John Grabowski, associate professor of theology, published an essay in Our Sunday Visitor on gradualism and they Synod. See below.
From: Our Sunday Visitor Date: Oct. 29, 2014 Author: John Grabowski
In the midst of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, there was much talk of the concept of gradualism. Though this language was removed from the final report released by bishops at the synod's end, it's a concept that likely will resurface as the Church prepares for the "ordinary" family synod in October 2015.
Some less informed accounts describe gradualism as a brand new idea or something being revived by the Church after having fallen out of favor in recent decades. People from many different points of view have characterized it as a kind of Trojan Horse designed to undermine the Church's supposedly rigid teaching from within by making it possible to endorse irregular family situations.
These characterizations of both the origin and purpose of gradualism are mistaken.
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Read more about Grabowski's expertise .