Debate on Divine Punishment: Where did the “punishment-phobia” come from?

In the previous chapters, I have been addressing the topic of punishment, specifically how the notion that God never punishes has gradually infiltrated Catholic thought. This idea is now frequently heard in sermons and homilies, even from well-educated individuals. But where did this aversion to the word “punishment,” or what the word signifies, even among good and well-formed people, originate? Pope Benedict XVI offered a perceptive diagnosis that sheds light on this issue:

“The Archbishop of Dublin shared something very interesting with me. He said that ecclesiastical penal law was applied effectively until the late 1950s. While it was not perfect—there was much to criticize—it was still enforced. However, from the mid-1960s, it simply ceased to be applied. The prevailing mindset was that the Church should no longer be a Church of law but a Church of love, one that should not punish. As a result, the awareness that punishment could be an act of love was lost.

At that time, even among very good people, there was a peculiar confusion of thought. Today, we must relearn that love for the sinner and the victim finds its proper balance through punishment that is administered in a possible and appropriate manner. In this sense, there has been a transformation of conscience in the past, leading to an obscuring of both justice and the necessity of punishment. Ultimately, this has also narrowed the concept of love, which is not merely about sympathy and kindness but is rooted in truth—and truth includes the need to punish those who have sinned against true love.”1

Thus, both the idea of a God who can punish if He chooses and the image of a Church that administers medicinal penalties when necessary have been intentionally suppressed. Speaking of divine punishment has simply become politically incorrect today.

Is It Just a Semantic Issue?

To conclude this line of reflection, I want to delve more deeply into the issue of terminology. Some people I’ve spoken with on this subject have suggested that it might all be a matter of semantics, that perhaps we are all saying the same thing with different words.

After all, wouldn’t it be better to teach that God “corrects” without using the word “punishment,” thereby avoiding the risk of less-formed individuals envisioning a “punishing” and “vengeful” God? Isn’t it more convenient to present a “nice” God who, being pure mercy, would never punish us? Wouldn’t a softer word that essentially conveys the same meaning be more helpful, some think?

In my opinion, this is not merely a problem of terminology but rather a misunderstanding of Catholic doctrine. This misunderstanding manifests in an inability to comprehend divine justice in the light of divine mercy. Before delving further into this, let us briefly review the meaning of the word “punishment.”

Clarifying Once Again the Meaning of the Word “Punishment”

In my initial remarks, I mentioned that terminological issues are secondary compared to substantive matters, as everyone has the right to choose their own terminology within certain limits. But is it advisable in this case for everyone to use their own terminology? We know that “punishment” is simply “the penalty imposed on someone who has committed a crime or offense” (RAE). If someone wishes to call it correction, that might not be problematic. However, I will now explain why I believe this is not advisable:

1) While punishment can have a corrective nature, such as temporal punishment, it also has a vindicative character, seeking not only the conversion of the sinner but also to atone for the offense against God and restore the moral order disrupted by sin. Therefore, it is correct to say that “punishment” is not synonymous with “correction,” even though it may encompass it. Punishment can be purely vindicative, as in the case of eternal punishment or damnation.

2) The people of God have always understood divine punishment in this dual sense, recognizing both its corrective and vindicative aspects. This understanding spans from the Old and New Testaments to the early Church, the writings of the Saints and Church Fathers, and the Magisterium. The truth must always be preached, even when it is not politically correct. What will a faithful believer think when they read the works of the saints, where the notion of God’s ability to punish is clearly expressed, and then encounter the spread of a contrary doctrine today? Isn’t it better to teach the truth according to Scripture and Tradition so that the faithful can rightly understand that divine justice does not conflict with divine mercy? Does not the Bible say, “For the Lord chastises whom he loves, and he scourges every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6)?

3) It is erroneous to assume that there has been a “development” of Christian doctrine that changes the Church’s stance on this point. First, it must be remembered that doctrinal development always occurs in the same direction, not in a transformative way. Second, there is nothing in the Magisterium that suggests or allows such an inference. On the contrary, if those claiming that God does not punish could cite a single magisterial document affirming this, they would have done so. Instead, they rely on paraphrased quotations where the word “punishment” does not even appear. In contrast, it is easy to find numerous explicit references in the Magisterium, including Ecumenical Councils, affirming the opposite, as demonstrated in previous discussions.

Pertinent Clarifications

Finally, I want to address an unpleasant point. I’ve learned through social media that Alejandro Bermúdez has interpreted my comments as accusing him and our brother Frank Morera of being “heretics” or opposing Catholic doctrine. I want to clarify that this is not true. I have pointed out that they are mistaken on this particular issue and that, due to their prominence in the media, their error influences a larger audience. However, to be a heretic requires specific conditions that he surely knows as well as I do, and it is not my place to make such judgments.

This issue far exceeds the specific error of two Catholic communicators. It is a mistake found even in the preaching of priests. For instance, my own sister, during the Holy Mass on the day I was writing this, heard the priest in his homily proclaim that God does not punish.

My exhortation is that we teach Catholic doctrine as Scripture, the Magisterium, and Tradition have always taught it. We must not fall into the temptation of yielding to political correctness or clinging to a fashionable idea which, as Benedict XVI said, even when embraced by good people, is merely a “peculiar confusion of thought” that has “lost the awareness that punishment can be an act of love.”

Footnotes

  1. Light of the World: The Pope, the Church, and the Signs of the Times, a book based on interviews with Pope Benedict XVI conducted by journalist Peter Seewald.
    This excerpt has been translated from the Spanish version of the book: Benedict XVI, Luz del mundo, Herder 2010, p. 16-17
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