Posted on 12/05/2013 9:46:31 AM PST by don-o
A source familiar with the inner workings of the Vatican told Breitbart News on Monday that Pope Francis is likely to offer a "clarification" of his comments on economics contained in his apostolic exhortation released on November 24, Evangelii Guadium (in English, "The Joy of the Gospel"). Though the timing of such a "clarification" is uncertain, it is likely to come in the form of a speech to a group rather than in a formal papal document.
The source told Breitbart News that key figures at the Vatican are already discussing the problems caused by the document's confused and inconsistent forays into economic policy. As Breitbart News has reported, the use of language consistent with Latin American "liberation theology" in that document has had a significant impact on the political dialogue in the United States over the past ten days.
The left has grabbed several passages from the document and described them as a rejection of free market economics and an endorsement of the statist redistributive policies of the Obama administration. Some on the left have used the Pope's word as a justification for the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Among prominent conservatives, Rush Limbaugh has criticized the Pope for appearing to embrace "liberation theology." Many conservatives are wondering why the pope decided to venture beyond the realm of the Gospel into the arena of political and economic theory in the first place.
Defenders of the Pope have pointed out that economics, though it received almost all of the press coverage, was a small part of the document, most of which focused on a new call to evangelization. They portray him not as a "liberation theologist," but a rather as more of a "right wing Peronist" from Argentina
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Rush Limbaugh is not the only one who thinks this way. I am a Catholic and I am getting increasingly agitated about the types of bishops and cardinals who are embracing politics in terms of “social justice”.
Being foggy about causes but clear about effects can cause confusion all right. Where is the gospel supposed to get a grip in this picture, and how? It might be the intention to get it in there grass roots rather than as a government dictum, but unless Francis actually says so, it’s going to be taken wrong. That’s the bent of the age.
Why clarify.
He said what he said, these “clarifications” just mean “you who read this, did not understand what I meant”
As I’ve said earlier, he has a strong record of opposition to Liberation Theology during his time as a bishop in South America.
But I think it’s true that a lot of bishops could use an education in basic economics. Charitable giving is one thing. Socialist government is quite another.
Sounds like the Pope doesn't think he was mis-translated, just misunderstood. "I'd ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks."
Should we refer to this source as "Deep Throat"?
Basically this comes down to “Render unto Caesar those things which are Caesar’s and unto God those things which are God’s”
The pope should stay out of economic policy unless he desires to serve in a legislature.
Watch what you say, lol! I posted the same thing on another thread and the Savonarolas were out in the droves telling me to go to confession.
Of which Peron was one. Juan and Evita, despite their rhetoric, were most responsible for creating the crony capitalists and oligarchs. Peronism is a form of corporatism with the state getting into bed with the crony-capitalists. Rather unfortunate that Pope Francis and most of Argentina have never that lesson.
Amen, Allison.
I have never enjoyed bragging rights on our own US Bishops Conference or their forthcoming “forays” into liberal causes and effects.
Certainly this pope has stepped on his mission by wagging with wags, and it hurts. I remain loyal to his kindness and his precious, loving face, but wince at his naivety on freedom and capitalism. His Argentinian experience belies the facts in so many cases.
Maybe the phrase, “bless your heart, Francis dear...” would be useful about now.
How did the Jesuits go from the most conservative to the most left-wing religious order so quickly? Or am I wrong?
This is getting embarrassing. Can't blame it on the spontentaity of verbal interviews anymore. Now apostolic exhortations are causing problems within the Vatican.
The fact that Obama is latching onto the Pope's ideas is indicative that the Pope indeed had a socialist leaning in his statement.
They portray him not as a "liberation theologist," but a rather as more of a "right wing Peronist" from Argentina
Why on earth would they elevate Peron? Wow...they seem all mixed up.
I wonder if it would be possible for the church to go “political philosophy free”? (Of course such a concept would need to be extensively fleshed out, and likely have different rules for clergy than for laity.)
It is not immediately evident what this involves, other than perhaps that the church interests lie in “ends”, not “means” to those ends.
For example, feeding the poor is an end to itself, but there are many means to accomplish it. Some good and work, some are bad and do not work. What the church would continue to do is endorse the end, not one or more of the possible means to that end.
In recent years, the church has erred in embracing some means and condemning others, based on the *promise* of ends that may or may not be delivered.
Is socialism, or capitalism, the best means to feed the poor? The church should refrain from guessing, investing with one political philosophy or another, and focus on the end of feeding the poor.
This also means that the church must be objective. Continuing to embrace a failed philosophy is just dim-witted, even if it sounds good or looks good on paper. The end results of doing so are people like Nancy Pelosi, who calls herself a Catholic, while rejecting Catholicism, even Christianity itself.
Poor, ickle Pope is snared in his Liberation Theology.
Because people should be able to understand what he stated.
Catholic "social justice" has caused trouble for years.
It was one of the reasons for the liberation theology in South American.
Maybe it's finally coming to a head; I'd love to see Catholics in the US finally staunchly in the conservative camp instead of voting majority Dem as I think they often do.
Yet I love him because he is willing to learn from his missteps.
It does seem like a rather difficult job, doesn’t it? ;-)
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