We Catholics have a few dogmas such as the perpetual virginity of Mary. Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. Here is what I’ve read about responsible dissent [note: not allowed for dogmas.]
(begin) “Pray, pay, and obey.” It wasn’t too long ago that this was, at least tongue-in-cheek, a definition of what the laity was supposed to do. The clergy, especially bishops, taught, and the laity listened. Information flowed in one direction. Vatican II changed that. It called us to be a more adult church, a pilgrim church “on the way” together, a church of dialogue. Pope Francis, in his recent post-synod, apostolic exhortation to young people, Christus Vivit (Christ Lives), reminds us of this calling. When the Code of Canon Law was revised in 1983, a lot of attention was paid to the rights of the laity as full and active members of the church, including, for example, the right to — in accord with their knowledge and expertise — make their opinions known (cc. 212, 218).
However, with adult rights come adult responsibilities. As members of the Body of Christ, our first responsibility is to maintain communion with the church, promote its growth and well-being, and spread the Gospel in word and deed (cc. 210, 211, 217). We have the right to make our opinions known, but in doing so we must always consider the integrity of faith and morals, have respect for the teaching of the church, and be attentive to the common good and dignity of persons (c. 212). In other words, disagreement is one thing; how we disagree is another.
Far from being necessarily a bad thing, disagreement (or, in church talk, dissent) can be a way to help the church formulate its teachings in ways that are more convincing or closer to the mark.
But dissent must be done in a respectful manner. It is never an issue of “I am right, and the church is wrong.” Rather, it is an issue of: “Faith and reason must work together, and I find the reasons given for a particular teaching unconvincing. Therefore, in good conscience, I cannot accept the teaching as formulated, but will continue to study and pray about the matter.” This is a question of adult ownership, of mature faith. (end)
It seems the comic’s message does not apply to us Catholics. No parachutes permitted. No critical thinking allowed when it comes to dogma. Okay, but how does one deal with perpetual virginity when after a little research and discovery we find the following.
I’m always suspicious of what the other “gospels” describe. These are the Apocrypha that are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture. The word apocryphal was first applied to writings which were to be read privately rather than in the public context of church services. They are of doubtful authority.
(begin) The Gospel of James is one of several surviving Infancy Gospels that give an idea of the miracle literature that was created to satisfy the hunger of early Christians for more detail about the early life of their Savior…
Interestingly enough, not one work of the genre under discussion is in any Bible. In Greek, such an infancy gospel was termed a protevangelion, a "pre-Gospel" narrating events of Jesus' life before those recorded in the four canonical gospels (my emphasis). Such a work was intended to be "apologetic, doctrinal, or simply to satisfy one's curiosity." (end)
The Gospel of James is a midrash (an elaboration) on the birth narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. (begin) Many of its elements, notably its very physical description of Mary's pregnancy and the examination of her hymen by the midwife Salome (my emphasis), suggest strongly that it was attempting to deny the arguments of docetists (my emphasis) – Christians who held that Jesus was entirely supernatural… (end)
Here are parts of the Gospel of James:
19. And I [Joseph] saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: O man, whither are you going? And I said: I am seeking a Hebrew midwife… And yet she is not my wife, but has conceived of the Holy Spirit. And the midwife said to him: Is this true? And Joseph said to her: Come and see. And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: My soul has been magnified this day, because my eyes have seen strange things — because salvation has been brought forth to Israel. And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary. And the midwife cried out, and said: This is a great day to me, because I have seen this strange sight. And the midwife went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to you: a virgin has brought forth — a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome: As the Lord my God lives, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth (my emphasis).
20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show yourself; for no small controversy has arisen about you. And Salome put in her finger, and cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if burned with fire (my emphasis). And she bent her knees before the Lord, saying: O God of my fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; do not make a show of me to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor; for You know, O Lord, that in Your name I have performed my services, and that I have received my reward at Your hand. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by her, saying to her: Salome, Salome, the Lord has heard you. Put your hand to the infant, and carry it, and you will have safety and joy. And Salome went and carried it, saying: I will worship Him, because a great King has been born to Israel. And, behold, Salome was immediately cured, and she went forth out of the cave justified (my emphasis). And behold a voice saying: Salome, Salome, tell not the strange things you have seen, until the child has come into Jerusalem. (end)
Here is where critical thinking should apply. If perpetually virginity is based on the apocryphal Gospel of James, why did the Church make this article of faith dogma; that is, Mary was virgin before, during, and after pregnancy, and Jesus passed out of her body as light passes through glass leaving her untouched and unharmed. Now that’s a miracle we are obliged to accept. We cannot dissent. No disagreement is allowed.
I accept the existence of miracles as part of our faith. But there are instances where I find it difficult to suspend disbelief. Therefore, in good conscience, I struggle with this dogma, but I will continue to study and pray about the matter. This is a question of my adult ownership of mature faith.
Deacon David Pierce
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