The University of San Diego, a Roman Catholic school, on Thursday withdrew the appointment of Rosemary Radford Ruether — an author and columnist for the National Catholic Reporter – to theology professor because of her role with the abortion-rights organization Catholics for Choice, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports. According to the AP/Mercury News, the decision came despite a petition that included 2,000 signatures, 54 of which came from faculty members, to restore the appointment of Ruether or allow her to visit campus for a week and give a lecture on academic freedom.

Pamela Gray Payton, spokesperson for the university, said that Ruether accepted the offer for the Monsignor John R. Portman Chair in Roman Catholic Theology, in the spring. Some antiabortion groups protested the appointment, the AP/Mercury News reports. Gray Payton said that the previous dean of the College of Arts and Sciences failed to get approval from the provost, who should have made the offer based on the dean’s recommendation. Ruether’s position on the board of Catholics for Choice “is obviously very much in contrast with Roman Catholic theology and, from our perspective, did not seem appropriate for this chair,” Gray Payton said.

Ruether said the dispute reflects a larger debate within Catholic institutions about how to address controversial issues, including gay and lesbian rights, and ordination of female priests. “There’s just a huge conflict going on between whether people can discuss controversial issues or whether you can only give the official position,” Ruether said.

According to the AP/Mercury News, Catholic bishops have increasingly emphasized Catholics’ duty to oppose abortion rights. During the 2004 presidential election, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops warned that Catholic schools should not honor or give any platform to “those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.” Pope Benedict XVI also told leaders of U.S. Catholic colleges and universities that academic freedom has “great value” but that it does not justify promoting positions that are not in line with the Catholic faith

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