#memory
Hans Kung.
6 April is the death anniversary of Hans Kung (1928- 2021), one of the most influential theologians of the Catholic Church in the 20th century.
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The Swiss born Kung was the youngest theologian admitted to the Second Vatican Council convened by Pope John XX111 in the 1960s.
The Council, which brought about far reaching reforms in the Church, accepted all his proposals in the final documents.
Kung was a powerful speaker and a prolific writer who authored more than 50 books.
However, later he came into direct conflict with the Vatican, when he criticised the teachings of the Church on Papal infallibility, Birth control, Priestly celibacy, Ordination of women, Mixed marriages, Homosexuality, The meaning of hell etc.
Serving Jesus was more important – he insisted, than serving the Church founded in his name. Catholic theologians answered back that Christ had entrusted the interpretation of his teachings to the Church headed by Peter and his successors, – the Popes.
In 1979, Pope John Paul II suspended him as an official theologian, but allowed him to continue as a Priest, till his death in Tubington, Germany. However he was partially reinstated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.
Kung founded the Global Ethics Foundation to propagate his ideas.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
