Here’s Benedict Helping Francis

Last updated on: December 27, 2014 at 9:25 am by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Here’s Benedict Helping Francis 2014-12-27T09:25:32-05:00 Fr. Dwight Longenecker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yesterday I got itchy about Pope Francis seemingly saying that evangelism was a ‘solemn nonsense’.

Still pondering yesterday’s papal interview with Eugenio Scalfari I came across this article from Pope Benedict’s 2007 visit to Brazil. In the article Pope Benedict XVI discusses the matter of proselytization and says to the Latin American bishops,

“To you who represent the Church in Latin America, today I symbolically entrust my Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, in which I sought to point out to everyone the essence of the Christian message.” He then explained that the Church “does not engage in proselytism. Instead, she grows by ‘attraction’,” “just as Christ draws all to himself by the power of his love.”

Benedict XVI stressed then that “this is the priceless treasure that is so abundant in Latin America, this is her most precious inheritance: faith in the God who is Love, who has shown us his face in Jesus Christ.”

Re-reading the Scalfari interview we can see that this is essentially what Pope Francis is also saying. So why did I, and so many others get itchy about Pope Francis’ comment?

I think there are several reasons. Firstly, the comment was stated negatively. The Pope said he wasn’t going to convert Scalfari and he said “proselytization was a solemn nonsense.” Contrast this with the positive way in which Benedict XVI said the same thing. He did condemn proselytization, but he did so in the fuller context of explaining the Catholic method of evangelization which is “attraction of love”. He referenced his comments back to a papal teaching so that we can gain a fuller understanding.

Secondly, Pope Francis’ interview had other disturbing hints which colored our reading of his proselytization comment. His new age sounding words about “the light of God infusing all souls and becoming one at the end of time” sounded like squishy universalism, and if this was right, then the need for any form of evangelization is eliminated.

Thirdly, we picked up these two subtexts and combined them with the words about “going out and showing love and making the world a better place” and the words about “infusing a feeling of brotherhood for all” and heard what sounded like the usual bland, universalist, social gospel mush that has been a force of stupendous weakness in the church for the last fifty years.

I was much helped therefore, by reading not only Benedict XVI’s comments on evangelization but also re-reading Bl.John Paul II’s encyclical Novo Millennio Ineunte — into the new millennium. Their words about evangelization and the church’s mission harmonize completely with Pope Francis’. However, we will probably still have to take some time to get used to Francis’ approach. His words and actions will be in harmony with the teachings of JP2 and B16 but his approach will be his approach–that of a pastor from Argentina–with his own unique perspective and emphasis.

As for me. I’m learning and listening, and if my blog posts yesterday were a bit scrappy–well that’s part of the process.

No forward motion without friction.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 1, 2013

Yes, I Am Trying to Convert You!

Next Post

October 2, 2013 Don't Be Hasty

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Matters Apologetics Architecture Blobble Study Book Reviews Brideshead Caitlin O'Rourke Catholic Art Catholic Culture Church Politics Chust for Nice Contemporary Culture Duane Mandible Ed Blanch Film Reviews Fr Harvey Nicolaitan Frank Viola Mantilla the Hon More Christianity Mrs Brady Catholic Old Lady Mystery of the Magi Norman Anderson Queen Hillary Saints and Supernatural Spirituality The Inklings The Vicar Theology Todd Unctuous Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz