"Who Am I to Judge?": Why I'm Cautiously Optimistic About Pope Francis I

There’s been a lot of buzz about Pope Francis’ first extensive interview since his election, which was released to the public last week.  As the resident Catholic of Her/Story, I figured I should spend some time reflecting on what the Pope had to say in what proved to be a wave-causing piece.  Before I dive into the article, however, I want to share my initial thoughts about our new Pope.  I’m not gonna lie…I was hesitant when he was first elected to fully embrace him as my spiritual leader.  I knew very little about him (he was no even a blip on my Papal radar…I was pulling for Cardinal O’Malley myself).  Immediately after he was elected, I heard mixed responses from my fellow Catholic-people.  Most of what I knew and heard was good and encouraging: he’s from Argentina and is the first Pope from this side of the Atlantic Ocean, he was a member of the Jesuit order, and while serving as Bishop in Argentina he passed over many of the “perks” of the job to live a simpler, more humble life.  So that was good.  Not so great were rumors that he was ultraconservative, and that he was negatively involved with past political conflicts in Argentina.  Again, though, I knew very little, so I decided to withhold my ultimate opinion until I saw what he did with the position.

Six months later…I’m really starting to like this guy.

He is turning out to be a bit of a rebel-rouser, which I greatly enjoy, and he hit the ground running when it came to implementing some changes to how things are done, especially by the Papal Office itself.  Pope Francis continues to maintain his modest and humble lifestyle, not living in the papal apartments, but in the less elegant guest house.  During Holy Thursday last year, he washed the feet of juvenile inmates…including the feet of a couple of girls, which had never been done before by a Pope.  I won’t get into all of the reasoning behind not washing female feet…just know that this was a significant moment in the history of the Vatican.  He began to rework the Curia to de-centralize power, and then there was his now widely known comment in regards to gays and lesbians: “Who am I to judge?”

And now, with his big interview, he has given me more reason to be optimistic.  He called the Church out for negatively obsessing over gay marriage, abortion, and contraception.  That is not to say that he approves of any of the above (one step at a time, people), but he acknowledges that “The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules. The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you.”  He has been criticized by the more conservative side of the Church for not speaking out about these issues yet.  But the Pope wants to turn the Church away the path that it seems to have found itself barreling down, which makes it appear rigid, uncompromising, inhospitable, and exclusive.  Instead, he wants the Church to put its focus back towards Jesus, and work on healing “wounds” and warming “the hearts of the faithful.”  Whereas Pope Benedict sought to protect the church by solidifying the core of ardent believers, Pope Francis seems to want the Church to be a welcoming community that all believers can feel at home in.  True, there is still a long way to go for the Church to be considered completely inclusive, and I don’t think even under this Pope we will see same-sex marriage accepted, or the ordination of women into the priesthood (although he does say that the role of women needs to be seriously considered, and a stronger theology of women developed).  I truly hate using political terms when discussing Church matters, but I wouldn’t put Pope Francis as a liberal, or a conservative for that matter (his passion for the poor and social justice would not fit the mold).  Instead, he is in the middle, trying to balance traditional doctrine and modern ideals that seem to have only clashed in the past several years.  I remain cautiously optimistic, however, in what Pope Francis could do for the Catholic Church.  If nothing else, he is setting the stage for a future we might not have thought as possible before.

What are your thoughts on the new Pope and what he’s been saying and showing to the world?  Let me know!

Bye for now,
Erin B.

For the English translation of Pope Francis’ interview, following the link to the American Magazine website: http://www.americamagazine.org/pope-interview

Questioning Christianity

I call myself a questioning Christian.

I call myself a questioning Christian because I don’t know what else to call myself. I don’t have a label that fits. I’m not, “spiritual but not religious.” I’m not an atheist. I’m not agnostic. I believe in God most of the time. I think Jesus was a righteous dude (please hear this in the secretary’s voice from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”).

