A Protestant in praise of the Catholic Church
By Katharine Rhodes Henderson, Published: September 23 at 8:15 am
Pope John Paul II generated a rock-star level of excitement and drew massive crowds to his appearances at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden in 1979, where throngs of teenagers reacted almost as if another John, Paul, plus Ringo and George had appeared, instead of the white-haired leader of the world’s largest Christian church.
In a word, Pope John Paul II was cool. Athletic and authentic, he was a man of the people and a pope for the future. A spiritual leader known as much for his refreshing bluntness as his spontaneous acts, like stepping away from the Popemobile outside New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral to plunge into adoring crowds.
At the time, it was shocking, as shocking as when Pope Francis broke away from his cloistered existence to wash the feet of young female prisoners. Little did we know, Pope Francis was just getting started. Like millions of others, I am gratefully stunned by his recent revolutionary remarks on the Catholic Church’s “obsession” with long-held doctrines on gay people and abortion. We’re all witness to an unexpected, unprecedented moment that is nothing less than thrilling.
I am not a member of Pope Francis’ church. But as president of New York’s Auburn Theological Seminary, in covenant with the Presbyterian Church to which I am ordained, I am committed to building an inclusive multifaith movement for justice that works on behalf of all. At a time of poison gas attacks, mass shootings and historic floods, we are desperate to hear from a global leader offering a straightforward and universal message of love and acceptance. Gauging by the response, Pope Francis is fulfilling a profound longing for authentic leaders.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/09/23/a-protestant-in-praise-of-the-catholic-church/