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The Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica, often a channel for Vatican views, carried a dignified putdown arguing that the church remains "indefectible" only if it can affirm truth infallibly. A footnote pointedly said that when Britain's Charles Davis had problems of conscience, he quit the church. But Kung vows to stay and fight.
Under liberalized rules on doctrinal deviation (TIME, Feb. 15), the Vatican is counting on firm nation-by-nation repudiation of Kűng's ideas by bishops rather than a showdown in Rome. It hopes the discussion will be confined to theologians rather than becoming widespread a la birth control. But wide publication of the book—plus free publicity from church criticism—is bound to stir up other eddies of theological doubt in the Catholic world.