I don’t believe Christianity is the only way to what we call, “heaven.” I don’t know what happens to us when we die, though I am confident that it is good. I don’t believe in hell. I don’t believe that religion is what makes people good (or bad). I believe religion is imperfect because people are imperfect.

I love going to traditional services at church. I love going to Catholic and Lutheran services because they are grand and romantic and beautiful. I love that I will generally know what to say and when to say it. I love the repetition. I love being a part of something greater than myself. I love having a community.

.....

The reason I call myself a questioning Christian is because other Christians drive me crazy.

It drives me crazy when Christians spout hate in the name of, “loving the sinner, hating the sin.” It drives me crazy when Christians ban people from coming to church or when they make people feel unwelcome. It drives me crazy when Christians claim homosexuality is a sin, but fail to acknowledge that Leviticus 20:9 says that whoever cusses at their parents deserves death; that these Christians decide that one line in the Old Testament is enough proof to discriminate, but the rest of that chapter doesn’t apply.

It drives me crazy that Christians claim anti-Islamic hate, but conveniently forget about all the damage and death we have caused over the years. It drives me crazy when Christians are manipulative; when they pretend to be nice to get you to come to church with them, or to give them enough “bonus points” to get into heaven. It drives me crazy that even though the Bible tells us not to be judgmental, Christians are - without a doubt - the most judgmental people I know.

It drives me crazy when I hear about churches who brainwash their congregants; who tell them that the answers to their difficult life questions are easy, who give answers out like candy on Halloween and get angry or dismissive when students in Sunday school ask questions. When churches tell their members who to vote for, or what “issues” are important or not. When churches spread fear instead of love, or say that a neighbor church is too liberal or conservative.

When Christians pressure their friends to come to church with them and ostracize them if they chose not to. When Christians claim to be pro-life while ignoring everyone suffering outside of the womb, starving or unwanted. When Christians judge their own brothers and sisters in Christ for who they date, how they date, or how modest their clothes are. 

When Christians claim that their particular way is the only way. When Christians claim that Jesus said condoms are bad. When Christians cite Bible verses like rain drops in a storm, yet haven’t learned about the social context of the text and have no desire to. When I’m told that I am sinful for being educated on religious matters instead of rejoicing in ignorance.

I’ve been told that I’m not a Christian because I don’t believe the Bible is the literal Word of God, but a book written by human men who were inspired by God. I’ve been told I’m not a Christian because I don’t believe in Hell.

I have never told anyone that they were not a Christian.

Sometimes it seems like I agree with atheists and agnostics more than other Christians. Sometimes when Jake and I have religious discussions, he will say something negative about the Christian church, look over at me, and apologize. I tell him there’s no need to apologize. Whatever he’s said, I’ve thought about or said myself.

Through all of this, I don’t want to stop calling myself a Christian.

It’s not that I care what people will say or think if I said I was agnostic. My mom would be upset, but I have already forever disappointed her for loving pixie cuts better than long hair, so I’m sure she would get over it. I have a lot of Christian friends, but I also have a lot of friends who don’t believe in God at all.. I just really, really love The Church.

I love what The Church does for the poor. I love that The Church advocates for people who have nothing, who go hungry, who feel alone. I love reading the Old and New Testaments and finding something new each time I pick up the pages. I loved being a religion major and thinking critically about these things, not just accepting them as Truth and moving on. I love that the core of Christianity is radical love!

I love that the ELCA church embraces doubt and questioning, because without them, faith would be flimsy and weak. This church is the reason that I don’t worry about questioning my faith, because I know that every time I come back to it and say, “Yes, I am a Christian after all!” my faith has just become that must stronger than someone who has never doubted.

I love my friends who are Christians, because they remind me every day that although Christians (aka people) are imperfect, there are many Christians out in the world who do their best to be understanding and loving. I love that Erin Broich wrote about why she loves the Catholic church even when she doesn’t always agree with its practices or teachings. I love that when Erin Guzman was trying to decide on a denomination, she made a giant pro-con list on our wall. I love that Hannah is joyful about her faith, but is okay with questioning it. I love that Kelsey is thoughtful and curious about her faith and doesn’t judge me when I’m confused. I love everyone who went to RLC Worship last year on Wednesday nights and made me feel at home when I was fully prepared not to. I love that we hugged during the passing of the peace. I love that people of all backgrounds and faiths came to worship, and that I didn’t always agree with them.

