Nicholas Lash, a former professor of theology at Cambridge University and a frequent contributor to The Tablet, writes in the December 13 issue about the role of the bishop as teacher, and the difference between teaching and commanding. Back in 1992, Professor Lash reported for America on a historic meeting of European theologians in Stuttgart, Germany. His three articles below are presented in pdf format.
"Europe has before it a unique opportunity for rebirth and renewal and, at the same time, the possibility of acute disorder and immense danger," Lash wrote in his introductory report, "Theology on the Way to Stuttgart" (April 4, 1992).
Lash argued in "The Broken Mirror" (May 16, 1992) that "theology is necessarily dependent upon confession and church. There is no faith without the confession of faith, without the community of faithful, the church."
Finally, in "In Search of the Prodigal" (June 13, 1992), Lash commented that "if Europe is to be 're-evangelized,' the European churches must be made young again" and the resources for this work "are likely to come, at least in part, from outside Europe."
It's interesting to note that Vatican II was populated only by white males, probably mostly if not entirely from safely outside the Iron Curtain and representing the third world little if at all. Thus, a huge amount of experience was not represented there; therefore, its conclusions and emphases may be in many ways deficient and suspect.
She was also instrumental along with other Latin American, and Catholic intellectual/diplomats who along with Jacques Maritain gave shape to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This is a good model to revisit as we ponder the fate of Europe, and the New World and its sibling nations outside of Europe.