The Pope Got It Wrong
In a long, thoughtful, and--this is the writer's perpetual habit--gorgeously written piece, Jody Bottum argues over at the Weekly Standard that Benedict XVI has just made a terrible mistake.
An excerpt:
After this, how will any of his successors feel able to do what John Paul II did, failing physically in the full view of the public—preaching one last homily with his death? Benedict speaks of the unique pressures of “today’s world,” which he insists require a younger man’s strength of mind and body. But today’s world is unique only because we say it is. Human life remains as it was, our aging and our deaths what they always were.
In other words, the modern world doesn’t really need to see in the pope a model of competent administration, nice as that would be. It does need, however, a public reminder that we are not incapacitated as human beings when we age and prepare to die. We are not to be tucked away or compelled by moral pressure to remove our lives and deaths from public view. The older vision of life is the more complete one, and in today’s world, perhaps uniquely, we are in special need of remembering that.
The doctrine of papal infallibility, be it noted, holds that the Holy Spirit prevents a pope from error only when he pronounces, very formally, and in compliance with a long series of strict conditions, on matters of faith and morals, and not--very emphatically not--that no pope will ever make a mistake. Even the most devout Catholic (and Jody is plenty devout) thus remains entirely at liberty to consider Benedict's decision last week, and...wonder.
As, I confess, do I.
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Comments:
Dec '12
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
KC Mulville
You could look at JP2's decision as selfish; did he just hang on, letting the duties of the office come to a standstill? (Why? Just because he's the ultimate celebrity?)
He said, after numerous requests for him to retire, that Jesus did not come down from the cross.
Dec '12
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
Peter Robinson
Even the most devout Catholic (and Jody is plenty devout) thus remains entirely at liberty to consider Benedict's decision last week, and...wonder.
As, I confess, do I. · · 10 hours ago
He said, "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God" and "with full freedom".
No need to wonder.
Sep '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
The crowd has been yelling "crucify him" for quite some time, and I don't see that changing, particularly during Lent.
Nov '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
Ought the papacy be a prison for pious patriarchs? Pity.
Personally I admire him for having the independence to make his own choice in the matter. I do not care what his reasons be. The man should be at liberty to make such a choice, in the counsel of his own conscience and before God, and no man should admire him less because of it.
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
The world is watching.
Sep '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
For those Protestants following along: you may find this 4:40 explanation of Papal Infallibility by former Protestant -- and now a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville -- Dr. Scott Hahn of some help.
May '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
Thanks for that, Pseudo. I love how he brings his immense knowledge of Scripture to bear on everything.
Sep '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
katievs
Thanks for that, Pseudo. I love how he brings his immense knowledge of Scripture to bear on everything. · 0 minutes ago
His 5:12 answer to a caller on How Did St. Paul Evangelize? invokes one of my favorite passages of scripture and Paul's little known use of the work of the Greeks Epimenides and Aratus. Of course, he gives me a shout out toward the end of the session, but never mind that.
(Cough, cough)
Sep '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
Joseph Stanko
Peter Robinson
The modern world may not need a "model of competent administration," but the Vatican desperately needs a vigorous and competent administrator right now. I don't think managing a complex and unruly bureaucracy was ever Benedict's strong suit even in his prime.
He's an extraordinary thinker, writer, and teacher, and I hope and pray he will continue to write and teach us for many more years in retirement while a new Pope whips the Roman Curia into shape. · 15 hours ago
An old joke:
May '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
Look what I just found on my Facebook feed. I offer it partly in response to Jody's comment, posted by above by Matthew.
Nov '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
As a Christian without a denominational moniker, I find the debate somewhat amusing. I remember a discussion where a man of God, who I respect, was asked the question: "What is the mechanism for retiring an overseer/elder who no longer appears competent to fulfill the office?" His response was: "If you elected him to the office I think it would be perfectly acceptable for the assembly to remove him. If he were appointed by the Holy Spirit, it would be up to the Holy Spirit to remove him." The point being he who is doing the work recognizes his own strength for the work. Paul said "He who desires the office of overseer desires a good work." He then goes on to delineate the requirements of the office.