I call myself a questioning Christian because I don’t know what else to call myself.

Maybe what fits me better is a hopeful Christian; someone who sees how imperfect and awful Christians can be, but also sees a light at the end of a tunnel. Even while I see Christians who are judgmental, ignorant and cruel, I similarly see Christians who are gentle, kind and loving and give me hope for the future of Our Church. I have hope that I will want to associate myself, unapologetically and without shame, with Christians again.

For now, I’m holding on by faith.

xo Madie

Here It Is: My Inevitable Catholic Post

Bye-bye Papa B.

As the token Catholic contributor to this blog, I knew this post was coming eventually.  Some of you probably did too.  So, here we go.  In the past few weeks there has been a lot of buzz about the resignation of the Pope.  And not all of it has been pleasant…or really even rational.  While I have not agreed with everything Benedict did as Pope, I am still offended when people attack him in a blatant, nasty, and uninformed manner.  There are definitely things about the Catholic Church that need to be worked on, and some things that need to be reconsidered and changed.  That doesn’t mean the Church doesn’t have anything to offer to the world…and that doesn’t mean that it’s not something worth fighting for.    

I’ve been asked plenty of times “Why are you Catholic?”  Not going to lie, I’m Catholic in large part because my parents raised me that way.  Honestly, that’s why a lot of people are Catholic.  They’re “culture Catholic”…don’t always go to Church, but still want to be a part of the group.  But for me, it’s more than a label I walk around having but don’t really do much with.  I’m Catholic because I find something beautiful in the tradition, the celebration, the structure, and the worldwide community that I’m apart of just for being Catholic.  I could go to any Catholic Church in the world, and even if the Mass wasn’t in English, I would still be able to understand what is happening for the most part.  There is a comfort in that kind of unification and connection.     

I’ve also been asked “Why do you stay Catholic?”  As I said, I recognize that there are some major issues within the Catholic Church.  The sexual abuse, and the way that the situations were sometimes handled, was really disgraceful.  Many clergy, however, were very adamant about new measures being adopted by the Church that would ensure the protection of children against such abuse, and many of the faithful called out those who tried to downplay or cover-up the situations.  On the more theological side of things, women’s ordination and general leadership within the Church is another major issue, and one that strikes especially close to home because I am a woman who is Catholic and studying to do ministry (non-ordained) within the Church.  This is something that I think truly does need to be reexamined because the theology and explanations defending male-only priesthood is, in my opinion, kind of weak and unconvincing.  Yet, I remain Catholic.  Gay marriage is another issue the Church is currently facing, and another thing that I am personally in favor of.  Again, the theology and explanations behind arguments against gay marriage seem lacking to me, and I can think of and have heard various solid arguments in favor of it.  Yet, I remain Catholic. 

You might be really wondering why I stay in the Church at this point.  Why I don’t just up and leave everything I have known since my childhood to find something that better accommodates my ideals.  One reason is that I believe the easiest way to change something is from the inside.  Standing on the outside, yelling and pounding your fists against the wall are not going to be effective.  Being a part of the tradition, the culture, and understanding the issues with an insider’s perspective will get you a lot farther in your arguments.  I also know some of the theology behind a couple of these issues, from both sides of the arguments.  I’m not just going around bashing the Church because I don’t agree with everything it says or does (show me a religion in which all of its believers agree with everything it says…and is not a cult).  I know why the Church says some of what it says, and on my end I can make thoughtful critiques of it because I give enough of a damn to actually learn about my faith and my Church.  People who think they know the issues within the Church without bothering to actually try to learn about about the theology and understand it are not doing themselves or their causes any favors. 

