In the Milwaukee Catholic Herald, the Archbishop of Milwaukee, Timothy M. Dolan, issued the following statement regarding Marquette Theology Professor Daniel Maguire:

"He (Maguire) has dramatically dissented from clear church teaching for decades…Regrettably, he (Maguire) has widely distributed two pamphlets claiming that, as preposterous as I know it sounds, abortion and same-sex marriage are consistent with Catholic teachings…I feel obliged to exercise my teaching responsibilities and say such positions are blatantly erroneous and contrary to the clear teaching of the church" (Milwaukee Catholic Herald, Aug. 24).

A little background information may be helpful: Maguire has been teaching in Marquette's theology department for more than 30 years and has published several books and articles. Many of them contradict official Catholic teaching on such matters as abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage and euthanasia. I would list specifics, but because Maguire's ideas are often so far beyond the scope of what most theologians consider responsible and intelligent scholarship, I won't bother.

I don't know what I find more troubling about this whole Maguire affair. Is it that Marquette, a "Catholic, Jesuit" university, has allowed one of its professors to blatantly contradict the teachings of the same church with which it identifies for more than 30 years? Or is it the egregious disservice done to Marquette's student body, theology department and academic reputation by an administration that continues to permit one of its professors to completely ignore the principles and methods proper to his field of study?

I implore Maguire to reconsider his positions. If Maguire fails to reconsider, I respectfully ask Marquette to remove him from the faculty. The Marquette administration wouldn't tolerate its chemistry or psychology professors ignoring the methods proper to their fields of study. Nothing less should be accepted from the theology professors.

Keener is taking graduate courses in the School of Education.

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