"Just Faith" = Junk Faith

In my post this past Thursday regarding the "environmental events" in the Archdiocese of Washington, you noticed that Just Faith has a hand in all this nonsense.  In conjunction with this post regarding Just Faith, I'd suggest you review the posts about "progressives" - particularly the Real Catholic videos regarding the same.  The characteristics of progressives can all be found in the Just Faith program.  Indeed, the website of Just Faith unabashedly proclaims its progressive proclivities.  I also recommend the reading of an excellent article on the Just Faith debacle entitled "Just Faith Is a Big Part of the Problem", written by my friend and colleague, Stephanie Block, who regularly writes for Spero News.

Two or three years ago, the Just Faith program was introduced into the Archdiocese of Washington; that was before I operated this blog.  However, I was quite aware that a Trojan Horse was being introduced into the archdiocese and tried to sound an alert.  My warnings were rebuffed by people whom I thought would be keen to the dangers.  One told me that her parish implemented Just Faith without the ill effects, and that my warnings were destructive.  While I've no problem believing that her particular parish may have been successful in separating the wheat from the chaff, it is my contention that there is inherently much more chaff than wheat in the Just Faith program.  The writings and afilliations of the founder, Jack Jezreel, corroborate my conclusions.

Another Reason To Ponder How We'll Resist The Progressive Encroachment

Lepanto Institute today released an expose of yet another progressive cabal known as Association of United States Catholic Priests.  Not being a quasi-official Church organization, they apparently feel little need to maintain any facade of orthodoxy - and they don't!

On the AUSCP home page, you'll see links to articles detailing their planning for "women deaconesses" and "priestless parishes".  Lepanto unpacks that mess nicely; it's part and parcel of disenfranchising Catholics of their access to valid Sacraments and distorting their understanding of the same.  On other pages, you'll see that these priests are concerned - very concerned, I tell you! - about such matters as immigration, gay rights, death penalty, climate change, gun control.  Need I tell you what's missing from that list - and their page?  How about the intrinsic evils of contraception, abortion, homosexual conduct, abuse of embryos, euthanasia?  Are you surprised that they aren't mentioned?  I didn't think so!

They do seem to have quite an assortment of clerics with unquestionable heterodoxy: Cardinal Cupich, Fr Richard Rohr, Sr Simone Campbell, and Bishop McElroy.  The latter is of great concern for me, for it is rumored that he will be the designated successor to Cardinal Wuerl once the latter retires.  It hits me at home - literally.

Going down Lepanto's page, you'll see a talk by Jack Jezreel, founder of Just Faith.  I've written about that horrid bunch before.  I didn't listen to the whole thing but Jezreel blathers on about "social justice", as one might expect.   Last week I put up a post explaining why I believe that the "SJW" phenomenon was inimical to authentic Christianity.  Jezreel's association with AUSCP is an illustration of that danger, for "sjw" Christianity often veers into rank heresy.

We need to be aware of these movements, so that if - or when - they come to our parishes, we may be prepared with plans to resist.

Important Information On Just Faith

While all readers can surely benefit from what follows, I especially address this post to those of you who attended the presentation by Jack Jezreel at St Mark's today.  I've no doubt that what you heard seems to be at least benign and even helpful.  However, the Just Faith program is designed to instill in its participants sympathy for liberation theology, "gay" rights, women's "ordination" and other sundry dissidence from authentic Catholic social teaching.

My friend and Catholic Media Coalition colleague, Stephanie Block, has spent countless hours researching the programs of Just Faith, along with the books they recommend.  She has written eleven articles in her series about Just Faith.  With what she is discovering, the number of articles may yet grow.  I link to them below.

1. Setting the Stage
2. Growing in Compassion
3. The Seven Themes of Catholic Social Justice
4. Challenge and Spirituality of Catholic Social Teachings
5. Tattoos on the Heart
6. Waging a Living
7. Portrait of a Radical
8. Rising to Common Ground
9. How Much Is Enough?
10. Keeping the Earth: Just Faith and the Environment
11. Solidarity Will Transform the World
12. Journey to Justice Day

Two years ago I wrote a piece on Just Faith, focusing on the problematic individuals who were board members of Just Faith at that time.  I have found that much of the character and philosophy of any organization can be determined by the composition of its board of directors.  Right below the highlighted sentence is a link to a biographical article written by Jack Jezreel himself.  Pay very close attention to the "conversion stories" at the end.  You'll see people getting involved in "homosexual rights", "women's voices from the pulpit" (women's ordination), etc.

In all these articles, you'll notice that problematic teachings occur at the end of the recommended books and/or articles.  That seems to be a pattern, one which might suggest that while Just Faith seems innocuous enough, it is a Trojan Horse that insinuates (ever so subtly) erroneous philosophies.  While I'd like to think that such is accidental, the regularity and frequency of it indicates deliberation.

Beware before making any commitment to Just Faith.

Just Faith Reading List - Introduction to Dissent

The "Just Faith" program is a 30-week session where attendees learn the ropes of "social teaching" or at least the progressive version according to Jack Jezreel, the founder.  Much reading is done, and there is a reading list.  The Just Faith people have put this reading list on Amazon, so that the attendees can just click once to buy the whole kit and kaboodle.  Here it is.  A perusal of this list will tell a lot.  A goodly portion is benign, but there are a few clues contained therein of the real progressive nature of Just Faith. 

One such book is entitled "The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium".  It's by Walter Wink.  A google search of his name reveals that he has written other books.  One is "Homosexuality and the Bible".  A glowing review of this book is to be found on Soulforce's webpage (that says a lot right there, doesn't it?).  Here is a key snippet as he puts his spin on the Old Testament.   He says of Jewish prohibitions against homosexual relations: "One can appreciate how a tribe struggling to populate a country in which its people were outnumbered would value procreation highly, but such values are rendered questionable in a world facing uncontrolled overpopulation." (emphasis mine)  In other words, one can understand the reasons why sodomy was prohibited in ancient Israel, but now that we've got "overpopulation" (another progressive myth) on our hands anyway, there's no real reason to forbid sodomy or other perversions - got that?  Please read that page for other gems, e.g., how he tries to make the claim that St Paul was ignorant of homosexuality.  Now how's this for an article on social justice - entitled "Jesus and Alinsky"?  Is this the sort of man whom Catholics should be studying?

Holy Father: "Social Justice" Must Shape Up

That is the gist of the Motu Proprio that Pope Benedict XVI recently released.  I link to it now and suggest that all read it carefully.  It's not long, but it is full of sorely-needed directives.  Look at the very first paragraph.  The Holy Father makes clear that charitable works cannot be separated from the proclamation of God's truth) all of God's truth such as salvation versus damnation, the sanctity of life, the proper use of sexuality, etc) and the sacraments.  In other words, you have all three, or you have none.

Here are other salient points: