----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Pensinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 2:09 AM Subject: Re: New Pope?
> JDG wrote: > > > I'm sorry, but I'm not sure that I detect the insult here. > > ...he says, batting his eyelashes in an expression of feigned innocence. > > > And if he did so after open-mindedly considering all sides of the issue, > > would you still consider him to be closed-minded on the subject for > > issuing a final decision? > > I would say he gave the appearance of closing his mind on the subject by > making a final decision, but that not knowing much about church politics > I'm open to the possibility that I'm mistaken. How open minded was he on > other issues such as birth control, celibacy and gay marriage? > > In my opinion, if one _favors_ tradition over change (or vice-versa), then > one is inherently closed minded to some extent. JP II's legacy was very complicated. In interfaith relationships, he proved to be extraordinarily open minded. He publicly prayed with a wide range of Christian and non-Christian believers. He visited mosques and synagogues. Although church teachings had already been that non-Christians could be saved by the power of Jesus, his willingness to state this belief in such a public symbolic manner was profound. Remember, the Catholic church expresses much symbolically and each step like this has profound meaning. There are also personal stories concerning people of other faiths who worked with him. The Jewish conductor who worked for the Vatican talked about his relationship with the Pope. He said that relationship was the basis of great spiritual growth...and that he became more Jewish as a result of his dealings with the pope. Never, he said, did the Pope try to convert him. This speaks to a tremendous openness to God working with others in many ways. On the flip side of the coin, he presided over unprecedented centralization of the Catholic church. The two previous popes (not counting JP I) appointed bishops and cardinals based on a number of factors. They gave strong heed to the chancery offices, they tried to pick people with strong pastoral skills. Paul VI, of course, wrote the birth control document, but he still picked bishops and cardinals in this manner. JP II didn't. He picked only those who strongly agreed with him on virtually all counts. He moved decision making from the diocese and councils of bishops back to the Vatican. Indeed, there was even a proposal at the Vatican that virtually all of his important decisions were to be considered infallible...a drastic change from the previous views. One of the best ways to understand this apparent contradiction is to note that he had a much different background than most Americans or Western Europeans. From his perspective, Americans are fairly spoiled and self centered. Given the tremendous suffering elsewhere in the world, our complaints look like whining. It will be _very_ interesting if we get a Third World pope. Their perspective will be decidedly un-American. Conservatives may be upset with economic pronouncements. Liberals may be upset to learn that, in non-economic matters, Africa and Latin America are much more conservative than the US. It should be interesting. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
