Francis’ Reforms
When Francis was selected as pope of the Roman Catholic Church (an office and a religious group not mentioned in the Scriptures), he sought to make some changes in the institution. What he does in terms of policy-making for nuns, priests, worship, and things of that nature, most non-Catholics do not care about. But when he starts allowing culture to determine morals, those actions are disconcerting to us all.
An article was posted on the Internet on November 23, 2023 by Malu Cursino of the BBC News with the headline: “Pope Francis Fires Texan Bishop After Criticism of Reforms.” The Texas Bishop in question is Joseph Strickland, who was appointed “bishop” of Tyler, Texas by Benedict XVI.
Strickland has been critical of Francis, but his firing may have involved more than just his speaking out. The Vatican has been investigating him and even offered him a chance to resign, which he refused to do. Even though the “coalition of Canceled Priests” chose to support Strickland during the investigation, the Vatican decided to fire him “after an apostolic visitation ordered by the Pope last June in the diocese of Tyler.”
Really? One wonders which apostle visited Texas. Of course, they could only bring his corpse. No, that can’t be right. Does the Catholic Church claim to have apostles today, as the Mormon Church does? Or maybe they asked Don Finto to arrange a visit from Nashville; he just might fellowship them.
Was there financial mismanagement? According to Catholic Media, that was a consideration. Of course, outsiders have no way of knowing if the firing was due to the way the diocese was run or whether the pope was just aggravated with the criticism leveled at him. The objections, however, are true; so, let’s give them some consideration.
Topics of Concern
Strickland “launched a series of attacks on the pope’s” updated social ideas regarding “abortion, transgender rights, and same-sex marriage.” In fact, Strickland is “a leading voice in a branch of US Catholicism that is opposed to” the changes the pope has been making. In July, he claimed the many “basic truths” of Catholic teaching were being challenged—such as the one relating to the God-ordained institution of marriage, which He designed to be between a man and a woman. Christians agree that marriage was given to human beings by God and that He joined together in the Garden of Eden one man and one woman. We do not hold those views, however, because Catholics teach it—but because the Scriptures teach it (Gen. 2:18-24). In the New Testament, Jesus cites the way God arranged marriage in the beginning and proclaims that this pattern still holds (Matt. 19:3-9).
Is Strickland making that up? No. As recently as October, Francis “suggested that the Church would be open to bless same-sex couples….” The Roman Catholic Church can follow Francis as he caves in to the current culture’s immoral climate if they wish, but God will not bless same-sex couples. For those who have forgotten or have never known the truth on this issue, consider what Paul writes in the New Testament about homosexual “couples.” [Read Romans 1:18-23 before examining verses 1:24-28 below.]
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.
Your congenial editor challenges anyone to read these five verses and then argue that God “blesses” homosexual couples! For any person who claims to represent Jesus, such a declaration is an utter shame. Catholics who revere and respect the Scriptures would find it refreshing to talk to members of the churches of Christ who share that same attitude toward the Word of God.
God does not bless those who live in sin. He will save, however, those who depart from sin. Some in Corinth had engaged in homosexuality, but they repented and were cleansed of their sins (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Same-sex couples can no more remain in that sin (and be pleasing to God) than can fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers. Can a person continue to steal and be pleasing to God? Can one continue to be a drunkard? If the answer to these questions is, “No” (and it is), then how can adulterers, fornicators (those living with each other without being married), or homosexuals continue to practice their sexual sins and be blessed?
The truth is they cannot. Whoever approves of that situation stands guilty, also (2 John 9-11). Neither the pope nor any other religious figure who pretends that homosexuals are pleasing to God are helping them spiritually; they are contributing to their damnation.
Transgenderism
The fired “bishop” has also taken issue with those seeking to change their gender. He calls such attempts disordered since they are rejecting “their undeniable biological God-given identity.” But the Vatican now says that transgender people can be baptized. The word repentance is not included in the mix. So, it would seem to be an implicit endorsement of that practice, also.
