Pope Francis Warns Against Rigid Ideological Positions
Days after allowing same-sex blessings, Pope Francis warned on Thursday against “rigid ideological positions” that can prevent the Church from seeing reality and moving forward.
Francis, who turned 87 on Sunday, made his comments in his traditional Christmas greeting to members of the Curia, the Vatican’s central administration.
In the early years of his papacy, he made Christmas greetings an occasion for blunt criticism of the bureaucracy, highlighting what he then called its “diseases” and “illnesses.”
On Thursday, the pope mentioned the ongoing debate between progressives and conservatives 60 years after the Second Vatican Council, which introduced the Church into the modern world.
“Let us be vigilant against rigid ideological positions that, often, under the pretext of good intentions, separate us from reality and prevent us from moving forward,” he said.
“Instead, we are called to set out and travel, like the Magi, following the light that always wants to guide us, sometimes along unexplored paths and new roads,” he said.
On Monday, he approved a decision that allows priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples under certain conditions and as long as they do not resemble marriage and are not part of the Church’s rituals or liturgies.
While the pope’s openness to blessings for same-sex couples has been welcomed by many, conservatives have said it could shake the foundations of the faith and even lead to a schism in the Church.
Since being elected by his fellow cardinals ten years ago, Francis has tried to make the Church more welcoming to people who feel excluded, such as members of the LGBT community, but without changing any part of Christian teachings on moral issues.
He said at Thursday’s meeting that Christians should always be restless and open to change.
“Christian faith – let us remember – is not intended to confirm our sense of security, to make us comfortable in religious certainties and to offer us quick answers to the complex problems of life,” Francis said.
Here are some of the key points of the pope’s Christmas greeting:
- He warned against “rigid ideological positions” that can prevent the Church from seeing reality and moving forward.
- He said that Christians should be always restless and open to change.
- He said that Christian faith is not intended to confirm our sense of security or to offer us quick answers to complex problems.
The pope’s comments are likely to be seen as a continuation of his efforts to modernize the Church and make it more inclusive.
