Shocking, I know. Yet it's not only because they are wrong--though they might be, depending on the context--or that they lack any shred of living faith in any form, though of course, that's entirely possible. There are other contexts where you need the freedom to be wrong, to consider even the logical outcome of the most odious theological conclusions. Speculative theology, for one. So, I think this is the main reason the Holy Father was so...conciliatory toward positions I'm sure he could readily identify as "temptations" or even occasions for sin. He doesn't know precisely why they are being offered in any one case, and even if he did, he doesn't ever close the door on an opportunity for conversion, even a bishop! When we say "conversion," by the way, we mean the ongoing process of being conformed to the image of Christ. So, a justified person undergoes conversion; an unjustified person certainly could. Obviously, I was confused by this for a long time, as a former Reformed person. But in Catholic thought, justification and sanctification are two different terms to talk about the same thing. They are not synonymous exactly, because you are talking about holiness from two different directions.
Here's the Holy Father's closing address.
Personally, I'm excited. There are a lot of people who doubted that he would even speak such words. In my opinion, "faithful" in (conservative) American parlance means, "not an abortionist, not a hippie, not an NPR listener, not a Mass-skipper." There's some good things in there, and there's some cultural preferences in there, too. Anyway, that isn't what it really means. And some of those "faithful" need some more faith. Are they just mad because Burke wasn't elected pope? This is the successor of Peter, man. We're not talking about the GOP primary. Rick Santorum will never be pope, God love him. Just because you meet somebody "faithful", it doesn't mean that their judgments in what the pope/Church should do or say are right. Just sayin.' For the record, I love Rick Santorum. Actually, I kinda like NPR, too, in small doses. I'm still wondering why Raddatz is getting all this noise for bad moderation of the VP debate in '12; I loved it. I digress.
Take a deep breath. Read a good catechism. Remember that JP II kissed a Koran, and Paul VI was like the Dwight Eisenhower of popes, and not in a good way. Both those cats are definitely in Heaven now. [You need to stop mixing metaphors.--ed.] I know. I'm sorry, but not.
Here's the Holy Father's closing address.
Personally, I'm excited. There are a lot of people who doubted that he would even speak such words. In my opinion, "faithful" in (conservative) American parlance means, "not an abortionist, not a hippie, not an NPR listener, not a Mass-skipper." There's some good things in there, and there's some cultural preferences in there, too. Anyway, that isn't what it really means. And some of those "faithful" need some more faith. Are they just mad because Burke wasn't elected pope? This is the successor of Peter, man. We're not talking about the GOP primary. Rick Santorum will never be pope, God love him. Just because you meet somebody "faithful", it doesn't mean that their judgments in what the pope/Church should do or say are right. Just sayin.' For the record, I love Rick Santorum. Actually, I kinda like NPR, too, in small doses. I'm still wondering why Raddatz is getting all this noise for bad moderation of the VP debate in '12; I loved it. I digress.
Take a deep breath. Read a good catechism. Remember that JP II kissed a Koran, and Paul VI was like the Dwight Eisenhower of popes, and not in a good way. Both those cats are definitely in Heaven now. [You need to stop mixing metaphors.--ed.] I know. I'm sorry, but not.
Comments