Pope Benedict Goes to Washington

Christianity Today ^ | 4/16/2008 | Sheryl Henderson Blunt

[annalex]

President Bush welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to the White House today in a grand arrival ceremony that coincided with the pope's 81st birthday.

White House staff said the event, with its unprecedented number of 13,500 guests, was designed to reflect Bush's deep regard and respect for the pontiff. But the warm reception is seen by many as an indication of improving relations between Catholics and evangelical Protestants.

[annalex]

More excerpts:

...
Jim Wallis, CEO of Sojourners/Call to Renewal and an outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, said he hoped the pope would emphasize the "multiple threats to human life" during his U.S. visit, such as the impact of war, poverty and disease. But the White House's adviser on Catholics, Deal Hudson, said he did not expect the pope to highlight his opposition to the war in Iraq. "If he overemphasizes that, he hands the Democrats a very significant tool to use in the next election, and Benedict XVI knows that most Democrats are not pro-life and would undo many of the measures passed in the last eight years."

Hudson predicted that while Benedict may discuss the war during his visit, "[he'll] frame it in a way Catholics won't be fooled into equating it with the non-negotiable issues that he himself has so well defined in his writing."

Hudson, a Southern Baptist convert to Catholicism, said Benedict's commitment to the social priorities of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and his deep grounding in Scripture and Christian truths, resonate with evangelicals.

"John Paul II fundamentally changed evangelicals' view of Catholics through the priority he gave to social issues and his pastoral emphasis on Scripture," said Hudson.

Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said, "We have solidarity with the Catholic church in that we are pro-life, value traditional families, and uphold the doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the substitutionary Atonement. In a culture where these beliefs are constantly challenged, we are grateful for all who strongly stand for shared beliefs."
...

[annalex]

50 Days of Easter 2008 Celebration ping, dedicated to converts to the Catholic faith. If you want to be on the list but are not on it already, or if you are on it but do not want to be, let me know either publicly or privately.

Happy Easter. Christ is risen!

This is not properly a conversion story, but I like the irenic tone of this article from an Evangelical source.

Alex.

---

Previously posted conversion stories:

Anti-Catholicism, Hypocrisy and Double Standards
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part I: Darkness
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part II: Doubts
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part III: Tradition and Church
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part IV: Crucifix and Altar
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part V: The Catholics and the Pope
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part VI: The Biblical Reality
His Open Arms Welcomed Me
Catholic Conversion Stories & Resources
My Personal Conversion Story
My (Imminent) Reception into the Roman Catholic Church
Catholics Come Home
My Journey of Faith
LOGIC AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF PROTESTANTISM
"What is Truth?" An Examination of Sola Scriptura
"Have you not read?" The Authority behind Biblical Interpretation
The Crisis of Authority in the Reformation
Our Journey Home
Our Lady’s Gentle Call to Peace
A story of conversion at the Lamb of God Shrine
Who is Mary of Nazareth?
Mary and the Problem of Christian Unity

Also see:
Sheep That Go Astray

[weirdo123126]

well I guess it is good that he is welcoming the pope but I miss pope John Paul he was a much more revolutionary pope

[Mr. Lucky]

One wonders if Mr. Wallis finds crashing airplanes into buildings or exterminating vast portions of a county’s own population or terrorist nation sponsorship of nuclear bomb research or...ad infinitum to constitute a “threat” to life?

[elcid1970]

Hey, it could have been as huge as the Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul connection. Too bad these two won’t have as much time.

But, ya know something? Pope Benedict looks healthier and more active now than when he became Pontiff at age 78.

And John McCain is Catholic, is he not?

I think the Islamomuzzies are busy sharpening their daggers at both this Holy Father and the next President.

The current Pope has an historical memory that reaches clear back to the crushing of Christianity in the Middle East. And the muzzies know that.

[annalex]

One doesn’t have to like crashing airplanes into buildings or any of the rest in order to find preemptive war contrary to natural law.

[norge]

I don’t think McCain is Catholic. He is a professing believer, but not Catholic.

In fact, I was surprised when I saw that he was not Episcopalian, and claimed another denomination...but I forget what it was.

[Petronski]

Hudson, a Southern Baptist convert to Catholicism...

Nice move!

[norge]

Just Yahoo’d “John McCain’s denomination”...came up with the fact that McCain said he was not Episcopalian, but Baptist.

[eyedigress]

He is Episcopalian.

[eyedigress]

I stand corrected. Raised Episcopalian but avows Baptist.

[norge]

Sorry...his words...”I’m not Episcopalian. I’m a Baptist.”

[norge]

No problem. I had to check it out myself.

[eyedigress]

I've watched him for about 20 years, especially after the banking scandal. He seemed to be above that and the biggest beef AZ politicians had with him was his temper. I personally don't think a temper is necessarily a bad thing.

[norge]

Well, he wasn’t my first, second or third choice, but I don’t view him in the same fashion many here on FR regard him.

I will vote for McCain, in spite of Coulter, Limbaugh or Dobson.

[eyedigress]

I'll say this. There is no-way I sit back and allow a moon-bat vote not get canceled by my vote. This one specifically.

[norge]

LOL!!!!

[Mr. Lucky]

So wars aren’t worth pre-empting?