World : Catholic Professors Criticize Pope

A group of 170 Roman Catholic theology professors today released a declaration strongly criticizing Pope John Paul II and the church’s ban on artificial birth control.

The professors took aim primarily at the pontiff’s exercise of power in three areas: choosing new bishops, granting approval to teach theology, and the Pope’s teachings. “When the Pope does that which isn’t part of his office, he cannot demand obedience in the name of Catholicism,” the German-language statement said. “He must expect dissent.”