The Roman imposition

This Arthur Jones column in the National Catholic Reporter September 9, 2005 is the third of four summing up his career and his views on the Church. This one, "on his years as NCR editor, and the dawn of the Wojtyla-Ratzinger continuum," got a Hmmm from Amy Welborn at Open Book.

Mr. Jones draws this contrast.

Hundreds of millions of heaven-bound Catholics just want Jesus. They stand in line and question nothing. As is their right. Others, more pugnacious, Catholics steadfastly loyal and questioning, rooted in their eucharistic communities and New Testament realities, remain to demand better from the institution.

Better than Jesus? That tops "bigger than Jesus".

Ms. Welborn responds

So there it is, still mired in the Old Dispensation ...

meaning, as I understand her, that Jones is saying more conservative Catholics have a less complete understanding of the New Testament.

And isn't Jones talking about a form of Dispensationalism? In conventional Dispensationalism,

A greater breakdown of specific dispensations is possible, giving most traditional Dispensationalists seven recognizable dispensations.
1. Innocence - Adam
2. Conscience - After man sinned, up to the flood
3. Government - After the flood, man allowed to eat meat, death penalty instituted
4. Promise - Abraham up to Moses and the giving of the Law
5. Law - Moses to the cross
6. Grace - The cross to the Millennial Kingdom
7. Millennial Kingdom - A 1000 year reign of Christ on earth centered in Jerusalem

But these specifics obscure a more basic principle.

While not everyone needs to agree on this breakdown, the point from the Dispensationalists view is that God is working with man in a progressive way.

Once you realize that progressive Catholics are Dispensationalists, it becomes clear why they often characterize Vatican II as a New Pentecost, or they equate "adult faith" with their own.