04-06-2005, 08:29 AM
Hail,
I wouldn't bet the house on the next Pope being a leader in the sense that John Paul II. was.
Here in Germany, as well as around the rest of the world, I guess, press coverage centered on the geopolitical work done by the late Pope. In that, he has done great, no doubt.
But these successes tend to mask his interior politics. He strongly supported Opus Dei, an order that is seen as rather extremist, his views about abortion or homosexuality weren't excatly liberal, and one of the last "big things" was announcing Roman Catolicism as "the one true church" - greatly annoying Protestant and other churches, and not exactly a giant stride towards the 21st century.
Add to that the fact that almost all Cardinals responsible for electing the now Pope have been picked by John Paul II. - not likely that they will elect someone who will take a 180 degree turn from conservative to liberal, is it?
Also, the late Pope was often chided for travelling too much and not paying enough attention to Vatican politics...
All that added together, I don't have very high hopes for the next Pope - it smells like he's going to be a very conservative sort, someone geared towards "preserving" the state of the Roman Catholic church. Which is to say someone who will probably drive even more people from "his" church because of views that are, to my thinking, outdated and not really humanitarian (Policy regarding contraceptives, especially condoms in view of AIDS etc.). Seems to me that his focus will be there, not in international relations... but I guess we'll have to wait 'till white smoke rises.
Take care,
Lord_Olf
I wouldn't bet the house on the next Pope being a leader in the sense that John Paul II. was.
Here in Germany, as well as around the rest of the world, I guess, press coverage centered on the geopolitical work done by the late Pope. In that, he has done great, no doubt.
But these successes tend to mask his interior politics. He strongly supported Opus Dei, an order that is seen as rather extremist, his views about abortion or homosexuality weren't excatly liberal, and one of the last "big things" was announcing Roman Catolicism as "the one true church" - greatly annoying Protestant and other churches, and not exactly a giant stride towards the 21st century.
Add to that the fact that almost all Cardinals responsible for electing the now Pope have been picked by John Paul II. - not likely that they will elect someone who will take a 180 degree turn from conservative to liberal, is it?
Also, the late Pope was often chided for travelling too much and not paying enough attention to Vatican politics...
All that added together, I don't have very high hopes for the next Pope - it smells like he's going to be a very conservative sort, someone geared towards "preserving" the state of the Roman Catholic church. Which is to say someone who will probably drive even more people from "his" church because of views that are, to my thinking, outdated and not really humanitarian (Policy regarding contraceptives, especially condoms in view of AIDS etc.). Seems to me that his focus will be there, not in international relations... but I guess we'll have to wait 'till white smoke rises.
Take care,
Lord_Olf
"I don't like to brag, I don't like to boast, but I like hot butter on my breakfast toast!" - Flea