Novalis, Kung and Truth. By Monsignor Vincent Foy

Good reading has good effects and bad reading has bad effects. Through reading the greatest of all books, St. Augustine was converted from a life of sin to a life of holiness. Through reading the lives of saints, St. Ignatius of Loyola took his first steps to sanctity. Through bad reading like that of dissident theologians and pornography, many have fallen from faith and grace.

In her Canon law, the Church tries to protect the faithful from bad reading. Canon 827.4 reads: “Books or other written materials dealing with religion or morals may not be displayed, sold or given away in churches or oratories, unless they were published with the permission of the competent ecclesiastical authority or were subsequently approved by that authority.”

Other canons opposing bad reading are in The Code of Canon Law, under the title, “The Means of Social Communication and Books in Particular” (Canons 822-832).

Given the wall of protection the Church raises to protect her sons and daughters from dangerous literature, it was a shock to me to read a recent book review of Disputed Truth, Memoirs II, by Hans Kung in the Catholic Register.

It has been published by the Catholic publisher, Novalis. The Novalis trademark was owned by St. Paul University of Ottawa, which was responsible, with the archbishop of Ottawa, for publications carrying the Novalis imprint. Novalis has published other books by Hans Kung, including My Struggle for Freedom and On Being a Christian.  (more...)

Novalis, Kung and Truth. By Monsignor Vincent Foy