Understandably, there has been much discussion of the first in the papal fireside chat video series that we are promised frequently during the Year of Mercy. Much like the spiritual hand-grenade thrown into the Catholic world on the Feast of the Holy Family (Our Lord Jesus Christ begging forgiveness for his 'escapade'), the inter-faith dialogue I-believe-in-love-so-let's-torch-2000-years-of-Catholic-teaching video is jaw-droppingly astonishing and really quite painful. Generally, with the video released in such close proximity to the Epiphany, at which we commemorate the showing forth of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, we can surely sum it up as being another 'teaching opportunity' sadly missed, because if we really needed someone to tell us 'all you need is love', we could have just listened to the Beatles.
One could mention the clear indifferentism shown in the video, on the Feast of the Epiphany, as others have, the lack of the Crucifix as a clear Icon of Christianity and much else. However, what really concerns me - among so much that I find quite eerie in this video - is this statement...
It's not followed by: '...Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life'.
It's followed by: '...we are all children of God'.
I just have one question:
How do you know?
How do you know?
How does His Holiness, as a religious leader, lay claim to the certainty that 'we are all children of God'? How does he, as the Successor of St Peter, know with certainty, that God exists at all? Because, you know, if we are saying that God definitely exists, that is dealing in an Absolute.
What makes his claim to knowledge of God's fatherhood of humanity more important than that of an atheist? Basically, why should anyone believe him? Is it because the Lord Jesus said, 'Thou art Peter...' ? Because if His Holiness believes that's where his Authority comes from, we can be sure that there is much more than his statement above of which he can be 'certain'.
For instance, if the Church and the World should listen to the Pope because he is the Vicar of Christ on Earth, the Successor of St Peter, with all the authority invested him by the only Begotten Son of God, then that first principle of certainty ('I am certainly, for example, the Pope') means he can say, unapologetically, that many other certainties also exist.
These include 'certainties' like...
Either Pope Francis is who and what he is by virtue of that Authority which Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God has given to him, or he is of no more importance or no more worth listening to than Richard Dawkins. His teaching credibility relies on the fact that he comes to us claiming authority given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ to 'teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit'. The incredibly limited framework within which the Holy Father says we can have 'certainty' has clear implications for him and his hearers. If he is certain that his unique authority to speak on matters of faith and morals comes from Jesus Christ, then other certainties flow from that - including the certainty that all that Jesus taught about Salvation is true. If he is uncertain about that, how can he (or we) even be certain of his message that 'we are all children of God'.
There is room for doubt, after all, because Christ taught the Pharisees who would not accept Him...
For instance, if the Church and the World should listen to the Pope because he is the Vicar of Christ on Earth, the Successor of St Peter, with all the authority invested him by the only Begotten Son of God, then that first principle of certainty ('I am certainly, for example, the Pope') means he can say, unapologetically, that many other certainties also exist.
These include 'certainties' like...
- Jesus is the Son of God.
- Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and nobody comes to the Father except through Him.
- Many people believe in love, but Jesus is Love Incarnate.
- The road to Heaven is narrow and few people find it.
- Hell exists, just as Jesus taught, and it is eternal.
- Those who divorce and remarry commit adultery.
- Baptism is necessary for Salvation.
- Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of God and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.
- And much, much more...
Either Pope Francis is who and what he is by virtue of that Authority which Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God has given to him, or he is of no more importance or no more worth listening to than Richard Dawkins. His teaching credibility relies on the fact that he comes to us claiming authority given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ to 'teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit'. The incredibly limited framework within which the Holy Father says we can have 'certainty' has clear implications for him and his hearers. If he is certain that his unique authority to speak on matters of faith and morals comes from Jesus Christ, then other certainties flow from that - including the certainty that all that Jesus taught about Salvation is true. If he is uncertain about that, how can he (or we) even be certain of his message that 'we are all children of God'.
There is room for doubt, after all, because Christ taught the Pharisees who would not accept Him...
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