Speaker refers to “Jesus and the Holy Spirit as Sub Divinities”
The Catholic Church promotes dialogue and respect for other religions but warns against syncretism, which is the blending of incompatible elements into Catholic faith and practice. Although Church teaching and law unequivocally reject syncretism (Catechism of the Catholic Church (C842-843, 2110-2114; Code of Canon Law (Canon) 747 §1, 1371, 755 §2) the Saint Mary’s College Center for the Study of Spirituality (CFSS) has promoted syncretism through various lectures—without challenge or correction. Under the leadership of Dan Horan, who recently left the Franciscan order and is seeking laicization, the Center has hosted lectures that misrepresent the faith, while Horan, who moderates these events, fails to offer any rebuttal or defense of authentic Catholic doctrine.
Not only does this compromise Saint Mary’s Catholic identity, but it also misses an important evangelical opportunity with students who are not Catholic while creating confusion about the Truth of Catholicism for those who are.
On September 10th, the Center’s Ex Libris Author Lecture Series, which provides a platform for authors, scholars, and theologians to discuss their recent publications, featured SMC Religious Studies and Theology Associate Professor Kurt Buhring, Ph.D., discussing his book Spirit(s) in Black Religion: Fire on the Inside. According to the back cover, Buhring’s book “argues that there are rich resources within African and African-based religions to develop a more robust notion of the Holy Spirit for contemporary Black liberation theology.”
During his lecture, Buhring elaborated:
“I believe that African-based ideas of the spirit may enrich not only the Christian notion of the Holy Spirit but also Christian conceptions of God more broadly” (see video below, 11:10 – 12:00) – noting that African ideas of the spirit include ancestors and “Voodoo Lwa” (11:31-11:52).
According to Buhring, Subdivinities, ancestor worship, and magic are discussed as pathways to understanding God as liberator and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are “sub divinities” (15:07 – 15:15).
It is no surprise that he believes that focusing on Christ “has tended toward an exclusivistic view of the truth” (33:58 – 34:22).
DOES SAINT MARY’S HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CLARIFY CHURCH TEACHING AT PUBLIC EVENTS?
Saint Mary’s should consider guidelines for presenting controversial subjects. According to Notre Dame’s Common Proposal, “A university has an obligation to promote the free discussion of issues that are controversial in our society. A Catholic university has an added obligation to sponsor academic events that consider controversial issues in the light of Catholic teachings.” How this is achieved, according to the Common Proposal, depends on the circumstances. However, it notes that nothing should give the “impression of endorsing controversial perspectives, especially those directly contrary to Catholic teachings” and “when a significant issue in the Catholic tradition is touched upon, that tradition should be presented.”
Had the Center’s Director followed a similar course in promoting the event, interviewing the speaker, or moderating the question-and-answer session at the end, we would have still objected to the content. However, that was not the case for this Ex Libris Speaker. Dan Horan, Director of CFSS and former Franciscan priest, does not follow this protocol. Instead, this lecture was an unrebutted anti-Catholic presentation at a Catholic school.
