From Joseph Ratzingers book The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood pgs 87-88
"...there is no appropriate catagory in Catholic thought for the phenomenon of Protestantism today one could say the same for the relationship to the seperated Churches of the east. It is obvious that the old category of "heresy" is no longer of any value. Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of Christian faith fulfilling a positive function the conclusion is inescapable then...Protestantism today is something different from heresy in the traditional sense, a phenomenon whose true place has yet to be determined."

I was at Barnes and Noble and started flipping through the book and fell on this tripe. How is this not heresy? Didn't Trent say that Protestantism is heresy if this is the case isn't Benedict writing heresy here?

Discuss.

He is right in as much as modern Protestantism is no longer a heresy, but often pure apostasy.

This quote provides more context....

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood, pp. 87-88:

“The difficulty in the way of giving an answer is a profound one.  Ultimately it is due to the fact that there is no appropriate category in Catholic thought for the phenomenon of Protestantism today (one could say the same of the relationship to the separated churches of the East).  It is obvious that the old category of ‘heresy’ is no longer of any value.  Heresy, for Scripture and the early Church, includes the idea of a personal decision against the unity of the Church, and heresy’s characteristic is pertinacia, the obstinacy of him who persists in his own private way.  This, however, cannot be regarded as an appropriate description of the spiritual situation of the Protestant Christian.  In the course of a now centuries-old history, Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of Christian faith, fulfilling a positive function in the development of the Christian message and, above all, often giving rise to a sincere and profound faith in the individual non-Catholic Christian, whose separation from the Catholic affirmation has nothing to do with the pertinacia characteristic of heresy.  Perhaps we may here invert a saying of St. Augustine’s: that an old schism becomes a heresy.  The very passage of time alters the character of a division, so that an old division is something essentially different from a new one.  Something that was once rightly condemned as heresy cannot later simply become true, but it can gradually develop its own positive ecclesial nature, with which the individual is presented as his church and in which he lives as a believer, not as a heretic.  This organization of one group, however, ultimately has an effect on the whole.  The conclusion is inescapable, then: Protestantism today is something different from heresy in the traditional sense, a phenomenon whose true theological place has not yet been determined.”

You're right, that quote is useful. It makes me even MORE sick.

Santo, you've fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Benedict saying "Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of Christian faith, fulfilling a positive function in the development of the Christian message and, above all, often giving rise to a sincere and profound faith in the individual non-Catholic Christian, whose separation from the Catholic affirmation has nothing to do with the pertinacia characteristic of heresy" is an outrage and apostasy. The Protestants aren't heretics? People who deny the Church of Christ aren't heretics? This is just another attempt at pitting all religions on the same level, something that Vatican II has done in a very obvious way yet people can't seem to realize it.

The First Vatican Council specifically stated "there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church". So why the heck are we kissing up to these non-Catholic religions? Benedict must think we are absolute fools. And sadly, alot of people ARE fools, that's how Vatican II got away with nearly all of their plans, people are too stupid to wake up and see the big picture.

For Benedict to say the Protestant's separation from the Catholic Church has nothing to do with heresy is a farce. Martin Luther was excommunicated, hello? The man was the definition of heretical. It is insane to make such bizzare, un-Catholic statements, coming from the man who went on to be Pope at that!

This quote provides more context....

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood, pp. 87-88:

Quote

“The difficulty in the way of giving an answer is a profound one.  Ultimately it is due to the fact that there is no appropriate category in Catholic thought for the phenomenon of Protestantism today (one could say the same of the relationship to the separated churches of the East).  It is obvious that the old category of ‘heresy’ is no longer of any value.  Heresy, for Scripture and the early Church, includes the idea of a personal decision against the unity of the Church, and heresy’s characteristic is pertinacia, the obstinacy of him who persists in his own private way.  This, however, cannot be regarded as an appropriate description of the spiritual situation of the Protestant Christian.  In the course of a now centuries-old history, Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of Christian faith, fulfilling a positive function in the development of the Christian message and, above all, often giving rise to a sincere and profound faith in the individual non-Catholic Christian, whose separation from the Catholic affirmation has nothing to do with the pertinacia characteristic of heresy.  Perhaps we may here invert a saying of St. Augustine’s: that an old schism becomes a heresy.  The very passage of time alters the character of a division, so that an old division is something essentially different from a new one.  Something that was once rightly condemned as heresy cannot later simply become true, but it can gradually develop its own positive ecclesial nature, with which the individual is presented as his church and in which he lives as a believer, not as a heretic.  This organization of one group, however, ultimately has an effect on the whole.  The conclusion is inescapable, then: Protestantism today is something different from heresy in the traditional sense, a phenomenon whose true theological place has not yet been determined.”

Well, the added context does him no favor, in that, it only magnifies and compounds his erroneous ideas.  His predecessors have taught and declared quite the opposite.  We should pray that as Pope, he has abandoned such foolishness and the prideful spirit which leads one to speak in opposition to the Church in such a manner.


JMJ

It is obvious that the old category of "heresy" is no longer of any value.

This is true, if one dismisses "dogma" as an "old category" that is "no longer of any value."

In the course of a now centuries-old history, Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of Christian faith, fulfilling a positive function in the development of the Christian message and, above all, often giving rise to a sincere and profound faith in the individual non-Catholic Christian

This is the sort of relativism that is concomitant with discarding "heresy" and "dogma" as "irrelevant." That's why he can say such things as this:

Something that was once rightly condemned as heresy cannot later simply become true, but it can gradually develop its own positive ecclesial nature, with which the individual is presented as his church and in which he lives as a believer, not as a heretic.

So, something can be "rightly condemned" and "cannot later simply become true" but it can "develop its own positive ecclesial nature"? A heretic can become a "true believer"? Who cares about absolute truth, when one can avail himself of Hegelian gibberish to explain away apostasy and heresy as having "positive ecclesial" value, right?

O St. Thomas, send us real theologians educated according to your philosophy and sacred theology that may purge the printed word from the modernist trash that has damned countless of souls to error and hell, that the Eternal Word may be rightly adored and glorified in the verity of true doctrine and in the holiness of grace.