Easter thoughts on Bill Hobbs and academic Sodom
I have to admit that I do not know Bill Hobbs in the way that many others in the Tennessee blogging community know him, I was not a regular reader of his before he suspended his regular blog in January, I just peeked in from time to time. I am more familiar with his present endeavors over at Blogging for Bryson. However, as much of the rest of the Volunteer blogosphere have something to say about the fact that Bill Hobbs abruptly "resigned" from his position at Belmont after publishing a controversial cartoon depicting Muhammed in a negative way.Belmont was once very much a Baptist institution, and as Rob Huddleston points out, when the Baptists get pushed out of the leadership of that institution, people like Bill Hobbs, who is, so far as I can tell, a good Christian man, get fired (that's what really happened) for expressing details of their beliefs on their own time-that is the same sort of thing that would happen at a secular liberal state school.
Let me share something with my good Protestant (and especially Baptist) brothers and sisters: This thing that has happened at Belmont, sad as it is, is old hat to orthodox, traditional Catholics. Fifty years ago, you could not teach at a Catholic institution unless you were loyal to the Catholic Church, to its doctrines, and you professed to believe in the Scriptures as we understand them. When Catholic colleges began to allow non-Catholics, or more precisely, non-Christians, to teach there, the poison of Lucifer came into the Camp of the Saints. It is hard to find a professor at Notre Dame, Loyola, Xavier, the University of Dayton, or Georgetown that is a truly loyal Catholic. They are out there to be had, but they are still few and far between. This problem began because we allowed unfaithful people to teach and hold positions at our colleges and universities. Welcome to our world.
Of course, this slouch toward Sodom has brought about a counter-movement and the creation of new schools where orthodoxy is the expected norm, such as Ave Maria University and Christendom College, where if you try and teach the anti-Gospel of the Devil you will be run off campus post-haste.
What happened to Bill Hobbs should not have happened, but there needs to be such a strong reaction to it that it provokes people who care about Christian education to begin to create places of learning where such a crime cannot occur.
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 6:19 PM
12 Comments:
I agree with you regarding some of the universities, particularly the Jesuit institutions, but UD? I dunno, it's run by the Marianists... have you heard of something going on in that community? Just thought I'd check in, hope you're doing well Dave. Fr. Putka was from UD you know... did you meet him?
Bill Hobbs lost his job, was fired or whatever, because what he did (the cartoon) was the same as if he'd drawn and published some scurilous racist cartoon. Which is basically what he did. The "Godless, Christ-hating, secular liberals" had nothing to do with this. That's just a cheap cop out and shirking of personal responsabilty. Hobbs' ignorance and bigotry are what did him in. Nothingless and nothing more.
SteveMule
Chuck;
Father Putka is a personal friend of mine and a mentor in the Lord, and has been for many, many years now. If you don't believe me about the nest of liberals floating around UD's campus (the law school is especially bad, last I heard) ask Father Putka. Father Putka had to personally instruct a good friend of mine who came into the Church because the so-called nuns and priests over there were imparting false doctrine.
Is it cool to be a Mason? I've heard it is and I've heard it isn't. Silly question I know but does that have anything to do with the "doctrine" or whatever you two are discussing? You both seem to be pretty up on the topic. I'm a Baptist and into Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura and all that.
SteveMule
Steve;
I suppose it depends on who you ask. For years, to be a member of the Masonic Order was grounds for immediate excommunication. As it stands now, you can't be excommunicated for membership on its face, but it is still discouraged, especially because the Masonic fraternity has a history of rabid anti-Catholicism, especially in Europe and particularly in France.
On top of that, if you are a Knight of Columbus, you are forbidden to join because you can't be both a Knight and a Freemason-hence, even if I wanted to, I could never be a Mason-although the two organizations have been known to co-operate in charitable fundraisers on a local level (softball tournaments and bowling tournaments and little league teams and the like).
