I have not seen the quote in which Francis says Christ’s dying on the cross was a failure. I’ve not googled it. I’ll believe you all on this thread that it was said.
I have seen the post on this thread in which it is disputed that all theologians have agreed that the ‘death’ was a failure. I would challenge those theologians, also.
We CANNOT ignore prophecy. Prophecy clearly indicates the resurrection. We can go to those scriptures if necessary, but even the ‘gospel’ spelled out in 1 Co 15 shows that it was “Good News” that “Christ DIED for our sins according to the scripture, that He was buried, that He rose...”
The DEATH of Christ WAS the sacrifice that paid for our sins. God accepted that sacrifice and proved that to the ages to come by raising Jesus from the dead. He was dead, he was truly dead and buried, and He has Risen!
Is it possible that Satan and his minions danced a victory dance for a few until the resurrection? Yes. That did not make a failure the PLAN God had implemented as early as Eve when it was declared that her unique seed would bruise the head of the serpent. God made His plan more evident over the ages through the mouths of the prophets. And then His plan came to pass. As Jesus would say ahead of time, the Son of Man had to go to Jerusalem to be killed.
It was part of the eternal plan, so it would be in error to view it as a failure.
The failure occurred in the Garden. The failure of Man.
The Victory occurred at the cross. The Victory of Christ.