Pope Francis’s Injunction to Get Back to Basics May Help American Christianity

[DonViejo]

by Joshua DuBois Oct 6, 2013 5:45 AM EDT

The Argentinian pontiff might just help save the American Christian church—if church leaders let him do it, says Joshua DuBois.

That American Christianity is in a rough spot is no longer in dispute. More than a quarter of adults have left the faith of their parents. The number of people unaffiliated with any religion—the “religious nones” in popular parlance—stands at 16 percent of Americans, increasing to one-in-four in the critical 18-29 age group. Survey after survey shows that Americans are attending worship services less frequently, fleeing major denominations, and growing more skeptical of religion with each passing year.

And then, along comes Francis. The Argentinian pontiff has already ruffled holy feathers with a simple, radical message on abortion and gay rights, and with efforts to reform the bureaucracy of the Vatican. But it is his ideas on church renewal that are perhaps most profound, and have the deepest ramifications for the way believers practice their faith.

On October 4, the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the contemporary Francis traveled to the birthplace of his namesake. Ministering in a soup kitchen among Assisi’s poverty-stricken residents, the pope recalled how Saint Francis once stood in front of his rich father, stripped off the clothes that symbolized the trappings of his wealth, and declared that his true father was Jesus, and true family the poor.

Pope Francis used this story to assert that, like that first Francis, Christians have on too many clothes. We must “lay ourselves bare,” he said, and “divest ourselves from this worldliness: the spirit contrary to the spirit of the beatitudes, the spirit contrary to the spirit of Jesus.” He repeated this command to “strip ourselves” of worldliness several times and concluded with a flourish: “Spiritual worldliness kills! It kills the soul! It kills the Church!”

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/06/pope-francis-s-injunction-to-get-back-to-basics-may-help-american-christianity.html

[skepticscott]

1. Amazing how many people the pope has bamboozled

He really does understand the concept of letting people hear what they desperately want to..I'll give you that. But "simple, radical message on abortion and gay rights"? Pure delusion and fantasy on the part of this author. The pope's only "message" was that he agrees entirely, completely and forever with current Catholic doctrine and teaching on these issues (and on birth control and ordination of women, too). He just wants the RCC to try not to draw so much media attention to the fact that they are clinging to the same bigoted, sexist, morally bankrupt doctrine that they have for centuries.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Pope Francis is really good at talking out of both sides of his mouth.

He's more a politician than a religious figure. Over and over again, he says things that people hear and say, "how refreshing," and then he goes to the conservatives and takes it all back. He's winning popularity contests right now, but in the end, people like that don't accomplish meaningful things.

[rug]

7. Amazing how many people the Pope has given apoplexy.

[xfundy]

3. American Christianity is infected beyond help.

Many would be insulted to be accused of being "christian." It doesn't mean what it used to, in fact, it's the opposite. Mean, hateful, heartless, greedy, threatening, illogical, anti-science, terroristic — I could go on for days.

Christian Love™ is an oxymoron.

[cbayer]

5. But you are one of the people that perpetuate the myth that christians in general

are all those things you say.

You are the one that makes inflammatory and broad brush statements, then state that there are many who don't want to be associated with that.

If you could open your eyes and your mind enough to recognize that there are differences and it is worthwhile to begin to distinguish those who have been fighting against you from those who are completely on your side, it would be good for the causes that we all believe in.

Do you really think that the large number of christians who post on DU are mean, hateful, heartless, greedy, threatening, illogical, anti-scientifc terrorists? Really?

And what would you think if anything even close to this statement were made about our atheist members?

[skepticscott]

6. Atheists here and elsewhere

are called all that and far worse, as you well know. And far more religionists wish for the horrible deaths of atheists than other way around. You yourself have wished fervently for the death of Richard Dawkins, despite claiming to be one of the "tolerant" ones. So spare us your phony indignation.

[hrmjustin]

10. Are you saying Chrsitians can not love? What does "Christian Love™ is an oxymoron." mean?

[cbayer]

4. The writer is correct. If those in the hierarchy below him actively stymie his efforts,

he has virtually no chance of success.

I wish him the best and remain cautiously optimistic.

[dimbear]

8. Perhaps a good place to start would be paying the judgments levied against dioceses involved in

sheltering abusive priests. That would run through a good chunk of worldliness right there.

[MellowDem]

9. Like Old Testament basics?

Or even following what's in the text basics? Seems to be more complex apologetics for an indefensible belief system. Must be tiring.