On February 4, 2025, in Madrid, Spain, José Ignacio Munilla, the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante, addressed concerns surrounding the controversial views of Father Pablo d’Ors, particularly his theories about Jesus’ teachings.
Munilla raised alarms about d’Ors’ suggestion that Jesus’ wisdom might have stemmed from Eastern influences, like Buddhism, rather than divine revelation.
This statement was made in a talk during the first Ibero-American meeting for religion teachers in 2022.
Critique of d’Ors’ Theories
Munilla began by unpacking d’Ors’ central argument.
According to the priest, to truly understand Jesus, one must “forget” the existing knowledge of him through the Scriptures and Church tradition.
Instead, d’Ors advocates for a fresh approach, claiming that what we know of Jesus confuses us, rather than illuminating the truth about him.
He argues that we need to “deconstruct” our understanding of Jesus to discover his true nature.
The controversial claim by d’Ors includes the notion that during his so-called “hidden years,” Jesus likely ventured to places like India or Tibet, where he absorbed Eastern wisdom, essentially suggesting Jesus could be seen as a “yogi.”
A Syncretistic and Unfounded Theory
Munilla strongly disagreed with this idea, describing it as a “syncretistic theory” that tries to merge Christianity with Buddhism.
He criticized the theory for lacking any foundation in the Gospels, labeling it as a “crazy interpretation” of Christian teachings.
Munilla argued that this theory is built on projecting an ideology onto Jesus, rather than on any scriptural evidence.
To make his point clear, Munilla stated that the idea of Jesus learning wisdom in India or Tibet before starting his public ministry is deeply disrespectful to the Gospels.
He also warned that this theory carries a significant misunderstanding of Christology, which is the study of the nature and work of Christ.
A Clash with Scripture
Munilla particularly took issue with d’Ors’ assertion that Jesus’ wisdom did not come from God, his Father.
This, according to Munilla, contradicts several key passages in the Gospel of John (e.g., John 5:19-20, 7:16-17, and 12:49), which emphasize that Jesus’ wisdom and authority came directly from God.
For Munilla, d’Ors’ claim that Jesus learned from Eastern philosophies like Buddhism undermines the core Christian belief that Jesus’ wisdom is divinely inspired.
It’s clear to Munilla that d’Ors is projecting his personal desire to blend the teachings of Christianity and Buddhism, rather than presenting a legitimate theological argument.
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