I believe the Catholic Church is worth fighting for.  I believe, at its heart, that it is meant to bring good to this world, and I see so much worth being a part of within it.  I try to keep in mind that women’s ordination and gay marriage are currently very Western issues.  The Church in Africa and Latin America, for example, is more concerned with alleviating poverty and ending war.  People are happy to bash Benedict for his stand on Western issues, but did you also know that in one of the three encyclicals he wrote that he spoke specifically about economic issues and declared that working and exploiting purely for personal profit is immoral?  This doesn’t mean that the average Joe who puts in an honest day’s labor falls into this category…he’s just trying to get by and provide for his family (if average Joe has a family), or even that all rich people are bad, because maybe becoming obscenely wealthy isn’t actually their goal and just happens to them.  What this does mean is that Benedict basically called out those mega-corporations who exploit and take-advantage of people all over the world…whether through cheap labor or under-handed business practices…just to make that much more money for the people at the top, and said “Hey, assholes…you’re bad people.  Knock it off.”  We’ve also got a pretty impressive legacy of social justice powerhouses, like Mother Theresa and Dorothy Day.          

 

Finally, Catholicism is also a part of my identity…part of who I am at my core.  I am not just a Catholic…I am Catholic.  Being Catholic, for a lot of people, isn’t just about what religion they are.  There is a culture and a history to being Catholic that stretches farther back into the past than most institutions that exist today (it’s older than even a few long-standing governments).  Even if I stopped actively being Catholic…I would never really stop being Catholic.  It’s ingrained into me that deeply.

 

The Church is as complex as the billions of people who identify themselves with it.  For every bad aspect of it, there are dozens of good things that are worth fighting to uphold.  So, I remain Catholic and I continue to educate myself about my faith and my Church so that I can make a difference in it and the world.  For those people who do choose to leave, I don’t blame them…for some it really does seem like the only option, and they just get tired of the struggle.  For others, they just might not relate to the Church in a way that spiritually benefits them and they are able to find that somewhere else.  But many people do remain within the Church, and they are the Church…the Body of Christ…who live out their faith in their everyday lives, trying to find peace and grace in an often chaotic and broken world.  It is these people, these common believers, who are the real reason I stay in the Church….they are my community, and they are worth the struggle. 

A short list of some common misconceptions about Catholicism that really, really annoy me:

1.      “Papal Infallibility” does not mean everything the Pope says is true or that a Pope is even sinless.  The Church is infallible, and the Pope is the spokesperson for the Church.  There is a whole list of stuff that has to take place before any Church teaching can be declared infallible by the Pope, and this has actually only happened twice in the history of the Church.  Both times, the teachings had to do with the Virgin Mary (her Conception and Assumption).

2.      We do not worship saints, so let it go already.  When we pray to saints, we are really asking them to pray on our behalf to God.  It always goes to God.  It’s like asking a friend to pray for you when you are about to face some kind of challenge in your life…except in this instance a lot of these “friends” were willing to sacrifice everything, even their own lives, to follow their faith.  Saint side note: A lot of us won’t get too pissed off if you critique the hierarchy, doctrine, tradition, or sacraments of the Church…but don’t you dare go after the Virgin Mary.  You will regret it.

 

Do not mess with the Virgin

3.      Going along with the Mary theme, the Immaculate Conception does not refer to Jesus’ conception…but to Mary’s.  We believe, in order to prepare her for her role as Jesus’ mother, God allowed Mary to be conceived without original sin (read Augustine and you’ll understand how this idea works).  I could hardly get through the Family Guy Christmas episode this year because they kept getting the Immaculate Conception wrong…you’re better than that, Seth MacFarlane! (He actually might not be)

4.      The Church doesn’t say sex is only for baby-making (not anymore, anyway).  That definitely is still a big part of it (hence the no-no on contraceptives), but there is also an emphasis on the relational and spiritual intimacy between the couple.  So, unlike in the Middle Ages, it’s okay if you enjoy having sex.  It’s also okay (now verses then) for couples to have sex even if they can’t have babies (see…progress!).    

In summary...

See ya!
Erin B.