But at the same time, evangelicals and Catholics have a lot of overlap in belief, something the Evangelicals and Catholics Together statement recognized. Those devout in their Catholic faith (and those devout in their evangelical faith!) often find they have plenty in common with the faithful across the ecclesiological divide. A statement like “When we walk without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we proclaim Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord” could be from either an evangelical or a Catholic leader. In short, devout evangelicals and Catholics alike seem to be increasingly realizing Gospel-centered unity that can enable dialogue, prayerful respect and cooperation rather than suspicion or prejudice. That’s not to say arguments over sola fide, the Eucharist, the papacy or the role of Mary will (or should) go away, but the possibility for unity in Christ seems to exist. (That quote, by the way? That’s from Pope Francis’ first address to assembled cardinals.)
“A real friend”
If evangelicals have discovered some familial bonds with Catholic brethren, then it makes sense they’d care about the spiritual leader of a branch of the Christian faith that claims 1.2 billion worldwide and 50 million American adherents. While the number of practicing or believing Catholics may be smaller (similar to the number of believing/practicing Christians versus the number of people claiming the label “Christian”), that’s still a staggering number. Plus, given that 87% of American Catholics who attend Mass weekly say they are happy with the election of Pope Francis, it suggests there are a lot of people very interested in the election of the new pope.
So when a new person who is the shepherd of that many people steps into the spotlight, it’s worth caring about. Even if it wasn’t a Christian faith, it would be worth paying attention to, simply for the cultural impact — the fact that there is some belief in common between evangelicals and Catholics makes that interest even more compelling and obvious.
It also means evangelicals ought to pay attention to what the new pope is saying. Does Pope Francis seem to be communicating a commitment to the Gospel, both personally and as a goal for the Catholic Church? Does he seem interested in finding areas of overlap with the evangelical community? Does he, above all else, want to preach the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the matters at the heart of both the Catholic and evangelical traditions? If not, it matters. And if so, it also matters.
So far, Pope Francis seems to be striking all of the right notes. His choice of name is meant to harken back to Francis of Assisi, a famous Catholic saint who had a close relationship to nature and to the poor. As an archbishop in Argentina, Pope Francis was notable for taking public transportation rather than an official limousine, cooking for himself and living in a spartan apartment instead of the archbishop’s palace. In his initial speech to cardinals as pope, Francis said “We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don’t proclaim Jesus Christ, something is wrong. We would become a compassionate NGO and not a Church which is the bride of Christ.” It’s something that wouldn’t be out of place coming out of Rick Warren’s or Bill Hybel’s mouths.
Additionally, evangelicals in Argentina have largely greeted Francis’ election with excitement. Juan Pablo Bongarrá, president of the evangelical Argentine Bible Society, told Christianity Today that “Bergoglio is a great man of God. We [evangelicals] have had a good relationship with him for many years. We think that a new time is coming for the Catholic Church, because our brother wants to promote evangelism.” And noted evangelist Luis Palau told Oregon news outlet KGW.com that “I’ve met him several times, gone to his place, we’ve talked, we’ve prayed together, you know. He builds bridges to other Christian groups, like evangelical Christians, which is a high percentage in Latin America. He’s a friend. He’s a real friend.” At least in these early days in this new role, Pope Francis seems to be highlighting care for the poor and an emphasis on the Gospel — both things the evangelical church, at its best, has staunchly supported.
What Pope Francis’ election will ultimately mean for the Catholic Church or global Christianity remains to be seen. But despite some historical and important theological and doctrinal differences with the Roman Catholic Church, it seems evangelicals are paying attention and interested in what happens to the Catholic Church. Perhaps the best thing all Christians — evangelical or Catholic — can do for Pope Francis is exactly what he asked in his first request as pope: pray for him.
