Vatican forbids U.S. Jesuit to teach as Catholic theologian

Published: 2005-02-08

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- After a five-year investigation, the Vatican's doctrinal congregation said it had found "serious doctrinal errors" in the work of U.S. Jesuit theologian Father Roger Haight and forbade him to teach as a Catholic theologian. The Vatican's critique focused on Father Haight's 1999 book, "Jesus Symbol of God," which explored the themes of Christ's divinity, the resurrection, the Trinity and salvation for non-Christians. A lengthy notification summing up the investigation's conclusions was published by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in its Feb. 7-8 edition. The notification, dated Dec. 13, was signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; a note said Pope John Paul II had approved the notification and ordered its publication. The doctrinal congregation said Father Haight's book contained "serious doctrinal errors against the Catholic and divine faith of the church." "As a consequence, the author is forbidden to teach Catholic theology until his positions have been rectified in such a way as to be in full conformity with the doctrine of the church," the notification said. Contacted by telephone in New York, Father Haight said, "I'm not going to comment at all" on the Vatican document.

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