Papal Adviser Father Antonio Spadaro Accused of ‘Heretical Blasphemy’

 

We gained some further insight into the deep problems within Pope Francis' Pontificate this morning as one of his closest advisors, Antonio "2+2=5" Spadaro is being called out for claiming that Jesus was healed and freed “from the rigidity of the theological, political and cultural elements dominant in his time.”

Above: A real Tweet from Spadaro in 2017

The deeply problematic Spadaro has been a part of the Francis Pontificate from the start and it was clear as early as 2017 that he was deeply ideologically compromised when he co-authored an article on religious politics which, with the benefit of hindsight, gave us some pretty big clues about the direction this Pontificate would take in respect of America.

I get it that the Pope doesn’t like Americans, but dismissing criticisms as being from backwardist reactionaries, looks like someone putting his fingers in his ears employing ad hominems instead of addressing the issues.

— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) August 28, 2023

Despite the fact that the article was completely ripped to shreds by all and sundry, not least in terms of its academic peer reviews, neither Spadaro nor Pope Francis seemed the least bit detered.

It seems very clear to me that all the long running criticisms of the Jesuit order have been very much brought to the fore by the Francis Pontificate.

Examples like this one are indicative of the accusations that Jesuits are overly secular in a pseudo academic way, especially in their approach to theology, potentially leading to a neglect of traditional spiritual practices. We regularly see the Pope misquoting or manipulating Scripture to fit some agenda.

The Jesuit order has come to represent controversial theological positions, casuistry, syncretism and cultural accommodation and overt political involvement. All elements we see writ large in the Pontificate of Pope Francis.

Edward Pentin reports that, writing in Il Fatto Quotidiano Aug. 20, a highly secular left-wing Italian daily, Father Spadaro reflected on the Gospel story of the faith of a Canaanite woman and concluded that Jesus was healed and freed “from the rigidity of the theological, political and cultural elements dominant in his time.”

Pentin continues:

"The Church Fathers and Church tradition have always interpreted the story as a powerful reminder of the importance of faith. The woman did not give up on Jesus, even when he seemed to be rejecting her. She continued to believe that he could help her daughter, and in the end, her faith was rewarded.

But for Father Spadaro, along with other modernist and heterodox preachers before him, Jesus initially has a prejudiced and exclusionist view in the Gospel story, but is converted by the Canaanite woman, making it a story of what today is the cliched term “radical inclusion.”

However, the Italian Jesuit twists the story even further, reducing Jesus to possessing many human failings, including “rigidity” and “nationalism” but which are then transformed into acceptance and liberation from “dominant theological, political, and cultural elements of his time.” The transformation of the Lord, he says, is “the seed of a revolution.”

Father Spadaro’s reflection is significant given the audacity with which he ascribes to Jesus such deficiencies, thereby undermining Church teaching on Christ’s divinity, but also because of the Italian Jesuit’s closeness to the Pope, and that he is editor of the historically prestigious Jesuit periodical La Civilta Cattolica."

Edward includes a full translation of the article in his post here.

A constant theme for me with the Francis Pontificate is the way in which error is boldly pronounced, albeit often wrapped in casuistry and nuance, and then staunchly defended by people with little understanding of the issues or the potential damage. If you know the history of the Jesuit order you can recognise in Pope Francis all the worst extremes and criticisms of the Jesuits placed front and centre.