Fear and timidity mark Papal selection

Cardinals Name Ratzinger To Lead Catholic Church

— German origin doesn’t offer Lutheran style stand

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reported on April 19, 2005 4:25 p.m.:

“Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, who for more than 20 years was the Vatican's unyielding top authority on doctrine, was chosen to lead the Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday, signaling a strong decision that Rome won't veer from the legacy of his predecessor, John Paul II.”

This choice for the first new Pope for the Church of Rome in the 21^st century does little to offer courage in facing the devastating challenge to the catholic faith. Any hope parishioners had in seeing a “face the facts” leadership has currently gone the way of black smoke from the Vatican. While Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) is committed to orthodox beliefs, his old age (he’s 78) assures the Roman church that little change will emerge. Moreover, I suggest he was selected in full knowledge his tenure will be short. This gives Rome a chance to sort out what they think and establish a clearer direction within ten years.

Protestants and Evangelicals should watch carefully, as we too suffer from a vacuum of bold, Christ-centered leadership. Segmented and confused, Protestants are not too different from their Catholic brothers. Both groups rely more on tradition than scripture; both struggle unsuccessfully to find an answer to modern issues; both are generally loosing touch with their people. Worst of all, religion is relegated as an external activity, never sinking into to heart of people.

Many in the Catholic Church desire modification of doctrine to accommodate their new needs, beliefs, and cultural views. While I don’t discount some things should be addressed, the question to ask is: WHAT DOES GOD SAY? We should not look to truth from the ideas of men—Jesus is the way, truth, and life.

Actually, there are some one both sides who humbly walk in the Spirit, who love God as described in Matthew 22:17 (And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind). The prayer we should be offering is that God bring up a new generation who is willing to humbly put their lives on the line for Jesus, to re-examine what they really believe, to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness. Perhaps then God can do in the Church what no man, Pope or otherwise, could do: present his bride (not brides) spotless and holy at the wedding feast.