They are not interested in the issue of limbo nor the theological reasoning behind it. Rather, they like to rationalize their resistance to Christianity in particular and religion in general by (a) focusing on appearances of flip-flopping on issues ( even the most skeptical of people will believe that if you say 1=1 today and 1=2 tomorrow, something is fishy ) and (b) taking the early scholasticism of the Church as a sign of fruitless metaphysical speculation ( from a modern point of view )

Either way, it appeals to less-than-solid Catholics who want more changes in the Faith and to the more agnostic and atheist types who feel that all religion involves made-up answers to made-up problems
Peter | 04.20.07 - 9:30 pm | #

I think liberals think this is good news because to them it shows that tradition is being scrapped.

Of course, limbo was never a defined doctrine and therefore not part of holy tradition.
Gabe | Homepage | 04.20.07 - 9:48 pm | #

I think both Gabe and Peter are correct. Just read how the articles are written.

Sensational lines like "Catholic Church changes centuries of constant teaching" head the article while more sober statements like "Limbo was always held as a theological theory" are at the bottom of the barrel.

The popularity of the reports is due to how both the writers and the readers have managed to map more insidious hopes to what is really a small story.
StubbleSpark | 04.20.07 - 11:10 pm | #

Or, it could be that there is a large class of people genuinely interested for varying reasons....

Like, my sister who miscarried a baby decades ago still cries at the thought that it was never baptized.

I emailed her that link and I know there will be many happy tears this time.
Diane | Homepage | 04.20.07 - 11:38 pm | #

There is something weird about the whole concect of Limbo, just where is it exactly?
Panda Rosa | 04.22.07 - 1:35 pm | #

A Brazilian newspaper´s website reported in a headline:

"VATICAN DECRRES THE END OF LIMBO
Unbaptized babies now go to Heaven".

This explains it. The secular media are selling this as if it were a change of a magisterial teaching. And that´s what they want to sell: the idea that the magisterium can change.

Of course, in reallity, limbo was never a magisterial teaching, and this report by an ADVISORY Theological Commission criticizing the concept of limbo also isn´t. But of course, don´t count on the secular media to explain that.
Prof Basto | 04.22.07 - 10:31 pm | #