A New Way to Be Pope

The media have made much of the new Bishop of Rome and his uncharacteristic way of being the Pope.  He lets children sit on his papal chair, he embraces disfigured men, and he generally refuses to enjoy the customary luxuries of the papacy. The Guardian went so far as to call him the “un-Benedict,” in reference to his more traditional predecessor.   

Economic policies, in particular, showcase the Pope’s commitment to doing things differently.  Rather than relying on a Christian tradition that too often has found power within political and economic systems, Pope Francis raises up the most subversive messages of the Bible.  Taking center stage are the religious codes of the Hebrew Bible that require concern for the “widows, orphaned and alien,” the social prophets’ sharp critique of extravagance, and Jesus’ repeated concern for the poor.  A recent editorial for the Washington Post called the Pope so appealing precisely because “he embraces the Christian calling to destabilize and to challenge.”  A less favorable description came from Rush Limbaugh last week as he denounced Francis’ “pure marxism.”

Liberal Messiah?

The temptation, of course, is to look at his concern for economic justice and see a champion for the liberal cause.  After the Vatican published a treatise that condemns “trickle-down theories” of economics, for instance, one commentator identified Pope Francis’ core message as “pointed” and “liberal.”  And yes, according to 21st century American politics, his economic teachings are “liberal.”

Can Pope Francis, though – and by extension, Christianity – be reduced to one political ideology?  Oh, certainly, Christians box the gospel into our own preconceived beliefs every day.  It is hard not to, when our scripture and tradition provide endless fodder for ideological purists.  Want a God who promotes equality and inclusiveness?  Look no farther than the gospel of Luke for a radical critique of classism.  Want a God who elevates men above women?  Paul’s letters will keep you proof-texting all day long.  Whether you are the Moral Majority or Jim Wallis’ Sojourners, a jihadist or a reform Jew, you can mold your religion to fit whatever ideology you want.

Thus we return to the Holy See.  Should we label Francis I a liberal?  After all, he calls capitalism a form of tyranny, supports health care for all and opposes capital punishment.  If that is not enough, consider his rhetorical question heard around the world: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”

Indeed, our liberal savior has arrived – let Upworthy and MSNBC celebrate!

Hold on, though.  The new pope once called same-sex marriage “a move by the father of lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God.”  Women in the priesthood?  Francis says “The door is closed.”  And don’t even think about abortion:  he has gone so far as to encourage Argentinian bishops to deny communion to any Catholic politicians who support legal abortion.

What do we do with someone who does not fit into the box of “liberal” or “conservative?”  Do you demonize him for the parts with which you disagree, or do you glorify him for the parts you like?  Is he mostly in the right with a few mistakes?  Or mostly in the wrong with a few redeeming qualities?

And what does all of this say about who God is?  Is everyone wrong who disagrees with us about God’s will?  Or are we all a little bit right?  Did the same Jesus who says “it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19.24) really scold his disciples with the seemingly careless message: “the poor will always be with you” (Matt. 26.11)?  Has one group figured out the “right” God?  Or is God bigger than our groups and divisions?

The Pope We Need Right Now

I wonder if the Pope does not challenge us to think outside of our neat categories.  The Pope we deserve, after all, would be a purely partisan force, conveniently falling into either the “liberal” or “conservative” definition.  Half of us would love him, and half of us would hate him.

We need a Pope, though, who confounds our categories.  We need a Pope who forces us outside of “liberal” and “conservative.”  We need a Pope who can embody the kind of reconciliation for which the world is badly hurting.  By failing to be the Pope we want and deserve, I wonder if Francis I is not becoming the Pope we need right now.

Because when people – Roman Catholic or not – see the oldest institution of the Christian Church offering something besides our own divisions, perhaps we begin to see that God lies beyond our own divisions, too.  Perhaps we begin to conceive of a God who is not partisan or tribal, but who is universal, all-encompassing and embracing each one of us every day.