“Perspective Is Not the Enemy of Truth”—But Is That Really True for the Church?

ROME—At a Synod assembly press conference the other day, a U.S. bishop made the comment that “Perspective is not the enemy of truth.”

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, is not only a delegate to the Synod assembly, but he has led U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ synodal work—and is chair of the Conference’s Committee on Doctrine—so his own perspective is a unique one since he is someone who has been steeped in synodal practices for at least the last few years.

Bishop Flores went on to state that he believes “perspective is the way of the church.” While I loved this idea that perspective and truth are not enemies, I was a little more skeptical about this second notion. To say that perspective is the way of the church sounds like a bit of a stretch.

Of course, perspective is not an enemy of truth. From the days of Plato and birth of Western philosophy, sharing, comparing, and challenging various perspectives has been a time-honored way of getting to the truth. It’s called dialectic, and it is the process that Socrates uses during the conversations that he had which are presented in Plato’s famous dialogues.

I am all in favor of appreciating various perspectives. As someone who has studied rhetoric in graduate school, I heartily believe in the power of persuasion and discussion. Like Cicero, the greatest of the ancient Roman rhetoricians, I believe that it is by the airing of various viewpoints, the comparison of similarities and differences among different positions, that people can arrive at common ground, and perhaps even at truth.

In some ways, that would be the ideal goal of a synod. All perspectives presented in good faith would be honored and respected. Disagreements can possibly be ironed out by finding common values which underlie opposing views. And, indeed, that would be the ideal of how the Catholic Church should always operate.

Except that I know that hasn’t been the reality in which I have lived.

For people of my own and past generations who have longed for a discussion of LGBTQ+ issues, the reality that we have lived has been one of rejection, censorship, and silencing. And those exclusionary practices were all justified by the idea that there was only one perspective–that of the pope and the Magisterium–that was authentically Catholic.

Here’s one example. In 2011, when New Ways Ministry requested a meeting with Cardinal Francis George, OMI, then the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I received a letter from Fr. Thomas Weinandy, OFM, Cap., then the executive director of the conference’s Committee on Doctrine. Fr. Weinandy informed me that Cardinal George would not meet with me, and he gave the following as part of his reason:

“In matters of faith and morals, meaningful dialogue for members of the Church can only take place within the context of an affirmation of the Church’s teaching. Bishops are not going to enter into negotiations concerning the content of Church teaching and they will avoid situations which might give the impression that they are doing so. Dialogue about helping bring others to Christ, his Church and her teaching can be fruitful only if such dialogue affirms and accepts the definitive teaching of the Church and also recognizes the role of bishops in authoritatively articulating authentic faith and morals.”

Don’t get me wrong: I am delighted that this repressive kind of Catholicism seems to be on the wane. With the advent of synodal thinking, it does seem that Catholicism is becoming a church which is beginning to value perspective. Of course, repressive measures have not been eradicated in all or even in many places. Which is why I bristle when I hear a bishop now saying that perspective is the face of the church. It should be, but it is not yet.

I don’t think Bishop Flores was dissimulating. I sincerely believe that he sincerely hopes that the Catholic Church will become a church which doesn’t see perspective as an enemy of truth. But, it must be acknowledged that the Church is not there yet. Here is a list of items that we would see if perspective really was valued:

1. Openly LGBTQ+ people would have been selected as delegates to the Synod assembly. And also there would have been delegates who are divorced, those who use birth control, women who are called to the priesthood and the diaconate, priests who would like to marry, among many others. The Synod assembly would be much more diverse than it presently is.
2. Each diocese would be establishing non-discrimination policies, including policies that would protect LGBTQ+ people employed in church institutions.
3. Many more parishes would begin to welcome LGBTQ+ people into their congregations. LGBTQ+ topics would not be banned from parish education programs and Catholic schools.
4. Each bishop and diocese would institute vigorous synodal practices, institutions, and events. At least in the U.S., many dioceses did not promote involvement in the 2021-2024 Synod on Synodality. More needs to be done. And more needs to be done to invite those marginalized and alienated by the church to participate.
5. Parishes and dioceses would give up banning certain speakers from church facilities.
6. Diocesan newspapers would become publications of discussion, where various perspectives on church issues can be presented and discussed.

These are just a few of the things that come to my mind when I think of a church that values perspective. Such policies exist in precious few places. May the spirit of synodality which Pope Francis is awakening take root in our church in these concrete ways and many others like them.

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, October 9, 2024