The Dimming Light
As we watch and wait for word of the Pontiff's death, which seems now to be inevitable and imminent, I've found myself focusing on the details of my own faith, and my perception and reaction to both the Catholic Church, and John Paul II himself.
I consider myself to be an Anglican-in-exile. I refuse to support the American church while it continues to liberalize. I've even considered joining the Roman Catholic church, but there's too much hokey stuff. The near-deification of Mary, the elevation of church tradition to the level of scripture... None of this is acceptable as far as I'm concerned. Because of these and other things, I can't bring myself to become a Roman Catholic.
Even so, I've come to develop an appeciation for Roman Catholicism. In spite of its faults, it's the establishment (as in, the infrastructure) that played a major role in the preservation of Christianity for centuries. While I don't think that traditions should be used to augment the Bible when it comes to establishing theology and beliefs, tradition is useful for other things, and the Roman Catholics have maintained that.
I've also, in the past several weeks, developed a respect for John Paul II that I would have thought impossible just a few short years ago. Why? Because he's shown himself to be consistent. Sure, there are things I disagree with the Pope about. However, in this age of quick fixes, with people pushing for euthenasia, and taking all sorts of pills to relieve them of every little ache and pain, John Paul II has allowed us to seem him in his weakness. He allowed us to watch as he became more and more vulnerable. They've said over the last few weeks (they being the media) that he's demonstrated the redemptive power of pain and suffering. I think there's a great value to that, and the fact that the Pontiff would break ranks with tradition by allowing his death to be public is an impressive thing.
Watching the process, and having seen a few news stories in the past few months about the Pontiff's denunciation of a number of socially progressive concepts, I first thought that he was playing the part of the senile, crotchety old man. I think that I was wrong, though; I think that he was, perhaps, attempting to show people that though some things change, our morality and the institutions that hold our world together do not change.
I have some more thoughts... But really, most of them wouldn't be appropriate for this subject. The important thing to take away from reading this, if you have, is that I've come, even through his death, to a greater understanding and respect for the Pontiff. His time may have ended, but he used that time, and the authority given him by his followers, to affect great changes in the world; these changes are to be cherished and honored.
I consider myself to be an Anglican-in-exile. I refuse to support the American church while it continues to liberalize. I've even considered joining the Roman Catholic church, but there's too much hokey stuff. The near-deification of Mary, the elevation of church tradition to the level of scripture... None of this is acceptable as far as I'm concerned. Because of these and other things, I can't bring myself to become a Roman Catholic.
Even so, I've come to develop an appeciation for Roman Catholicism. In spite of its faults, it's the establishment (as in, the infrastructure) that played a major role in the preservation of Christianity for centuries. While I don't think that traditions should be used to augment the Bible when it comes to establishing theology and beliefs, tradition is useful for other things, and the Roman Catholics have maintained that.
I've also, in the past several weeks, developed a respect for John Paul II that I would have thought impossible just a few short years ago. Why? Because he's shown himself to be consistent. Sure, there are things I disagree with the Pope about. However, in this age of quick fixes, with people pushing for euthenasia, and taking all sorts of pills to relieve them of every little ache and pain, John Paul II has allowed us to seem him in his weakness. He allowed us to watch as he became more and more vulnerable. They've said over the last few weeks (they being the media) that he's demonstrated the redemptive power of pain and suffering. I think there's a great value to that, and the fact that the Pontiff would break ranks with tradition by allowing his death to be public is an impressive thing.
Watching the process, and having seen a few news stories in the past few months about the Pontiff's denunciation of a number of socially progressive concepts, I first thought that he was playing the part of the senile, crotchety old man. I think that I was wrong, though; I think that he was, perhaps, attempting to show people that though some things change, our morality and the institutions that hold our world together do not change.
I have some more thoughts... But really, most of them wouldn't be appropriate for this subject. The important thing to take away from reading this, if you have, is that I've come, even through his death, to a greater understanding and respect for the Pontiff. His time may have ended, but he used that time, and the authority given him by his followers, to affect great changes in the world; these changes are to be cherished and honored.
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