Note-it isn't dogma or doctrine, the notion of not joining the Masons-the reason it was forbidden for so long was because the Masonic fraternity hasn't exactly shown itself to be a friend of the Catholic Church for much of its history.
David,
Thanks! Believe it or not that is the clearest answer I have ever had and the only one to exsplain why I kept getting two answers - other than the ubiquitous "I don't know"
SteveMule
Hey Dave, oh I'd believe you about UD, but it's still pretty disappointing. As you may know, Moeller is also a Marianist school (though under the guise of the Archdiocese) and it really did a great job of stressing the importance of Catholicism and the faith more generally. At the time, however, I wasn't so much into politics so maybe that washed over me without effect. Fr. Putka left Moeller 1 year before I attended, though he knew one of my brothers quite well. At least we have him over there fighting the good fight. Seems as though the further up the education ladder you go, the further removed from the Vatican you become. I've heard that the Franciscan University at Steubenville (sp?) provides a fantastic education well grounded in the faith. I may be going to UD for my MPA in the future, so I'll let you know what I find out. :)
Franciscan University of Seubenville is indeed one of the most orthodox "old" Catholic institutions left. I personally believe that this is because of the outstanding leadership of its President, Father Michael Scanlon, OFM.
FUS actively promotes the faith and evangelizes others through its many ministries. Its faculty reads like a who's-who of lay and ordained Catholic scholars, some of our brightest minds. Many of its students have gone on to be ordained to the priesthood and/or enter the religious life.
An interesting note is this: Father Chris was at Wright State for 12 years. Three of the students who sat under his ministry went on to the seminary to become priests. The number of priests coming from UD during the years of Father Chris' ministry? A big fat zero.
Wow. That IS pretty amazing Dave. I'll tell you, I've long considered the priesthood and still keep it open as an option... I just haven't felt the strong calling it would require of yet. My greatest influence in making the decision to enter a seminary? Fr. Chris. The Archdiocese could learn a lesson. I asked him once, if he were in an order which would it be? His answer: the Franciscans. Not to get into a deep theological discussion on this post, but I've always admired the Jesuits for their dedication to academia... I always considered them the order I would be most likely to join, but no more. Recently I sent for information from the Marianists, the Franciscans, and the Archdiocese on what their respective ministerial lives would be like.
Steve: I'd like to apologize if I seemed a bit sensitive in a previous post regarding Dave's candidacy. You certainly are good at provoking debate. :)
BTW Dave, not sure if you were aware of this blog, but Fr. Fox is really terrific. We've had some brief personal correspondence, and he's definitely a theological conservative.
http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com
Chuck;
Actually, Father Chris was a Benedictine Oblate and a former Benedictine monk. He left the monastery because the one he joined was more rigid that the Holy Rule allows for-he later discovered St. Meinrad Archabbey, and became an Oblate (3rd Order) of the Archabbey. He later led me into the Benedictine 3rd Order (the Oblates) as well.
Technically, I could use the abbreviation OBL.OSB after my name (Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict) but have never done so.
I think you would be a wonderful priest! You should come down to Knoxville and become a priest of our diocese if you do not join a religious order. I do not believe you will find a happier (or more orthodox) bunch of priests in many other dioceses. Aside from that, I'd be honored to have you for a confessor or pastor. Many of Knoxville's candidates for the priesthood attend seminary at St. Meinrad.
If you are interested in the priesthood for Cincinnati, talk to Father Mark Watkins-he often says daily Mass at St. Peter in Chains. If you are determined not to leave that area, I'd really recommend studying for the Diocese of Covington because Bishop Foys is a truly blessed man who believes in the Church.
The reason I would recommend Knoxville is because Bishop Kurtz takes no crap. Heresy is simply not tolerated here. On top of that, if you have the right intentions, I can give you a good reference: The Vicar-General of the Diocese of Knoxville also happens to be my pastor, Father Xavier Mankel, OP.
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