Dutch Catechism

Its lead authors were Edward Schillebeeckx OP, the influential Dominican intellectual, and Piet Schoonenberg, S.J., a professor of dogmatic theology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (whose works were censured by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on more than one occasion, because of problematic Christological views).

The second part discusses other religions and philosophies, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, humanism and Marxism, and the spirit of God in the world.

"[3] The English translation was published contrary to the wishes of the Dutch bishops and failed to address doctrinal problems present in the work.

[clarification needed] In Time the catechism was marketed as "a lively, undogmatic compendium of doctrine that reflects the most recent radical insights of theologians and scripture scholars.

At the request of Pope Paul VI, a high ranking commission of a wide variety of cardinals, including Charles Journet, Joseph Frings, Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre, Ermenegildo Florit, Michael Browne, and Lorenz Jaeger, under the coordination of the respected moral theologian Pietro Palazzini, convened to review the adequacy of several doctrinal formulations in the text.

Birth control was a minor issue in the Dutch Catechism until the issuance of Humanae vitae (HV) by Pope Paul VI some three years later.

[5] After HV, this position of the Dutch magisterium was hotly debated in the Church: Are all methods of regulation birth of equal value to the Christian conscience?

John Paul II convened a special synod in 1979, to deal with problems the Church faced in the Netherlands on a number of issues.