Catholic Kermit

One of my reservations about the seminary is the strong emphasis on Philosophy.  I’ve only had 1 intro class on it and it seems more confusingly “open-minded” that threatens a truly strict “orthodoxy” (genuinely Catholic).  I’ve spoken to a couple former seminarians who seemed very orthodox in their Catholic faith.  They dropped out because the philosophy made them question everything they believed, and I think that is my fear.  It’s been 20+ years since they were in seminary.  I’ve been told that seminaries have changed their philosophy programs in the early 90’s and it’s not so rough.  I hope so, but I’m still wondering what’s different. 

I’ve been told philosophy teaches you how to think, to dissect ideas, and be objective.  That sounds pretty good to me. But someone going into seminary with an uncompromising belief system (like neo-orthodoxy) may not be able to deal with it.  The Church wants to form men who can “think” and “obey the magisterium (Church teaching authority)” in order to make orthodoxy true, and not just blindly enforced.  Strict and blind adherence to an “orthodoxy” in anything questions it’s relevance and purpose in the first place.

Being a well-rounded seminarian is probably the ideal.  To freely accept and evangelize something by objective thinkers should magnify it’s truth and effectiveness.  I’d like to think I’m one of those guys.    Kermit?  anyone?