Context
Joseph Ratzinger's theology of the Magisterium emphasizes that no teaching exists in isolation — every act of Magisterium is an interpretation of prior tradition. This has implications for how CMDDR models relationships between documents.
Problem
The current table (and presumably the data model) treats each document type as a standalone entity. Ratzinger argues this produces a "historically flat" and therefore "theologically false" model.
Proposed Enrichment
Beyond the README table itself, the CMDDR data model should consider encoding hermeneutical relationships between documents, such as:
- interprets — Document A provides authoritative interpretation of Document B
- develops — Document A develops the teaching of Document B
- reaffirms — Document A reaffirms Document B's teaching
- corrects (non-contradictory) — Document A refines/corrects the formulation of Document B while maintaining continuity
This could be represented in the README table as a note about relational metadata, or as a separate section describing the relationship schema.
Impact on the Table
The table itself may not need new columns for this, but the README should acknowledge that documents exist within a tradition of interpretation, not as isolated data points. A separate section or note explaining the relational model would be appropriate.
References
- Joseph Ratzinger, hermeneutic of continuity vs hermeneutic of rupture
- Benedict XVI, Address to the Roman Curia (2005) on interpreting Vatican II
Context
Joseph Ratzinger's theology of the Magisterium emphasizes that no teaching exists in isolation — every act of Magisterium is an interpretation of prior tradition. This has implications for how CMDDR models relationships between documents.
Problem
The current table (and presumably the data model) treats each document type as a standalone entity. Ratzinger argues this produces a "historically flat" and therefore "theologically false" model.
Proposed Enrichment
Beyond the README table itself, the CMDDR data model should consider encoding hermeneutical relationships between documents, such as:
This could be represented in the README table as a note about relational metadata, or as a separate section describing the relationship schema.
Impact on the Table
The table itself may not need new columns for this, but the README should acknowledge that documents exist within a tradition of interpretation, not as isolated data points. A separate section or note explaining the relational model would be appropriate.
References