Papa Francis a man of wisdom

“If we start to fight among ourselves and say my religion is more important than yours, my religion is true and yours is not, where would that lead us. It is okay to discuss, because every religion is a way to arrive at God. Analogously speaking, religion is like different languages to arrive at God. But God is God for all. And if God is God for all, we are all sons and daughters of God. ‘But my God is more important than your God’. Is that true? There is only one God, and each of us is a language, so to speak, to arrive at God. Muslim, Hindu, they are different paths. Understood?” (Pope Francis, sharing in an interreligious dialogue at Catholic Junior College in Singapore.)

HERE IS yet another reason why the inspired and progressive thoughts of Papa Francis continue to encourage hope for a better world. Christianity has for long walked through a history of selfishness, greed, dogma, autocracy, and sheer patriarchal darkness while serving an exclusive and tribal God informed by some tribal folks and their understanding of God. Common sense, human rights, inclusive and progressive approaches are among the reasons why the pontiff is on the right side of history.

There comes a time when we must evolve to understand that much of what we have been fed from Old Testament teachings, and religion in general, are informed by how writers, teachers, preachers, and so on, understood God and matters around divinity in general. Literary theology is an attempt to convey an understanding and a message about God or gods vis-à-vis oral and written traditions. Literary theology is not literal theology.

Tribal thinkers understand God to be biased in their interest. They believe that God wants them to be protected above all others. God will also destroy others simply in the interest of the ‘God-favoured’ tribe.

A more enlightened world is evolving and progressing to understand that the family of God is much wider and more inclusive than what we were traditionally comforted with. Some people are discovering that something is arrogant about a new religion deciding that in the scheme of things, it alone has the truth and authority on ultimate concerns.

That the Bible presents a seemingly exclusive approach to salvation is not sufficient cause for enslavement to one way of thinking. The Bible, after all, was compiled by the Church. The writers conveyed the theological understanding that served the faith perspective defined in orthodox terms. It is not even a monolithic text. Maybe that is why one may also find presentations and understandings supporting the notion of the Kingdom of God as a great family that transcends tribes and languages and nations e t cetera.

No doubt, there are those who think like former Catholic Bishop of Texas Joseph Strikland, who was fired in 2023 after his publicly taking issue with the Pope’s leadership and progressive approaches. Maybe Francis realises that it makes more sense for tradition to serve people, than for people to become slaves to tradition.

Papa Francis serves at the ancient See of St Peter. He is the most senior cleric of Christendom. It is courageous of him to attempt speaking in the name of Jesus’ unconditional love and prodigal inclusion. Bear in mind that his constituency is filled with many privileged folks for whom any departure from their protected status feels like oppression.

Many clergy depend on wielding some power to keep you from Hell and securing a place for you in Heaven. Interreligious faith and conversation recognise that none of us have a monopoly on God. Maybe that is why in centreing the Samaritan who helped the attacked and wounded man by the wayside, Jesus simply affirmed that he was a neighbour to the victim of a crime. Nowhere are we ever told that the Samaritan became a Christian or started going to church. Instead, the lawyer with whom Jesus was speaking was told, “Go and do likewise.”

Since the Samaritans were Gentiles, who were seen as less than, it is not surprising that Jesus’ disciples, upon seeing him talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, would have been taken aback. It was rather unseemly for him to be engaging a Samaritan and a woman in theological conversation. And he was not even condemning her.

Many who are in the business of condemning those with different theological perspectives will no doubt rush to condemn the Pope. Many will continue to ignore the quest for peace and goodwill to all. It is going to be a more enlightened world that builds a platform of respect, equality, and justice for all, rather than elevating the things that divide us.

The John 14 text has no doubt been used by many to sustain an exclusivist approach. In John 14:6-7, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.”

Was Jesus suggesting that no one before his time was able to come to God? This is a text to be understood within the context of Christian teaching for Christianity. Christians come to God through Jesus the Christ. Those who wish to be part of the Christ Way, do so through Jesus the Christ of God.

Those who are finding, and have found, peace in God and are serving fellow human beings and fellow creatures in peace and love are in the right place, whether they be Muslim, Hindu, Baha’I, and so on. There are even those who do not do ‘God-talk’ or religious faith, who are agents of peace and love for all. Amen.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights. Send feedback to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com