Writer
J.A. Dick
John A. Dick is an American Catholic academic who has taught historical theology for many years at at the University of Leuven, Belgium.
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Christmas matters, but Christians are really Easter people
Christmas Day is a latecomer to the Christmas party. For Christians, the birth of Jesus is overshadowed by the resurrection of the Saviour. Continue reading »
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Hope springs eternal: The case for Catholic women priests
It takes time for managers to acknowledge and appreciate change makers. The historical Jesus discovered this in his 30s. Even popes need remedial theological education. Continue reading »
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Doctrinal and structural Catholic Church transformation
Transformation most often happens not when something new begins, but when something old falls apart. It is change but not restoration. Transformation is a new configuration. For the church it means a doctrinal as well as a structural transformation. Continue reading »
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Religious America is in decline
As a Catholic I often feel that the church tries to speak the Gospel but church structures have remained monarchical and unaccountable. Most often, when confronting serious problems like clerical sexual abuse, it still adheres to policies promoting secrecy and protecting the church’s reputation. Continue reading »
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US Catholic Bishops have President Biden in their sights over abortion rights
In what many observers see as a growing episcopal polarization, the US Catholic bishops, the USCCB, in their 2021 spring meeting, voted to advance their “Communion document”. The draft document passed by 75% of the bishops’ conference advances a push by conservative US bishops to deny President Biden communion because of his support for abortion Continue reading »
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History clarifies and history challenges for the Catholic Church
It was a strange conversation. A friend who was, at that time, an American archbishop had congratulated me on an academic promotion. He slapped me on the back in his customary gung ho way and said: “You are a smart guy, a theologian, but remember that I have something you don’t have.” Continue reading »
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The religious recession
A Gallup poll released on Monday, March 29 , 2021, indicates that the proportion of Americans who consider themselves members of a church or synagogue has now dropped below 50%. The results highlight a dramatic shift away from religious affiliation in recent years, and among all age groups. When Gallup first asked the question in Continue reading »
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Abortion: people want clear-cut answers but it’s not that simple
For many religious and political conservatives, “pro-life” often becomes convenient rhetorical shorthand for avoiding the broad spectrum of urgent contemporary life issues. Continue reading »
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The 2020 presidential campaign: a theological observation
It will probably be at least two more months before we know the winner of the US 2020 presidential election. So far the campaign has broken all historic records with its promotion of polarization, violence, and deceptive rhetoric. So far it is certainly the most chaotic and consequential in USA history. Many observers see it Continue reading »
