For nearly two thousand years, the Catholic Church has existed as the preeminent religious organization of the Christian faith. The faith's adherents are estimated to be in excess of 1.2 billion people, who look to the Vatican for guidance and interpretation of the Christian Scriptures. While most Catholics strictly adhere to the dictates of their Church, there is a more recent strain of Catholic fundamentalism that is in conflict with modern Catholicism.
This conflict has resulted in a growing schism within the Roman Church, with many priests and lay people resisting the liberalization of Church Doctrine. These proponents of traditional fundamentalism seek a return to strict doctrinal adherence, and are thus having a powerful influence on debate within Catholicism.
For most, the split occurred when the Second Vatican Council began its adoption of doctrines that many traditionalists viewed as compromise with the world. From the fundamentalist perspective, these compromises have weakened sound doctrine, and have set the Church on a path that leads it farther and farther away from traditional Christianity as expressed through Roman Catholic teachings.
Nor are the areas of disagreement few. They are many, and varying, and extend across nearly the entirety of doctrinal understanding. These fundamentalists are adamant on issues like ordaining women as priests, maintaining celibacy for the priesthood, resisting anything other than natural birth control, and similar social issues on which the liberals would seek to moderate Rome's policies.
In addition, these more conservative Catholics are also opposed to anything other than a Latin Mass, and maintain that Vatican pronouncements are the final say in matters of Scriptural interpretation. They also hold fast to the notion that the Catholic Church is the only true pathway to salvation for Christians and that all other denominations must eventually return to the Roman Church or risk condemnation from God.
More liberal elements within the Church hierarchy steadfastly oppose such dogma, insisting instead on presenting a more accommodating face to the world. They believe that the Gospel is ultimately harmed by such strident insistence on strict doctrine, since they feel that those beliefs paint God as an all-powerful dictator just looking for a reason to punish mankind.
The Church itself has maintained a contentious relationship with many fundamentalist groups, including the prominent Society of Saint Pius X. The Vatican has even gone so far as to declare many of these fundamentalists as being in effective schism with the formal Church, which places them in a position of being outside of Church fellowship.
While the Roman Church remains a powerful voice for many Christians around the world, there is no denying that it is going through a remarkable period of transition as it seeks to more closely integrate itself into modern society to reach potential converts. Fundamentalists who remain loyal to the traditional dictates of their faith see this new attempt at accommodation as little more than the traditional Church seeking the love and approval of a fallen world rather than presenting God's truth and love to those who so desperately need it.
This conflict has resulted in a growing schism within the Roman Church, with many priests and lay people resisting the liberalization of Church Doctrine. These proponents of traditional fundamentalism seek a return to strict doctrinal adherence, and are thus having a powerful influence on debate within Catholicism.
For most, the split occurred when the Second Vatican Council began its adoption of doctrines that many traditionalists viewed as compromise with the world. From the fundamentalist perspective, these compromises have weakened sound doctrine, and have set the Church on a path that leads it farther and farther away from traditional Christianity as expressed through Roman Catholic teachings.
Nor are the areas of disagreement few. They are many, and varying, and extend across nearly the entirety of doctrinal understanding. These fundamentalists are adamant on issues like ordaining women as priests, maintaining celibacy for the priesthood, resisting anything other than natural birth control, and similar social issues on which the liberals would seek to moderate Rome's policies.
In addition, these more conservative Catholics are also opposed to anything other than a Latin Mass, and maintain that Vatican pronouncements are the final say in matters of Scriptural interpretation. They also hold fast to the notion that the Catholic Church is the only true pathway to salvation for Christians and that all other denominations must eventually return to the Roman Church or risk condemnation from God.
More liberal elements within the Church hierarchy steadfastly oppose such dogma, insisting instead on presenting a more accommodating face to the world. They believe that the Gospel is ultimately harmed by such strident insistence on strict doctrine, since they feel that those beliefs paint God as an all-powerful dictator just looking for a reason to punish mankind.
The Church itself has maintained a contentious relationship with many fundamentalist groups, including the prominent Society of Saint Pius X. The Vatican has even gone so far as to declare many of these fundamentalists as being in effective schism with the formal Church, which places them in a position of being outside of Church fellowship.
While the Roman Church remains a powerful voice for many Christians around the world, there is no denying that it is going through a remarkable period of transition as it seeks to more closely integrate itself into modern society to reach potential converts. Fundamentalists who remain loyal to the traditional dictates of their faith see this new attempt at accommodation as little more than the traditional Church seeking the love and approval of a fallen world rather than presenting God's truth and love to those who so desperately need it.
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