It appears that a big question up for debate now is whether the theological movement known as Radical Orthodoxy will eventually become truly orthodox. A blog "Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex" recently featured an article entitled: "John Milbank: Friend of Catholics or Just Plain Delusional?" in which the author criticized Milbank as " a theological modernist who just happens to love some smells and bells."

Who should happen along in the com box but John M. himself and he had this to say:

"Many thanks indeed for all the contributions above. I just want to clear up two points. Most importantly I have recently celebrated and NOT criticised the ‘romanticism’ of the theologies of both the present and the last Pope with respect to nuptial mysticism in a Modern Theology article which defends their views against the criticisms of Ferkus Kerr OP — whom I hasten to add, I enormously admire in general. Secondly the essays about homosexuality in the RO volume are in certain crucial ways at odds with my own views."

One of the blog authors sent Milbank an email with some questions and Milbank responded. I thought the whole response was interesting enough to post.

Many thanks for your email. RO isn’t a movement that demands ‘assent’ to a list of propositions. In my view that should be for Church bodies alone. It’s a loosely defined ethos, tendency and network, close to several other tendencies and to more specifically defined movements: to Communio, the JP II Institutes, Communio e Liberazione, Focolare (beginning a little), Russian sophiologists and to the entire nouvelle theologie legacy.

RO does not see itself as an Anglican movement, but as an ecumenically Catholic movement that includes Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, and some ‘post-Protestants’ in the Protestant communions.

Anthropology is crucial as you rightly say. I suppose though that theologians might agree in general about human nature and its relation to God and still disagree about questions of gender and sexuality — even though there is an intimate link.

On the latter front, as on some others, I would say that RO has evolved and that currently it is somewhat more ‘conservative’ than it was at the outset. This applies both to a shift in perspective on the part of individuals and the arrival of younger more emphatic people plus the falling-away of some of the first batch who have moved towards a more liberal position. Others of that same batch remain highly sympathetic to RO in many, or even most ways, while being critical in others.

If this helps, I would say that perhaps the most crucial RO-leaning authors are now John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock, Conor Cunningham, Simon Oliver, Adrian Pabst, Phillip Blond, Aaron Riches, Andrew Davison, Michael Hanby, Robert Miner, Peter Chandler, John Montag, Anthony Baker, Alessandra Gerolin, John Hughes, Matt Bullimore, Angel Mendez OP and John Betz — along with many other emerging names in the UK and elsewhere. (If I’ve left someone out here inadvertently, then apologies.) But there are several others who would not formally identify with the movement but are very close to it indeed and very supportive of it.

Of the above names, six are Catholics, one is Eastern Orthodox and eight are Anglicans of which three are likely to become Catholics in the future. (This does not at present include me.) The ecumenicity is therefore reflected in personnel as well as in theory.

September 1, 2010

John Milbank on Radical Orthodoxy's Evolution Toward Historic Orthodoxy

In terms of my own positions re gender and sexuality I suspect that some Catholics would find me a shade too liberal, but in terms of contemporary positions I would be classed as extremely ‘conservative’: against abortion, experiments on foeteses, against any idea that homosexuality can be the subject of equal rights, in favour of the importance of sexual difference, critical of liberal feminism, and holding the opinion that the separation of sex and procreation is in effect a state capitalist programme of bioethical tyranny etc etc. To my mind the Papacy is the crucial bulwark against this, even if I favour married clergy, ordaining women (my wife is an Anglican priest who is at least as conservative as the current Pope in most ways) and recognising gay civil partnerships (though certainly not gay marriage, which I regard as ontologically impossible — I also think that civil partnerships not linked to sex should be included for reasons of inheritance etc.) Some within RO are more conservative than me on these points.

https://www.douglasjacoby.com/a-more-accurate-medical-account-of-the-crucifixion/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/12/08/this-bone-provides-the-only-skeletal-evidence-for-crucifixion-in-the-ancient-world/#1f3c8535476d

e of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into^[d] your kingdom.” ⁴³And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Mark 15:32 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

³²Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

several short heavy leather thongs, with two small balls of lead or iron attached near the end of each. Pieces of sheep’s bone were sometimes included.

As the scourging proceeds, the heavy leather thongs produce first superficial cuts, than deeper damage to underlying tissues. Bleeding becomes severe when not only capillaries and veins are cut, but also arteries in the underlying muscles. The small metal balls first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open by further blows. The fragments of sheep’s bone rip the flesh as the whip is drawn back. When the beating is finished, the skin of the back is in ribbons, and the entire area torn and bleeding.

Jurowski Rundfunk-sinfonieorchester Berlin Brahms Mahler

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Dr Henry Stobart

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The Idea of Nicaea in the Early Church Councils, AD 431-451

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

John Milbank on Radical Orthodoxy's Evolution Toward Historic Orthodoxy

Mark 15:32 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

School of Salamanca

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A summary of some reasons for challenging Political Correctness - and Theological Correctness - at Cambridge, and reasons for withholding donations to Cambridge.