Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1994-1998 · 4 years · show in timeline

Rome 1997: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Ratzinger declares the Sri Lankan theologian Tissa Balasuriya excommunicated over a book; the sentence is lifted a year later

In 1994 the Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka warned the faithful against the book "Mary and Human Liberation" by the Oblate Tissa Balasuriya. On 2 January 1997 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Ratzinger, with the approval of John Paul II, declared that he could not be considered a Catholic theologian and had incurred excommunication. On 15 January 1998 the Archbishop of Colombo declared the remission of the excommunication.

Period
1994-1998 (4 years)
Report published
2 January 1997
Country
Vatican City
Institutions
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka
Category
Heresy trials, Censorship
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Tissa Balasuriya (Oblate, theologian in Sri Lanka)

What happened to the people

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. On 5 June 1994 the Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka declared that the book contained statements incompatible with the faith and admonished the faithful not to read it. The Congregation intervened because the ideas continued to spread.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Introduction
    „The Bishops concluded by admonishing the faithful to refrain from reading the book.“
    Notification concerning the Text «Mary and Human Liberation» by Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, 2. Januar 1997, Introduction. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. The Notification of 2 January 1997 states that Balasuriya has deviated from the integrity of the faith, cannot be considered a Catholic theologian and has incurred excommunication latae sententiae. It is signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and was approved by John Paul II.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Schluss
    „cannot be considered a Catholic theologian; moreover, he has incurred excommunication latae sententiae“
    Notification concerning the Text «Mary and Human Liberation» by Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, 2. Januar 1997, Schluss. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va), Schluss
    „Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect“
    Notification concerning the Text «Mary and Human Liberation» by Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, 2. Januar 1997, Schluss. Original
  2. On 15 January 1998 the Archbishop of Colombo declared the remission of the excommunication.
    Evidence: L'Osservatore Romano; Abdruck bei EWTN, Erklärung des Erzbischofs
    „remission of the excommunication which Fr Tissa Balasuriya incurred“
    Erklärung des Erzbischofs von Colombo vom 15. Januar 1998, in: L'Osservatore Romano, englische Wochenausgabe, 21. Januar 1998, Erklärung des Erzbischofs. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Heiliger Stuhl, Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre (vatican.va): Notification concerning the Text «Mary and Human Liberation» by Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, 2. Januar 1997, 2 January 1997. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Church document
    L'Osservatore Romano; Abdruck bei EWTN: Erklärung des Erzbischofs von Colombo vom 15. Januar 1998, in: L'Osservatore Romano, englische Wochenausgabe, 21. Januar 1998, 21 January 1998. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
Change log (1)

The change log is kept in German only.

  • : Aufgenommen

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.