Why Is The Pope So Popular With Some Evangelicals?

[cappie]

Ever since his election, Pope Francis has taken a series of actions that seem to be very, well, un-popelike: He used public transportation as a cardinal, he lives in smaller quarters than he could and he asked for a blessing before giving a blessing to the crowd which gathered in St. Peter’s square on the day of his election.

 

What is stranger than Pope Francis’ actions has been evangelicals’ reactions. Never before has a pope become so widely accepted by Protestants and evangelicals. In a recent Op-Ed for Christianity Today, Timothy George called the new pope, “Our Francis, Too.”

 

As you look at the stories surrounding the new pope, it’s very difficult to dislike him. Through his actions and his profound, visible humility, Pope Francis has demonstrated a Christ-like character, not only Christ-like rhetoric. And this has brought him respect across the spectrum of Christianity.

 

Every pope in the Catholic Church’s past has had a mastery over Catholic rhetoric—the pope always says the right thing. But Pope Francis has decided to lead with his actions. Before delivering his message at the Holy Thursday Mass (an extremely important mass in Catholic tradition), Pope Francis spent time on his knees, washing the feet of young women incarcerated at a nearby prison. This was the first time the pope has ever washed the feet of women—not to mention that one of them was a Serbian Muslim, which is another break in papal tradition.

 

This type of servant leadership is precisely what has connected the new pope to our younger, more cynical generation. He is breaking the rules in the right places: where they shouldn’t exist.

 

As Pope Francis accepts his role, a new generation of evangelicals accepts theirs. As young evangelicals have rejected the megachurch and the televangelist and embraced a more rugged, grassroots Christianity, these actions by the pope fit perfectly. He has refused to live in the massive papal quarters in Rome and has chosen to live in the guesthouse, instead. One of his first actions as pope was to cancel his newspaper subscription at his home in Buenos Aires.

 

It is important here to realize that the pope is popular with evangelicals not because he’s doing what they already do, but rather because he is doing what they are not doing but wish to begin doing. As I scour the landscape of evangelical leadership (authors, speakers, mega-church pastors), it is difficult to find a man like Francis. In the age of best-selling books and church auditoriums that rival arenas, we do not see many leaders take the route of Pope Francis. And perhaps this is why we enjoy him so much: He is leading us in a way we are not leading ourselves right now.

 

Pope Francis is popular not for what he does, but how he does it. He’s popular not for what he says, but how he says it. These are character issues we are seeing displayed; he is adopting an attitude, not an office.

 

As evangelicals move ahead, I pray we would not be afraid to be led by a servant like Pope Francis. For if we cannot be led by a servant, how can we be led by Jesus?

 

Full Article: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/why-pope-so-popular

[Basilisa Marie]

It's easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar.  Hopefully Francis is causing people to look at Catholicism with new eyes. :) 

[Amppax]

This type of servant leadership is precisely what has connected the new pope to our younger, more cynical generation. He is breaking the rules in the right places: where they shouldn’t exist

I'm probably just really picky, but I really have a problem with the second line of the except above. There seems to be some sort of cultural move towards the abolition of authority and rules, at least it's something that I see a lot.

Before this gets tl;dr, I'll just cu myself off. It'll just turn into a long incoherent ramble.

[Apotheoun]

Is being popular with Evangelicals supposed to be a good thing? 

 

What about being popular with Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons?

[Dr. Bombay]

Is being popular with Evangelicals supposed to be a good thing? 

 

What about being popular with Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons?

 

Indeed.  And what about the Mohammedans and Jews?  How are the polls looking with those folks?


And Hindus and Buddhists?  Is Francis making inroads there in terms of popularity?

 

And what of the atheists?  He's said some nice things about atheists.  Could Francis be the first atheist Pope?  SQUEE!!!!! We can only hope!!!!

[Basilisa Marie]

I'm probably just really picky, but I really have a problem with the second line of the except above. There seems to be some sort of cultural move towards the abolition of authority and rules, at least it's something that I see a lot.

Before this gets tl;dr, I'll just cu myself off. It'll just turn into a long incoherent ramble.

 

I think what the author means (or at least, how I'm interpreting it) is that there are some things that have become "rules" of what it means to be pope, when in reality those things aren't actually rules, just commonly accepted ways of being pope.  Rules about wearing beautifully made garments, about living in beautiful places, interacting with certain kinds of people. All the ways Pope Francis is bucking the papal trend.  While I don't deny your assessment of the cultural move toward the abolition of authority and rules, I don't think that's what was meant.  

[Dr. Bombay]

It seems to me real humility would be accepting the Petrine office and all of the etiquette, trappings and (t)raditions that go along with it even if one doesn't like it and especially if one doesn't understand it. 

[Lil Red]

just because Pope Francis eschews some papal traditions does not mean that Pope Benedict XVI was wrong for not eschewing them. as I've said before, I think because Pope Francis is a religious order priest, he will naturally have different priorities than Pope Benedict XVI (a diocesan priest) had. doesn't make one "more Catholic" than the other. this reminds me of a facebook post floating around entitled "7 Things Pope Francis Got Rid Of" or something like that. it tries to set up a false dichotomy between Pope Francis and previous popes. 

 

edit: found it https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=529080557149733&set=a.395180740539716.84005.395091677215289&type=1

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2013 by Lil Red

[HisChildForever]

Why can't we just be happy that a lot of our Protestant brothers and sisters love and appreciate the Pope? Sheesh.

[Era Might]

Could Francis be the first atheist Pope?  SQUEE!!!!! We can only hope!!!!

:hehe2:

[Basilisa Marie]

It seems to me real humility would be accepting the Petrine office and all of the etiquette, trappings and (t)raditions that go along with it even if one doesn't like it and especially if one doesn't understand it. 

 

Aka real humility is being exactly the kind of pope that I want him to be.   :hehe2:

[Anastasia13]

Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.

[Apotheoun]

Why can't we just be happy that a lot of our Protestant brothers and sisters love and appreciate the Pope? Sheesh.

I would be happy if Protestants left their heresy behind and became Catholic, but it really is not that important to me if Evangelicals like or dislike the pope.

[dUSt]

It seems to me real humility would be accepting the Petrine office and all of the etiquette, trappings and (t)raditions that go along with it even if one doesn't like it and especially if one doesn't understand it. 

It seems to me real humility would be accepting the Petrine office pope... especially if one doesn't understand it him. 

 

Fixed.

[dUSt]

I would be happy if Protestants left their heresy behind and became Catholic, but it really is not that important to me if Evangelicals like or dislike the pope.

Well, I don't know of many Protestants who became Catholic while disliking the pope, so your logic seems rather absurd.