Samuele Bacchiocchi, a popular Seventh-Day Adventist scholar, writes in his "Endtime Issues Newsletter" (No. 127),
It is evident that the popular acclamation of the Pope as "Vicar of Christ" and "God on earth," does not exempt him from the frailty of old age. The prospect of the imminent death of John Paul II brings a sense of relief to the embarrassment of seeing the Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church evoking pity for his painful condition, rather than admiration for his energetic leadership.
Who said the Pope is "God on earth"? That's not Catholic teaching at all. The Pope would condemn any such bizarre belief as heresy! Jesus alone was "God on earth."
Now Dr. Sam is more than intellectually capable of knowing better. He's just a salesman who loves to work his audience. (I spoke with him once on the telephone years ago when he called our church offices, and all I got was an uninterruptable, rapid-fire sales pitch for his books that would put any slick sales pro to shame.)
Even so, with his reputed scholarship, I could consider giving him a pass -- letting it go as a "slip of the fingers" -- but not when he elaborates on his shameful "sense of relief" at the prospect of John Paul II's imminent death.
Apparently Dr. Sam doesn't have the maturity to appreciate the deep spiritual riches one can acquire by remaining faithful to God's service in the midst of physical suffering. The elderly and enfeebled, if they offer up their sufferings to God, are blessed with tremendous spiritual strength. And in John Paul II's case, his mind is as powerful as ever, as evidenced by the brilliant writings that he continues to produce.
While much of the world --even those who have theological differences with the Church -- cannot help but hold great admiration for this ailing-but-persevering Pope, Dr. Sam's attitude and brand of "energetic leadership" is the kind that evokes true pity and embarrassment.
3 comments:
who is the one and only Holy Father to you?
The "one and only" Holy Father is, of course, the eternal God.
God is my true Father, but my mother's husband is also my father. Calling my dad "father" doesn't take away from God's Fatherhood.
Likewise, calling the pope "Holy Father" to distinguish him from other priests and bishops is appropriate as long as it doesn't detract from the truth that God alone is our ultimate Father.
calling you biological dad, "father", i can understand, but calling some one else not only "father", but "holy father" seems wrong, since Christ says "one is your Father".
Mat 23:9 And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
are you okay with calling some human "master"? because if you are or aren't, it should match with your feelings about calling someone else "father".
Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.
Psa 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend [is] his name.
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