The most
current self-proclaimed Vicar of Christ has been making the news again. Pope Francis recently wrote a scathing letter to a few tenacious African priests who
rejected the papal appointment of their local bishop.
Francis
compared the actions of these priests to the “murderous tenants” in Jesus’
parable of the vineyard, and declared their disobedience to his directives a
“mortal sin”. To regain proper standing, the priests
must first write a letter of apology, seeking the forgiveness of the Pope. And
second, they must clearly manifest total obedience to him.
Do these
actions of Pope Francis shock you? What about the time he said that trying to
convince nonchristians to convert to faith in Christ is an illicit poison? Or
when he declared that one of the ten secrets to a happy life is to not
proselytize? And finally, what about the article he wrote in 2013 stating that
even atheists have already been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and are children
of God just like Christians?
Perhaps you’re wondering how someone
would have the audacity to say and do such things. If that’s the case, maybe it
would help to understand Francis’ point of view.
First, Pope
Francis views himself as the Pontifex Maximus, which literally means that he believes
he is the supreme bridge builder between God and mankind. Francis also believes
that, because he possesses Papal infallibility, he is incapable of erring in
even the slightest way when teaching on matters of faith and morality. And why
would anyone come to such an extreme conclusion about themselves? The reason is
that the Pope teaches that he is the Vicar of Christ, or the visible head of
the Church on earth who is acting for and in the place of Christ.
So
basically, if you disagree with the Pope, the Pope says you are disagreeing
with God. If you disobey the Pope, the Pope says you are disobeying God.
But what did the early Christians
believe about the Vicar of Christ? Who did they believe is the primarily agent
acting on Jesus’ behalf on earth?
Our Lord Christ has surnamed Himself Truth, not Custom. … Whatever
savors of opposition to truth, this will be heresy, even (if it be an) ancient
custom. … The reason why the Lord sent the Paraclete was that, since human
mediocrity was unable to take in all things at once, discipline should, little
by little, be directed and ordained and carried on to perfection by that Vicar
of the Lord, the Holy Spirit. “Still,” He said, “I have many things to say to
you, but you are not yet able to bear them: when that Spirit of truth shall
come, He will direct you into all truth, and will report to you the things that
must take place.” – Tertullian 207CE, ANF
Volume 4, p. 44-45 [CD-ROM]
Most of us would agree with Tertullian. The true Vicar of
Christ on earth is the Holy Spirit. After all, Jesus told His disciples in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and
will be in you. I will
not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
It’s one thing to intellectually agree that the Holy Spirit
is Christ’s representative on earth, and thus speaks on His behalf with all
authority. However, it’s another thing all together to have that intellectual
belief become a functional reality in our lives.
So, who or what holds the functional place of God in your
life? Your feelings? Cultural norms? Your finances? A certain person? A quest
for more money, control or security? Your appearance? What is the actual
driving-force behind your decision-making?
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