Hans Kung Quotes

And this speaks to the larger problem that no one wants to talk about: the restoration of the Roman rite is a precondition for a long-term fix for the problem.

St. Pope John XXIII called for the Second Vatican Council because he understood, as no Holy Father had in a long time, religion spoke to and found its language and symbols - its entire sense of the sacramental nature of existence - in the imagination that reveals not just the penalties of living, but the wonder and awe of our existence.

The real 'action' in the liturgy in which we are all supposed to participate is the action of God himself. This is what is new and distinctive about the Christian liturgy: God himself acts and does what is essential.

I was raised Catholic at a time when Vatican II was just taking hold.

We cannot build up the idea of the apostolate of the laity without the foundation of the liturgy.

When I was a young priest in the 1960s and 1970s, there was much experimentation and confusion in the Church. Teachers and clergy were encouraged to communicate an experience of God's love, but to do it without reference to the Creed, the sacraments, or the tradition.

We need a new religion.

The priesthood is not dying, but the clerical state is dead. It needs to be buried, preferably with a Viking funeral in Boston Harbor so nobody can miss the spectacle of its passing.

I think in my own country, at the way we've seen through the ordination of women to the priesthood, which I'm delighted about, and that will move on to another level before very long.

My church is in the detention facilities where I preside and celebrate the Eucharist. To me that's the church. That's the people of God.

The women's movement will present a growing threat to patriarchal religion less by attacking it than by simply leaving it behind.

Religion is close to theatre; much of its power comes from the effects of staging and framing.

You are said to have publicly condemned the Apostolic and Latin church, without either a hearing or a conviction. And the chef reason for this condemnation, which displays an unexampled presumption and unbelievable effrontery, is that the Latin church dares to celebrate the commemoration of the Lord's passion with unleavened bread. What an unguarded accusation is this of yours, what an evil piece of arrogance! You place your mouth in heaven while your tongue, going through the world, strives such human arguments and conjectures to undermine and subvert the ancient faith.

Arabic is the language of Islam, but Arabic culture is not the culture of Islam.

The founding Fathers had many opportunities to use Judeo Christian language, and in all cases they did not do so.

I want to see the United States become a Muslim country.

The notions of consumer choice and local control have stormed the religious realm.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people.

The greatest vicissitude of things amongst men, is the vicissitude of sects and religions.

[Martin] Luther was guilty of two great crimes. He struck the Pope in his crown and the monks in their bellies.

Prior to the Revolution, the Episcopal Church was established by law in this State. On the Declaration of independence it was left with all other sects, to a self-support. And no doubt exists that there is much more of religion among us now than there ever was before the change; and particularly in the Sect which enjoyed the legal patronage. This proves rather more than, that the law is not necessary to the support of religion.

This … legitimately assembled in the Holy Ghost, forming a general council and representing the Catholic Church militant, has its power immediately from Christ, and every one, whatever his state or position, even if it be the Papal dignity itself, is bound to obey it in all those things which pertain to the faith and the healing of the said schism, and to the general reformation of the Church of God … It further declares that any one, whatever his condition, station or rank, even if it be the Papal, who shall contumaciously refuse to obey the mandates, decrees, ordinances or instructions which have been, or shall be issued by this holy council, or by any other general council, legitimately summoned, which concern, or in any way relate to the above mentioned objects, shall, unless he repudiate his conduct, be subject to condign penance and be suitably punished, having recourse, if necessary, to the other resources of the law...

At Flushing [Long Island] as soon as the meeting was done, there stood up a priest's son and laid down three things that he would dispute, the first was the ordination of ministers, the second women's speaking, and the third that we held a new way of worship….I said it was like Christ's way of worship which he set up above 1,600 years ago, and was a new way of worship to him and his priests…as for women's speaking, such as the apostles did own I owned

There is a Christian I am fighting against. I want to bring about an environment where all are Islamic because our people are lost.

There is an inevitable decay to which every religion is exposed. It may seem almost like a truism, that no religion can continue to be what it was during the lifetime of its founder and its first apostles. Yet it is but seldom borne in mind that without constant reformation, i.e. without a constant return to its fountain-head, every religion, even the most perfect, nay the most perfect on account of its very perfection, more even than others, suffers from its contact with the world, as the purest air suffers from the mere fact of its being breathed.