As detailed in the last two posts, Fr. Ryan Erlenbush was presented with two quotes from the teachings of Pope John Paul II in his general audience, The Spirit and the Child Jesus, without knowing the source of the text. His response was to condemn the ideas expressed by the holy Pontiff as heresy. Upon learning that these quotes were from the Pope, Fr. Ryan did not change his position on this topic at all. He continued to claim that the idea expressed by the Pope, that of a substantial increase in grace in the human nature of Jesus, implies heresy.

How does he continue to hold to this error, in the face of the clear words of the Pope? He claims that the Pope’s words mean the opposite of what is plainly stated. Here is the Pope’s assertion, condemned as heresy by Fr. Ryan:

“The fullness of grace in Jesus was in proportion to his age; there was always fullness, but a fullness which increased as he grew in age. The same can be said of the wisdom which Christ had from the beginning in the fullness proper to the period of childhood. As he advanced in age, this fullness grew in him to a proportionate degree.” Pope John Paul II, The Spirit and the Child Jesus

This type of rejection of truth is common in the world today. Many Catholics dislike or disagree with one Catholic teaching or another. Some openly claim that the Church is wrong. Others cleverly claim that the meaning of the teaching is the opposite of what is said. They use a radical re-interpretation to make the Church’s teaching mean whatever they like. Worse still, some such persons have exalted themselves as teachers of the Faith, when what they teach is error.

The Pope’s teaching above is subtle and profound. A fullness of grace and wisdom, and yet a real and substantial increase, due to the advancement in age and stature of the human nature of Christ. The Divine Nature is unchanging. But the human nature of Christ, being finite, could change over time. The changes included an increase in grace and wisdom, just as Sacred Scripture teaches.

{2:52} And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and in age, and in grace, with God and men.

But according to Fr. Ryan, the increase in wisdom and grace stated by Scripture is nothing other than an increasing manifestation to the world. How then does Fr. Ryan explain away the above-quoted assertion of the Pope? He found another talk in which the Pope asserts that there was an increasing manifestation of grace and wisdom in Christ:

Luke the evangelist, perhaps echoing private conversations with Mary, tells us that, as the Son of Man, “Jesus grew in wisdom, age and favor before God and man (Lk 2:52; cf. Lk 2:40). In an analogous way one can also speak of “growth” in holiness in the sense of an ever more complete manifestation and fulfillment of that fundamental fullness of holiness with which Jesus came into the world. Pope John Paul II, Christ Is Totally Holy

Fr. Ryan compares the two assertions of the Pope (increase in grace, increase in manifestation), and states that the Pope could not be contradicting himself, therefore both assertions must mean the same thing: increase in manifestation. The flawed logic to his argument is easily explained.

As the Popes states these two ideas, they are not contradictory. Neither does the Pope say that the increase in manifestation of grace and wisdom is the only type of increase. In fact, after quoting Scripture as saying that there was an increase, the Pope says there was “also” an increase in manifestation. And then in a subsequent audience later that same month, the Pope expounds on the first type of increase, a real increase in grace and wisdom, proportionate to the increase in age. So the Pope asserts that both ideas are true.

There is no contradiction between these two types of increases, as Fr. Ryan claims. The Pope does not say that the increase in manifestation is the only type of increase, as Fr. Ryan asserts. Pope John Paul II teaches that both types of increase occurred in Christ. Fr. Ryan rejects one of these types of increase as heresy, and continues to do so, even after reading what the Pope said.

How does it happen that a Catholic priest publicly rejects a teaching of the Pope? When Fr. Ryan decided to write on this topic, he did not bother to seek the words of Pope John Paul II on the topic. He did not bother to consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which also states a real increase in wisdom in Christ. He read the theological opinion of St. Thomas Aquinas, and treated his own misinterpretation of that teaching as if it were absolute dogma. When presented with a quote from Pope John Paul II, Fr. Ryan did not recognize those words as truth, but mistook them for heresy. Only later did he seek out some words of the Pope, and only for the purpose of a disingenuous interpretation that would support his own position.

But since this priest refuses to be corrected by Blessed Pope John Paul II and by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is obvious that he will not be corrected by my theological arguments and pious explanations.

{15:12} Then his disciples drew near and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees, upon hearing this word, were offended?”
{15:13} But in response he said: “Every plant which has not been planted by my heavenly Father shall be uprooted.
{15:14} Leave them alone. They are blind, and they lead the blind. But if the blind are in charge of the blind, both will fall into the pit.”

{23:27} Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed sepulchers, which outwardly appear brilliant to men, yet truly, inside, they are filled with the bones of the dead and with all filth.
{23:28} So also, you certainly appear to men outwardly to be just. But inwardly you are filled with hypocrisy and iniquity.

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and
translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.