Since we recognize no other offices than what the apostle Paul proscribed to Timothy and Titus of overseer/elder and deacon, things are far less complicated. But the principal remains the same.
Jan '11
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
3rd angle projection
He said, after numerous requests for him to retire, that Jesus did not come down from the cross.
Which, if you read the rest of that post about the importance of the mission, is exactly the same thing I said.
Jun '11
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
I believe Mr. Bottum meant to say "none of whom seem to agree with you." I'll buy "us" if Peter's hed and quote of the piece are assumed to be as an endorsement of his position.
As to the piece itself, it defies rational analysis. He first outlines Benedict's adminstrative flaws and claims that Benedict was a "terrible executive...as bad as a Pope has been in 200 years." But within words Bottum contrasts this with his precessor's brilliant strategy for dealing with the Vatican bureaucracy: ignoring it.
That's right, JP II let the Roman Curia run wild while he constructed a portable Papacy.
So I guess that Bottum endorses the Obama leadership model: you're a great negotiator if you don't negotiate, you're a great administrator if you don't administrate, etc?
After reading Bottum's piece, I'm convinced that Benedict made the right call.
May '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
This is cynically put, but I suspect there's a lot to it.
We learn from experience. Cardinal Ratzinger had "special experience" of what happens in the Vatican when a Pope is physically incapacitated. It's not crazy to think he wants to prevent the like from happening again.
May '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
A facebook friend living in Rome posted this this morning:
"For with the same realism with which we declare today the sins of the popes and their disproportion to the magnitude of their commission, we must also acknowledge that Peter has repeatedly stood as the rock against ideologies, against the dissolution of the word into the plausibilities of a given time, against subjection to the power of this world. When we see this in the facts of history, we are not celebrating men but praising the Lord, who does not abandon the Church and who desired to manifest that he is the rock through Peter, the little stumbling stone: 'flesh and blood' do not save, but the Lord saves through those who are of flesh and blood. To deny this truth is not a plus of faith, not a plus of humility, but is to shrink from the humility that recognized God as he is." (Ratzinger, "Callled to Communion", pp.73-4, quoted in "Benedictus", entry from February 17th)
Feb '11
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
I can't like that enough, katie-- thank you for re-posting that this morning!
Jan '11
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
katievs:
Great catch, Katie.
And it's exactly right ... for all its weaknesses, who else has been standing up against relativism and moral chaos?
May '10
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
I see no reason to be concerned, one way or the other.
The one person I can assure you was NOT surprised by Benedict's resignation was God. He has known from before the foundations of the world. He has had a plan that included it before time was created. It seems to me our chief task is to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever"; to marvel at His grace and wisdom in providing the leaders He does for His Church.
Dec '12
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
KC Mulville
3rd angle projection
He said, after numerous requests for him to retire, that Jesus did not come down from the cross.
Which, if you read the rest of that post about the importance of the mission, is exactly the same thing I said. · February 17, 2013 at 9:23am
Late, late, late....
I did read the rest of your post. But. Well, yours was exactly the same? Exactly? I would say I was more explicit than you because I worry about those non-Catholics who read what you wrote and say, "Well, he was just being noble". It's more than that isn't it? Jesus stayed on the cross for noble reasons? I'm sure you're going to smoke me for this but a gut level check for me says it was more than noble. For both. No?
Jan '11
Re: The Pope Got It Wrong
3rd angle projection
I worry about those non-Catholics who read what you wrote and say, "Well, he was just being noble". It's more than that isn't it? Jesus stayed on the cross for noble reasons? I'm sure you're going to smoke me for this but a gut level check for me says it was more than noble. For both. No?
Smoke you? I basically agree with you.
The only difference, I'd say, is that Jesus' mission was to be on that cross. The cross itself was the mission.
I wouldn't say that about the papacy. The papacy's purpose is not simply to stay alive and keep being pope. There's other work to be done. JP2 clearly took the attitude that this is the role God assigned to him, and he was going to carry out his master's orders.
It's not just nobility. It's identity. The sacrament of orders, of priesthood, is not just that you offer service ... service is your identity. The sacrament's grace is your identity.
So you have a dual loyalty; the mission gives you identity, but the mission is greater than you individually.