I mentioned before that I was awaiting the release of a book by Garry Wills called WHY PRIESTS? A FAILED TRADITION; I just finished reading it.
Garry Wills is a very Catholic author who has penned many
books on Catholicism and he is also a Pulitzer Prize winner. Now nearing his 80th
birthday, he is still sharp and full of wisdom.
Wills studied for the priesthood for five (5) years but left
when he realized that celibacy was not his thing.
I was attracted to the book because it was a “historical”
look at the priesthood and not a “personal” one and my knowledge of the actual history
of the priesthood was lacking.
The book is actually pretty “heavy” into Biblical analysis
but I just want to jot down what I came away with after reading the book.
Wills says that at the outset, there was no Christianity,
just Jesus and his followers who were all Jews. Jesus did not start a new
religion or “found” a Church; he merely challenged the existing practices of
Judaism and especially was very critical of Jewish priests and leaders (Sadducees
and Pharisees); neither Jesus nor his Apostles were priests.
St. Paul is usually credited with “inventing” Christianity
even though he never met Jesus and had very little contact (mostly disagreements)
with Jesus’ original apostles.
Paul’s early concept of Christianity was primarily based on “egalitarianism”
where everyone was equal with everyone else; there were no leaders and this
early form of Christianity specifically did not want any leaders; just all
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wills points to a late addition to the New Testament called
the LETTER TO HEBREWS which was originally credited to Paul but even back then,
many did not believe Paul wrote it and today’s bible scholars definitely agree
Paul did not write it.
The letter is practically impossible to understand if you
are a mere reader; not a biblical scholar but Wills credits the letter (it’s
really a long sermon and not a letter) with depicting Jesus as a “sacrificing priest”
and as the “sacrifice” itself…
The Letter to Hebrews is the only place in the New Testament
where priesthood is mentioned and according to Wills, helped “inject”
priesthood into the new religion.
Many people are unaware how the religion was “guided” by
placing “letters” in the bible and falsely saying they were written by an “apostle”
like Paul or Peter, to give it credence; people were then told that the bible
was inspired by God and is the word of God when in truth, mere mortals wrote
those words to bend the church to their views.
There were no Christian churches early on and no Mass; “Christians”
met at various homes for a meal “breaking bread” together in celebration of the
Last Supper and talked about Jesus.
The concept of the Eucharist and “transubstantiation” of the
body and blood of Jesus in a “host” wafer that could only be “enacted” by
ordained priests came later and was the basis of heavenly “power” granted only
to “priests”.
Wills dismisses the idea that Peter was somehow the first
priest/bishop of Rome as appointed by Jesus to lead “His” church and all later
popes were Peter’s successors; there is no historical evidence that Peter was a
Christian or a bishop anywhere and no evidence that Peter was even in Rome at any
time in his life despite the movie Quo Vadis and claims he is buried under the
Church of St. Peter.
Wills blames the Catholic priesthood for alienating
Catholics from the rest of Christianity because Catholic priests are successors
of Peter and therefore Jesus and all others are not therefore “invalid” so only
Catholics are “true” Christians…historical fabrication?
The Vatican’s “traditions” stand on shaky historical grounds
and I have already heard cardinals saying that the new pope must have the power
to change those traditions like celibacy since they are only traditions and not
divine pronouncements.
Wills basically makes the point that we would be a better
religion without priests who were artificially “injected” into a religion that
did not want a priesthood and is based on a belief in Jesus who hated priests.
Wills makes an interesting argument but just like pure
Communism; we cannot be all equal and someone has to be in charge…at least
according to me…but I will agree that things have gone way too far with
Catholic hierarchy and things need to change now!
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