Post-Traumatic Theology?

The Outlines of Reflection on Abuse in the Catholic Church

  • Tibor Görföl University of Pécs
Keywords: abuse, clericalism, sacramentalism, power in the Church, ecclesiology

Abstract

Sexual and spiritual abuse has been a major issue in the Catholic Church for almost four decades in the USA and almost two decades in Europe. The paper assesses the phenomenon of abuse from a theological perspective, highlighting its structural, historical, and ecclesiological-moral dimensions. Without analysing any concrete cases and the special attitude of any local church, it aims to investigate the background motives and institutional-intellectual conditions which made abuse possible. The author insists that it is vitally important to identify potential dangers for recent theological reflection concerning this crucial theme: although the issue of abuse is to be taken seriously, it may not be a reason for urging doctrinal or major structural changes in the Catholic Church.

Author Biography

Tibor Görföl, University of Pécs

Tibor Görföl, Catholic theologian, lecturer at the Department of Philosophy, PTE BTK and SzAGHF, editor-in-chief of the journal Vigilia, editor of the journal Communio, gorfol.tibor@pte.hu

Published
2025-06-24
Section
Articles