Two years ago, when the Catholic Theological Society of America voted 10 to 1 to approve a resolution casting doubt on the Vatican position on women's ordination, Jesuit theologian Avery Dulles publicly questioned whether CTSA could still be called Catholic. So it was a victory for theological dialogue and openness that CTSA built its entire June 1999 convention in Miami around the theme of development of doctrine, and featured a major two-session debate between Dulles and fellow Jesuit theologian Richard McCormick about the proper role of dissent. Importantly, both agreed that dissent from official teaching is a legitimate part of the process of doctrinal development. Dulles' emphasis was on defending official teaching authority: dissent should be "rare, reluctant, and respectful." McCormick rather stressed the importance of dissent to help the church correct its errors and develop its doctrines, especially "when the church is irresponsible and authoritarian." For Dulles, public dissent is a threat to the church's credibility and unity. For McCormick, if public dissent has become a problem, it is "largely because of the attitudes and statements of John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger," who hamper genuine doctrinal development by their rigorous, repressive approach.

A dozen other U.S. theologians made responses to the debate, including Boston College's Lisa Sowle Cahill and Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley of Yale, the current CTSA president. Given the current climate of fear among theologians, most took it as a hopeful sign that CTSA was devoting courageous public discussion to issues of dissent, with civility, humility, and trust in the future.