Posted on 07/27/2010 8:28:28 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
A LEADING Free Church theologian has criticised the Pope's visit and suggested Scots are "suckers for funny costumes" and "love to see old men dressed in ancient Roman togas".
The Rev Professor Donald Macleod, who retired last month as principal of the Free Church College on The Mound, also accused the Scottish Government of "airbrushing" the Protestant Reformation out of history while celebrating the visit by the Pope.
Benedict XVI is due to fly into Edinburgh on 16 September at the start of a four-day visit to the UK. He will meet the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and drive through the city centre in his Popemobile before heading to Glasgow for a mass in Bellahouston Park.
Professor Macleod claimed there was "a downside" to the Pontiff's visit, and not just the increasing cost - now put at £12m - at a time when public services are facing savage cutbacks and thousands of Scots are facing the prospect of unemployment.
But it is the timing of the visit - co-inciding with the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation - that has most angered Professor Macleod.
The Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy and the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines.
Prior to that, Scotland was effectively ruled by Mary of Guise, who had governed in the name of her absent daughter Mary, Queen of Scots - then also Queen of France.
In his weekly column in the West Highland Free Press, Professor Macleod said: "On the face of things the forthcoming papal visit to Britain should be an unqualified publicity triumph, offering a heady mixture of theatre, religion and politics.
"It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the event was deliberately timed to clash with the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation.
"Ironically the spoiling tactic has turned out to be entirely unnecessary. Our SNP Government has no intention whatever of acknowledging Scotland's debt to the Reformation, and even less of honouring John Knox, the greatest of all our nation-builders, but now safely airbrushed out of our history.
"That he saved us from national economic ruin, laid the foundation of our national system of education and fired us with an aversion to tyranny, now counts for nothing. Our Government is in Knox-denial
"Why does secular, humanist Scotland so warmly entertain Catholicism, with all its authoritarianism, and yet register terror at the mere mention of the religion of Knox?
"Is it just that we're suckers for funny costumes, and love to see old men dressed in ancient Roman togas?"
The Church of Scotland devoted a special session of its General Assembly in May to marking the anniversary of the Reformation, but there has been little other public recognition of the occasion.
Historian Professor Tom Devine, a Catholic, has also described as "scandalous" the low-key way the 450th anniversary is being marked.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government is working with the Church of Scotland and others to ensure that this important anniversary is properly commemorated, and we will make further announcements in due course."
"That he saved us from national economic ruin, laid the foundation of our national system of education and fired us with an aversion to tyranny, now counts for nothing. Our Government is in Knox-denial
"Why does secular, humanist Scotland so warmly entertain Catholicism, with all its authoritarianism, and yet register terror at the mere mention of the religion of Knox? "Is it just that we're suckers for funny costumes, and love to see old men dressed in ancient Roman togas?"
If they hate the Pope, they DON’T HAVE TO GO!
Maybe if he'd done a better job of expounding and preaching the Free Kirk's teaching, there'd be no reason for him to whine so childishly.
Typical liberal attitude - his failures are someone else's fault.
“Why does secular, humanist Scotland...”
I wonder if that little nugget is worth looking at a bit more. 450 years after turning away from Christ’s Church, Scotland isn’t Christian? Maybe, just maybe, rather than hating the Catholic Church for existing, he should be celebrating how many people are interested and even excited about coming closer to Christ.
How many people might find their way to Christ because of this visit? If he had his way, he would rather none, if they didn’t conform to his hatred of Catholicism.
Such a twisted man. There is no love or mercy in his heart. So many here on FR are just like him.
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Oh, that Knox. I though for a second he meant the good one: Ronald Knox.
Read this what I posted links to in post 6, this guy is a piece of work.
I like this guy!
Knox, I believe, is buried under a parking lot.
Sad, pathetic.
The Popes have been requesting a formal visit to the UK for years - it's not as if 2010 was the Vatican's idea.
Moreover, the official start of the Scottish Reformation is a matter of debate. While Scotland did officially make attending Mass a capital punishment offense in August 1560, the pope is coming in September.
The professor is free to hold his own parade a month ahead of time in order to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the codification of the brutal laws that officially united church and government in Scotland - though why a Free Kirk minister would care that deeply is beyond me.
I understand they have medications for that now.
And anybody who doesn't know the difference between a toga and a cassock really has no business being allowed to write in public.
(Just trying to add to that air of peace, geniality, and love for which this forum is so justly famous.)
Very well said, I wonder if this clown would be able to distinguish any real difference between what popes and archbishops of Canterbury wear (excluding of course the current archbishop who feels that he should dress as a pagan druid).
Amen
**The Rev Professor Donald Macleod, who retired last month as principal of the Free Church College on The Mound, also accused the Scottish Government of “airbrushing” the Protestant Reformation out of history while celebrating the visit by the Pope.**
Somehow, history will stand. The Catholic Church was in England long before John Knox ever showed up! And the Pope will be there ALIVE; John Knox is dead!
What a twisting of reporting!
Fashion is important.
Absolutely. I mean what date is more famous in all the world? Surely a date fixed in the mind of everyone responsible for this visit.
Ever been to Scotland? Ever been in a bar in certain parts of Glasgow?
Be careful where your eyes fix themselves. Otherwise, you might hear something like this:
"Whad are ye lookin' aht?? Are ya lookin' at me? D'ya haff a problem wi' me?? Is th' summint ye wanna say t' me?............"
This sort of talk from the Rev. McLeod is reminiscent of that sort of bar room, "chip-on-the-shoulder", cantankerous fighting talk. Everything is viewed in terms of confrontation and insult.
As if any time would be a good time for a papal visit to Scotland.
**********************
With a Catholic population of only 17%, not so much.
Whether John Knox is the most important figure in Scottish history is a matter of opinion. Some might prefer Robert the Bruce, but for whom Scotland today might be just a larger version of Cornwall.
For the most important Knox in history, I'd vote for Gen. Henry Knox.
Ab-sew-LEWT-lee!
People are apt to change when their lives are threatened.
Whether John Knox is the most important figure in Scottish history is a matter of opinion. Some might prefer Robert the Bruce, but for whom Scotland today might be just a larger version of Cornwall.
Robert the Bruce or various members of the Stuart/Stewart family are far more important to Scottish history.
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