Does the Bible speak of anyone desiring to change genders? One verse in the Law of Moses talks about each gender not wearing the other’s clothing, but no further explanation is provided. “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deut. 22:5).
The Scriptures do not provide a reason for these commands. Why would a woman wear a man’s clothing? It might be that she wants to appeal to someone of her own sex. A man might wear a woman’s garments for the same reason. If that were the reason, the practice would be condemned as a surreptitious way of engaging in homosexuality. At any rate, there is no authorization for anyone to desire to be or try to be the opposite gender.
The pope did add one condition for transgender people. They can be baptized “as long as doing so does not cause scandal or ‘confusion.’” What could possibly be confusing about a man wanting to be a woman or a woman desiring to be a man? A person is only denying the way they came into the world—not to mention God, Who, David said, formed his “inward parts” in the womb (Ps. 139:13).
Insult to Injury
Undoubtedly, Strickland thinks he is trying to help the Catholic Church, but his efforts are not appreciated. Francis has a defense for his looser moral views. As recently as October, he told a group of cardinals, “We cannot be judges who only deny, reject, and exclude.” We cannot argue Catholic theology, but we can look at the Biblical position on the matter.
First, Jesus expects us all to be judges—ones who judge righteously (John 7:24). How would we ever know who to study the gospel with if we could not discern who is saved and who is lost? Second, Jesus denounced the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees on various occasions either for their ignorance of God’s word or their defiance of it (Matt. 22:23-33; Matt. 23:13-39).
Christians, third, must make decisions concerning who may or may not be part of a local congregation. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul scolded brethren because they refused to deny, reject, and exclude a man living with his father’s wife. He commanded the church to withhold their fellowship from him.
Oh, but there is more. They were also to withdraw from anyone called a brother who was sexually immoral, covetous, an idolater, or a drunkard (1 Cor. 5:11). It is the next chapter that he pointed out that homosexuals, as well as others, had to repent and be cleansed (6:9-11). So, Christians have a lot of judging to do. It is not a matter of arbitrarily deciding who becomes a Christian or who remains one. The Scriptures determine that for us.
According to the Internet, “World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the pope, celebrated about every three years in a different country.” The next one is scheduled in Seoul, South Korea; there was one this year in Lisbon, Portugal (August 1-6, 2023). At this event, Francis said that the backwardness of some people was useless. Presumably, this comment resonated with young people. “Yeah, the old fogies just aren’t with it” (they probably have different expressions in Italian).
We know this comment was aimed at Strickland (made just before Francis fired him). Cursino, the writer for BBC News, said early on in her article that Francis referred to the “backwardness” of some US church leaders. So, Strickland is not only a critic of the pope, he is backward, useless, and only denies, rejects, and excludes. It is obvious that the pope seeks to make Strickland (and those who share his views) the problem.
This was the approach that Ahab took with the prophet Elijah when he called him the “troubler of Israel.” Elijah quickly protested that label and responded, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals” (1 Kings 18:17-18). Similarly, Strickland responded to the pope in a letter.
He wrote that “attempts to change ‘that which cannot be changed’ would lead to an inevitable schism in the church.” He added that those seeking to change what ought not to be changed “are the true schismatics.” He is right on that point, but evidently the pope feels that he can change whatever he wants.
Climate Change
Just as the pope is “going with the flow” on moral issues, he has decided to follow suit on climate change as well. He is now warning people that the world is “collapsing” due to climate change. Yes, the world is nearing the breaking point. And he knows that, how? Did he come to that conclusion based on the Scriptures, an apostolic review, or a Chinese fortune cookie? At any rate, the worst environmental offenders are in his part of the world—not ours.
He condemns climate deniers. Well, isn’t that special? The fact is that there are two sides to the issue; it must be fun to target those who disagree with you and call them flat-earthers, climate deniers, backward, and useless. These are all ad hominem attacks; none of them deal with evidence. But then, if we went by evidence (especially the Scriptures), the pope would be out of a job. Well, that would be a good thing!