Madam, - The Vatican has captured attention with its declaration that only the Roman Catholic Church faithfully and authentically embodies the true Church of Christ; that the Church founded by Christ subsists in the Roman Church alone. Other churches are, as it were, ersatz organisations, counterfeit copies of the real thing, or mere ecclesiastical communities.
Could it be, however, that the difference between the two is that Catholics believe sincerely that we ought not under any condition to tamper with the tradition as it was handed down, whereas Protestants believe that actually to tamper in this way with the tradition is that very tradition creatively interpreted.
The choice, perhaps, may be between fossilisation and evolution. It is possible to envisage a perfectly formed and attractive object (like the Church); an object that may be unique and pure, but that remains nonetheless embedded sterilely in the amber of tradition.
No doubt that may be a fascinating object to contemplate and admire; and a comforting refuge to retreat to. However, if it lacks the capacity to change and adapt then the danger is that it may render itself fruitlessly irrelevant to the world it seeks so earnestly to evangelise. - Yours, etc,
THOMAS P WALSH,
Fassaugh Road,
Cabra,
Dublin 7.