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PopeWatch: Superficial and Ambiguous

Lifesite News has an interview with Italian journalist Aldo Maria Valli who has just released a book on Pope Francis.  From an early supporter of the Pope, he has become a critic:

Aldo Maria Valli: I wanted to express my perplexity that arose from some parts of the teaching of Francis, especially after Amoris Laetitia. To sum them up: on the one hand, I see a certain superficiality, on the other hand an ambiguity.

I especially see superficiality in three distinct arguments: the unity of Christians, the acceptance of migrants, and the dialogue with Islam. With regards to the unity of Christians, when the Pope asks to leave out some theological aspects in order to concentrate on things that Christians of different confessions have in common, he seems to me to be risking wanting to divide by zero. The Church is not a welfare office, or at least that is not her first role. If everything is reduced to social work, without awareness of theological fundamentals, then there is risk to dilute the faith and to cut away the basis of everything. Furthermore, without theological depth the dialogue also remains generic “benevolence.”

We should never lose sight of the fundamental question of truth.

In regard to migrants, it seems to me that the Pope is too generic when he says to open the doors without thinking about the problem of the defense of the Christian identity and the European identity especially. It is true that Europe is composed of different cultures, but it is also true that there would be no Europe – as we know it today – were it not for Christianity, and also today’s Europe has known moments in history during which it had to defend itself against Islam. Concerning dialogue with Islam, I think that the Pope is superficial when he affirms that extremists exist in all religions. This is surely true, but it is equally true that Islam has a particular problem with violence and the origins of the problem are within the Koran. It is a given fact that we cannot ignore and the best way of helping our Muslim brothers is to make them realize it.

The ambiguity lies mostly with Francis’ teaching of mercy. God is without doubt a merciful father, but it is not possible to separate mercy from justice. If we do so, then we risk transforming mercy into God’s duty and the obtainment of mercy into man’s right. It is not like that. Mercy is a gift offered for those who are open to conversion, to penance, and to recognition of their sin. Furthermore, mercy is not the soft slap of a father who forgets all. If it were like that, then the principle of personal responsibility would be defeated and liberty would be self-abased. We have to ask ourselves in the end: a generic psychological-physical well-being or the salvation of the soul? If we do not ask for salvation, then we risk putting man in the center, not God.

Go here to read the rest.

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David
David
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 5:23am

Excellent. This is truth. How it pains me that we’re not hearing this from where we should be hearing it; hence the vital need for correction as painful as that might be.

ken
ken
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 7:34am

“God is without doubt a merciful father, but it is not possible to separate mercy from justice.” is the spiritual little brother of “God is love.”. To reduce God to a single dimension is worshiping a false image of God.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 8:07am

This is excellent.
.
“Furthermore, mercy is not the soft slap of a father who forgets all. If it were like that, then the principle of personal responsibility would be defeated and liberty would be self-abased.”
.
For me early in sobriety some 30 years ago God’s mercy was the pain of withdrawal from heroin. I hope I never forget that.

trackback
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 1:55pm

[…] SUPERFICIAL AND AMBIGUOUS […]

c matt
c matt
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 2:30pm

I never understood how focusing on what various denominations of Christians agree on and glossing over the differences would promote unity. It is bleeping obvious, but it is our differences that keep us divided – without addressing them, guess what? We are still divided.

bill bannon
bill bannon
Wednesday, February 1, AD 2017 4:05pm

Mark Zuckerberg used Pope Francis’ …walls no..bridges yes concept but the Weekly Standard found that Zuckerberg has 1150 acres on Kauai on which he built a mile long wall that neighbors object to. And though generous to charity, he is suing natives just to bring them forth really because inherited land owned by some of them is on his land…
http://www.weeklystandard.com/zuckerberg-steps-in-it-in-hawaii/article/2006608

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