Diversity in Roman Catholicism
I have created a diagram that represents as best I can (given my time constraints) the way in which a number of organisations fit within the scope of Roman Catholic belief. I have drawn an arrow up top to show increasing ‘conservatism’ from left to right. I have not used a precise definition of conservatism in this case and the organisations on the far right are not conservative as the term is normally used because they actually want change, just in the opposite direct to those on the left. The centre represents the current hierarchy and the arrows on the bottom of the diagram represent the direction of change that the organisations advocate - either liberalisation of doctrine or ‘reversion’ to previous doctrine and practice.
I have put each organisation into it’s place based upon my general understanding of each one, their public comments and their own professed beliefs. I may have gotten some of them wrong but I only intend to paint a general picture or trend. I am not trying to convey whether each organisation is right or wrong but merely where they sit in relation to the current hierarchy. The organisations are displayed in relation to the present hierarchy in the Vatican rather than the bishops as a whole worldwide or most of the laity. Some are lobby groups, some are support groups, some are educational groups and some are religious ministries.
It’s probably most informative to see the organisations as broadly fitting into three categories: change in the direction of further liberalisation, acceptance of the status quo, and change in reverse direction to the pre-Vatican II state of Catholicism.
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