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I think we Evangelicals can learn humility from the Pope. I appreciate his desire to apologize to Evangelicals. But we also owe Catholicism some apologies. I can never believe that membership in a church or some physical thing I am required to do will save me. Only the shedding of Jesus' blood and Hus Resurrection and my Holy Spirit-enabled confession of these facts as a statement of faith can do that.

But I remember that four U.S. Navy Chaplains, Methodist minister the Reverend George L. Fox, Reform-Rabbi Alexander D. Goode (Ph.D.), Roman Catholic priest the Reverend John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling, all gave away their life jackets to U.S. Army personnel when United States Army Transport Dorchester was torpedoed February 3, 1943 and sank.

The chaplains were last seen praying and singing as the Dorchester went under.

I have my own opinion as to which of those Chaplains went to be with the Lord, but their selfless dedication and action set an example that many Evangelicals and Catholics, many of us, have not followed.

And I believe the Pope's desire to try to make things better between groups, is a hallmark of integrity and faithful service.

God bless him.

Apparently, the pope is taking some heat for saying he doesn't want to convert evangelicals. I suspect that goes back to Benedict declaring us separated Christian communities. We should note the word "Christian".

Part I, Article 9 of the Catechism says:
818 "However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."
819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth" are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements." Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity." http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/catechism/index.cfm?recnum=3040

My sense is that the Pope is saying that Protestants are already Christians, so no conversion to Christ is necessary. It is NOT conversion to bring someone who already is a Christian to accept your Church instead of their old church. That is a different word than conversion if one is being precise about the theology of evangelism.

My sense is that this applies only to Trinitarians. One proof of it is that those incorporated from other denominations have no need for baptism since they have already been baptized.