An African pope: Why not? (Tutu in USAT on Arinze)

[struggle4progress]

<snip> The notion of a black pope is, to say the least, controversial, even though three Africans have been pope. It is not quite in the same league as a depiction of Jesus Christ as black. Most Christians have grown up with the historically inaccurate image of Jesus as Caucasian when, as a Semitic, he would have been a great deal more swarthy than our conventional pictures of him as white. Nonetheless, a black pope could do more than break a color barrier — he could facilitate a greater global understanding of a neglected part of our world: the so-called Third World. <snip>

But my hope is that a black pope would be what we in South Africa like to call a son of the soil — one whose soul has been impregnated with the aspirations, insights, world view and value system of his African homeland. That he would be one who would bear on his breast, carrying in his heart — as Aaron the High Priest carried biblical Israel — the concerns, the anguish and longings of his fellow Africans. He could not fail to be moved by the plight of those wallowing in abject poverty, growing more impoverished in a world with a grossly inequitable economic system that favors those who are already strong and affluent while their sisters and brothers in the developing world are facing starvation and squalor and deprivation. <snip>

Coming from Africa, he would be appalled at the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS and surely would concur with the Spanish Roman Catholic Bishops Conference in wanting to promote the use of condoms, which have been shown to stem the spread of this horrendous virus. He would not permit dogma to be the cause of so many unnecessary deaths. After all, Jesus said of most religious rules that they were made for us, not the other way, and that if they did not enhance life, then without compunction, Jesus would jettison them.

I also pray that this pope would realize that the church is grossly impoverished without the ministry of women as priests. We in the Episcopal Church have been richly blessed by our sisters' outstanding service as bishops, priests and deacons. And we hope he would rethink the ban on contraception and married clergy. <snip>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-04-17-forum1_x.htm

[Rowdyboy]

1. The skin color of the next pontiff is of minor importance

Whatr matters is the content of his heart. Having Clarence Thomas, a black man, on the Supreme Court, has done nothing to help poor blacks in America. A right wing, reactionary black Pope would be a very sad commentary on the Catholic church and Cardinal Arinze would be a very poor choice for the church.

[struggle4progress]

2. Your comments about Thomas, of course, mirror Tutu's own. But ...

... I know nothing about Arinze. Are you suggesting that Tutu's remarks should be read as a criticism of Arinze, or are you simply stating your own position on Arinze?

[Demeter]

3. Why Not? Because it would be a good thing.

and we can't violate millenia of papal history by actually doing something good, now can we?