Written by Monty Granger @mjgranger1
Figuratively speaking, of course (for now). A group of five senior conservative Cardinals of the Holy See have twice presented the Pope with five questions (“dubia”) of faith and have now restated the questions, asking only for a “yes” or “no” answer due to the Pope’s vagueness in his “answers” the first time round.
Be warned, the questions are direct and heavy. Too heavy for the Pope to lift? If he were still an impoverished friar of the Jesuit order, from whence he came in Argentina just over ten years ago, he may have immediately given answers from the heart or soul. Now? As the leader of the original, formal, political Christian Church, he must measure his answers so as not to offend . . . the wrong people.
The rub is just who are the right people? Worshipers? Priests? The press? World leaders? The WEF?
The questions are so plain now that not giving a “yes” or “no” answer would reveal the Pope as recalcitrant, rebellious, and/or political. Which of those would be detrimental to the Pontiff, to his office, to the Catholic religion? This, he must weigh. Carefully.
The first question posed by the Cardinals asks, should females be allowed into the priesthood? Yes or no? Simple, right? Not so fast! The teachings of Christ and of the Old Testament do not allow for women to be ordained in the role of the “father.” Exclusive rights to that title/role belong exclusively to males. If the Pope allows it, conservative priests and followers may revolt. Not a good look for a religion on the ropes, especially while all denominations face pressure to take a “modern” look at religion through the new woke microscope of society.
COVID-19 was the first of a one-two gut punch to all religions worldwide. For the first time, Americans saw our churches closed by authorities on the grounds of safety. The rule of necessity trumped our Constitutional Republic’s promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through the First Amendment’s freedom of religion. That promise was put on hold due to precautions against an illness–or the threat of losing tax-exempt status, which some may deny, but was full-throated at the time.
The “two” of the one-two punch at the time of COVID was an infiltration of liberalism into the Christian faith. Rebel homosexual ministers ignored the negative vote on actively homosexual clergy and same-sex marriage in the United Methodist Church (UMC). That’s right. The international conference in February of 2019 voted “NO” on those propositions, but rogue American ministers forged ahead anyway. Instead of being disciplined or excommunicated, disobedient clergy were ignored, and the issue was tabled. And then a more recent revote (Americans only) saw the more conservative clergy split from the UMC and join the conservative international majority in creating a new, Global Methodist Church that retained the foundational edict of marriage as only between a man and a woman, and forbade actively homosexual clergy – for homosexual activity is a sin, and unrepentant sinners may not be members of the church, let alone leaders in the church.
The Anglican church had a similar split not long after the Methodists fell from grace and for the same reasons.
Grumblings in the Catholic Church had been heard, and some confederates here and there did their own thing anyway. But now the issue has ended up squarely on the Pontiff’s plate. Strapped to his chair, so to speak, he now has no choice, it seems, but to answer just as squarely: Can women join the clergy? Will the church sanctify marriage between same-sex couples? The Pope has hinted that it could be decided locally, by each priest’s good judgment!
The final question posed by the Cardinals is whether or not a sinner could be absolved of sin (forgiven, receive God’s grace) without repentance, that is, without promising to avoid sin in the future. This is foundational to Christianity. God loves everyone, but in dozens of scriptural passages on the subject, we see that God’s grace must sought through repentance: a sincere acknowledgment of wrongdoing, apology, regret, a change of behavior (action), and an earnest effort to avoid the sin in the future (a complete shift of attitude).
Some Christians bristle at this “requirement” and argue that God’s grace is free! Jesus would forgive all sinners and accept them without admonition or apology. But this, in fact, is contrary to the very essence of the Christian faith. Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness because it would send the message that sin is okay. Just ask for forgiveness, and it shall be given freely. But this is actually part of the liberal marketing campaign for gay/lesbian Christians. No worries! Come one, come all! In fact, you don’t even need forgiveness because homosexual acts are not a sin. We were born that way, and God made us in His image and loves all of us! “If it feels good, do it!.” Which is a decidedly utilitarian, pagan, and humanistic point of view, a la Freud, Jung, Darwin, and Marx!
Of course, this attitude necessarily ignores the plethora of Gospel and Old Testament teachings against debauchery and sexual perversion and of the sanctity of marriage as only between a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation (see the Book of Genesis, Adam & Eve, etc.).
The Pope has his hands full on these questions. Perhaps he has bitten off more than he can chew, let alone swallow. And he has stirred the hornet’s nest of conservative priests, who are coming, stingers first, for an end to ambiguity.
And so now, the torch is lit. The Pope’s feet are exposed. And the flames are getting closer. The future of Christianity is at stake.
Montgomery J. Granger is a three-times mobilized, retired US Army major, retired educator, and author of “Saving Grace at Guantanamo Bay: A Memoir of a Citizen Warrior,” available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Author web page: http://sbprabooks.com/montgomeryjgranger/. Follow him
on Twitter/’X’, GAB, GETTR, TruthSocial, Bluesky @mjgranger1. Blog:
http://www.savinggraceatguantanamobay.com. You can find his military profile on http://www.RallyPoint.com.