Cardinal Kasper: Pope Francis is a ‘Radical,’ Not a ‘Liberal’

Catholic Culture ^ | 2/19/15

[marshmallow]

L’Osservatore Romano has published excerpts from a new book by Cardinal Walter Kasper on Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, writes the retired president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, is a radical in the sense of emphasizing the roots of the Gospel message and the joy it brings. The Pope “does not advocate a liberal position, but a radical position” and is neither “traditionalist nor progressive.”

Citing Nietzsche, Sartre, Heidegger, and other 19th- and 20th-century writings, Cardinal Kasper said that modern man lacks joy. The Gospel message, which brings renewal and joy, is the source from which springs “every Christian doctrine and moral discipline.”

[max americana]

” ‘Radical,’ Not a ‘Liberal’

Well, someone’s been quoting a Supertramp song..

[NKP_Vet]

Kaspar is a heretic that should have been excommunicated years ago.

[grania]

May I ask a provocative question? I follow the topic of Pope Francis as an outsider, having no deep knowledge of the Church.

Is Pope Francis a legitmate Pope, as he was elected because his predecessor stepped down?

[sitetest]

Dear grania,

All things being equal, a pope may resign his office, and the man elected to replace him is validly, truly the pope.

Thus, the fact of Pope Benedict's resignation doesn't have an impact on the legitimacy of the pontificate of Francis.

sitetest

[grania]

Thank you for that answer.

[BlatherNaut]

Cardinal Kasper added that the Pope’s emphasis on the centrality of the proclamation of the Gospel message and the life of charity places him inside a “great tradition” that includes, in various ways, St. Augustine, St. Francis and St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and the Second Vatican Council.

Kasper (the Pope's favorite "serene" theologian) slyly attempts to equate Luther with great Saints and Doctors of the Church. It's reasonable to conclude at this point that Kasper's "theology" is a reflection of the Pope's.

[showme_the_Glory]

Yeah, sure, that’s it! a radical.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

Socialist is probably the best term to describe the Pope’s political and economic views.

[piusv]

You quoted the same part of the article that I was going to quote. Martin Luther part of a “great tradition”, huh? Vatican II, part of a “great tradition”, huh? Well, I guess it makes sense to include those two together since the latter included the protestantization of the Church.

[sitetest]

Franky is a Peronist.