“Through the story of sexual abuse and the church’s response, I came to the unshakeable belief that within the Catholic Church there absolutely must be profound and enduring change. In particular, there must be change on the two subjects of power and sex.”
(From the Introduction)
Drawing on his own experience in responding to abuse, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson methodically offers a critique of the church’s use and misuse of power, from the Pope proclaiming infallibly down to the preacher claiming a divine authority for every word spoken from the pulpit.
Going back to the bible and, above all, to the teaching of Jesus, he presents an approach to sexual morality that is profound, compassionate and people-centred. He stresses the priority of the hierarchy of holinessover the hierarchy of power.
He offers nothing less than a vision for a church of the third millennium – a church that wants to see in its members the responsibility appropriate to adults rather than the obedience appropriate to children, and wants to help all people to grow to become all they arc capable of being.
Readers will love or hate this book, but will not be able to be neutral.
Columba Press / 2007 / ISBN: 987-1-85607-600-5
About the Author
Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, who has degrees in philosophy, theology and canon law, was Auxiliary Bishop in the archdiocese of Sydney from 1984 until his retirement in 2004. In 1994 he was elected by the Australian bishops to the National Committee for Professional Standards, coordinating the response of the Catholic Church in Australia to revelations of sexual abuse, and from 1997 until 2003 he was co-chairman of this committee.