Chuck Colson: Like It or Not: Cardinal Arinze at Georgetown

Townhall.com ^ | June 4, 2003 | Chuck Colson

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I truly believe Arinze will be elected the next Pope. I wonder if all of these offended Catholics will suddenly be proud that the Pope spoke at their Commencement.

[RAT Patrol]

Ping

[RAT Patrol]

I'm not Catholic, but I love and support this guy! Very few people have the courage to speak the truth anymore.

[nina0113]

We should be so lucky, but isn't he past seventy?

[Remole]

I would have given Arinze a 50-50 chance prior to 9/11. But I think the College of Cardinals etc have been deeply affected by 9/11 and all that it has entailed; and so election of an African pope, attractive as it may seem at some levels, is not (for me) the top priority among the electors. I predict a young-ish European, no older than 72, who will represent historic "Christendom" against the other major forces in the world (Islamo-fascism; Western Consumerism; Socialism; and Tribalism). My prediction: Paul Poupard. IMHO

[1stFreedom]

I'm not protestant, but Chuck Colson is one heck of an ecumenical guy. (Not sure what denomination he belongs to, but he's not Catholic.).

Obviously Catholics and Protestants have serious differences in faith. But at least we are talking now and tyring to understand one another better.

[Salvation]

The Catholics on FR were very much supportive of Arinze.

It has long been my claim that the pendulum of time has swung way over to the left (yes, in the Catholic Church, too, as well as in values and morals and daily life) and is slowing coming back to the Right.

We see it in more Republicans elected. We see it in Catholics possibly having the opportunity to attend a Latin Mass in their area. We see it in more young people want and orthodox Mass. And we see it in Cardinals and Bishops like Arinze who are willing to take the risk and stand tall while speaking the truth.

In my estimation the pendulum is a little bit to the right of center at this time.

Any other thoughts?

[RAT Patrol]

Absolutely. The truth is, most of my favorite people are Catholics. I have complete respect for them.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

He will be 71 in November, but that isn't really that old for a Pope. John Paul II was extremely young when elected, and has had now the third longest Papacy if I recall correctly. If Arinze were to be elected within the next couple of years, he would still be able to have a good decade or more as Pope, a very reasonable amount of time.

[Gman]

{Thus, we see Anglican bishops from Africa standing against Western apostasy by ordaining American clergy who will uphold historic Christian teaching on faith and morals.}

That would be us...

http://www.anglicanmissioninamerica.org

[RAT Patrol]

My thoughts...

I love your post but I'm having difficulty being that optimistic, to tell you the truth. What I see up close and personal is a sharp left turn, especially on moral issues. More and more people are buying into the relativity mindset.

[Steve_Seattle]

I continue to be amazed how homosexuality continues to be treated by liberals almost as if it were preferable to heterosexuality, as conferring a status of superiority. As for a theologian walking offstage during the speech, that does not surprise me - liberal Catholic theologians are among the most brain-dead people on this planet - complete and utter morons.

[RAT Patrol]

Good for you!

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

The needs of the Church are not the needs of Europe, and John Paul II has seen that the College of Cardinals is very diverse in terms of geography.

I think that Africa is the focus of Christianity these next few decades, and having an African in the Holy See will be a profound statement. The focus of the poverty, disease, and chaos that runs rampant through Africa will be able to be brought into sharp focus by a Nigerian Pope the same way that the despair and oppression of Communism was revealed by a Polish Pope.

Islam and Christianity will be engaged in a mighty struggle if Arinze ascends to the Seat of Peter, and it will be in West Africa that the conflict will be the sharpest, not Jerusalem.

[evets]

Robert Ashley, news director at Dallas radio station KHVN-AM, asked Cardinal Arinze: "So you can still get to heaven without accepting Jesus?"

Cardinal Arinze answered: "Expressly, yes (he laughs with the audience)."

Dallas Morning news

[Salvation]

** More and more people are buying into the relativity mindset.**

On the surface this is what we see.

But as we look deeper the trends are mostly unnoticed by the general public. I think here of FR we have the roots of a different possibility.

THE NEW FAITHFUL: WHY YOUNG ADULTS ARE EMBRACING CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY

Vatican to reinforce Catholic orthodoxy, Pope's advisors say traditional values have weakened

Keeping faith: Catholic college, students reject mainstream America - and the mainstream church

Generation X and the Return to Christian Orthodoxy [A Surprise Trend]

[hardhead]

I would hope that there are no differences in faith, but differences in philosophy. I believe Catholics and Protestants can 'cross party lines' on most things. I am a a great fan of Rev. Don Wildmon of the American Family Association - and he's a Methodist. I find nothing contradictory to my own beliefs in his fight for the family and decency in the media.

[Salvation]

**I think here of FR we have the roots of a different possibility.
**

I should have said:

I think here of FR we are aware of the roots of a different possibility.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I would like to know the context of that statement.

If I were to ask you if Elijha were in heaven, would you say no?

If I were to ask you if therefore could someone get to heaven without accepting Jesus, how would respond?

Context is everything.