I wrote a piece today on Crux.
Ever since Pope Francis’s election, and especially since Laudato Si’ and Amoris Laetitia, there have been clear tensions between the pontiff and some more conservative Catholics. I think we need to examine both from within the framework of what they believe the Church needs.
I will discuss their analysis of problems, then the way they view the pope’s mission in Church.
The division starts with a fundamental disagreement about which of two problems is bigger in the Church today: the conservatives say it is doctrinal confusion, while Francis thinks it’s an insular attitude. Obviously these are both problems, but we’re talking about priorities, not just admitting they are issues here.
The Two Views of Church Problems
If doctrinal confusion is a bigger problem, then the pope and other high-ranking bishops should emphasize extreme clarity on dogma. We need to emphasize that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ, the Church’s teaching on contraception, the reality of the final judgment, etc.
On the other hand, if insularity is a bigger problem, the Church needs to step out and try to reach people in every place, and not just sit in the sacristy. We need to emphasize the fact that the Church is mission, the call of each Christian to evangelize, and the ability to use different words and attempt to explain the same dogma, etc.
