on that grace. The Roman Catholic Church, or any other institution claiming to operate in God’s name, should be naked before the world in the face of such wrongdoing. As the confessional opens the penitent for grace, so will exposure open the Roman Catholic Church to it.
http://www.kvoi.com/hugh-hewitt/when-the-church-fails/