It may be tempting to say something about the Pope simply because he’s the Pope. Or, just as likely, we may be tempted not to say anything about the Pope because he’s the Pope. I actually belong to this second group, but notwithstanding, I’ll try to say something.
I had an inner dialogue with Pope Francis after reading Laudato Si’, his encyclical on the environment, and Fratelli Tutti, his encyclical on social fellowship. But first, let me make a preliminary remark to acknowledge the problems facing the Pope and the Catholic Church. Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, called himself “the pope from the other end of the world.” It could be that he was referring to how he came from far away, from Argentina. But then he could have said, “I come from the end of the world”—in comparison to Rome. But he said “from the other end” of the world. This means that Rome is also an end of the world. And everything that Rome stands for, the powerful presence of the Church, is also an end of the world. In the twelve years of his pontificate, Francis did not prioritize the tasks at this end of the world: the integration of women, the question of celibacy, or the thorough addressing of sexual and other abuses in church institutions.
He took a different view, one from the other end of the world—the end that’s not about the power structure of the Vatican but rather about love for one’s neighbors, recognizing that they are creatures of God. It’s about the fresh source of faith that can open up in anyone and how, from this faith, there comes the possibility of development for each and every individual; it’s about respect for cultural diversity (even religious diversity); and it’s about fair access to the Earth’s resources and respect for their fragility and finitude as God’s creation. He was the pope of the poor multitude, not of the powerful few; the pope of prayer and less so of the Mass; more a simple brother like his namesake, less a ruler on the throne of St. Peter. The problems of the Holy See and the institution of the Catholic Church are not to be trivialized—but Francis tried to sow a seed in Rome from the other end of the world.
Laudato Si’
Laudato Si’ was published in 2015.1 Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment exudes the spirit of optimism that characterized the early years of his pontificate from the other end of the world. For the most part, the statements are clear, courageous, scientifically sound, and strive for a human ethics that has its source in the individual. It names God as the Creator and identifies humanity’s responsibility for creation.
My inner dialogue with the Pope and his writing is rooted in the dilemma familiar to all ecologically oriented anthroposophists: On the one hand, how can we establish and live a practical and effective ecology without getting drawn into the mechanics of under- or over-balancing our use of resources? And, on the other hand, how can we cultivate a spiritual ecology without falling into the illusion that it’s only about an inner attitude? The Pope and all his co-authors attempt to point out the middle path of sincerity that arises from the action-oriented combination of expert knowledge (with a spiritual dimension) and ethical responsibility.
What is the ethical responsibility of the human being? The encyclical is clear in this point: “This rediscovery of nature can never be at the cost of the freedom and responsibility of human beings . . . .”2 God created an unfinished world that needs to develop, and he encourages us humans to collaborate. “God is intimately present to each being, without impinging on the autonomy of his creature, and this gives rise to the rightful autonomy of earthly affairs. His divine presence, which ensures the subsistence and growth of each being, ‘continues the work of creation.’”3 This quote within the quote is from Thomas Aquinas—here, the fellowship of St. Francis meets the presence of God as understood by Thomas.
Fratelli Tutti
The encyclical Fratelli Tutti was published in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.4 But contrary to popular belief, it was not the Pope’s coronavirus encyclical; it actually originated from different circumstances. In a foreword by Jürgen Erbacher, it says: “800 years after St. Francis of Assisi met Muslims during a visit to Egypt and had a dialogue with Sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil, which made a deep impression on the mendicant monk, Pope Francis traveled to the heart of the Arab world in February 2019. In Abu Dhabi, he signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, with Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, one of the leading spiritual leaders of Sunni Islam. The meeting with the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar University and the joint document were the impetus for the Pope’s new encyclical.”5
I find this a remarkable beginning. The two cultural representatives meet, respect each other, and are enriched and inspired by each other. In this document, the Pope addresses more than just the faithful of his Church and reaches out to all human beings. “Although I have written it from the Christian convictions that inspire and sustain me, I have sought to make this reflection an invitation to dialogue among all people of good will.”6 With this social encyclical, the Pope is in his element. This makes the train of thought throughout the chapters all the more impressive. He discusses the concept of property: “The world exists for everyone, because all of us were born with the same dignity. . . . As a community, we have an obligation to ensure that every person lives with dignity and has sufficient opportunities for his or her integral development. . . . ‘Not to share our wealth with the poor is to rob them and take away their livelihood. The riches we possess are not our own, but theirs as well.’”7 As the text progresses, it becomes clear that he does not mean this in a socialist sense (although he is certainly anti-capitalist) and that he knows a great deal about diversity among people and folk and about finding a healthy balance between the local and the universal. “For a healthy relationship between love of one’s native land and a sound sense of belonging to our larger human family, it is helpful to keep in mind that global society is not the sum total of different countries, but rather the communion that exists among them. The mutual sense of belonging is prior to the emergence of individual groups. Each particular group becomes part of the fabric of universal communion and there discovers its own beauty. All individuals, whatever their origin, know that they are part of the greater human family, without which they will not be able to understand themselves fully.”8
Sprouting Seeds
I am writing this on May 1st, International Workers’ Day. Francis was a joyful and conscious worker. Years ago, when we were discussing the Pope at our family dinner table, one of our children said, “Ah, I understand, the Pope is someone who works for the Church.” I think that’s right. Francis himself said, “The biggest issue is employment. The truly ‘popular’ thing—since it promotes the good of the people—is to provide everyone with the opportunity to nurture the seeds that God has planted in each of us: our talents, our initiative, and our innate resources.”9
Translation Joshua Kelberman
Image Pope Francis. Source: quirinale.it
Footnotes
- From “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” [“Praise be to you, my Lord”], in St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures; see Pope Francis, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, May 24, 2015).
- Ibid., para. 78.
- Ibid., para. 80.
- The Italian “Fratelli tutti” translates literally as “All brothers,” and implies the meaning “We’re all brothers [and sisters]” and was inspired by Francis of Assisi’s Admonitions, no. 6 “Imitation of the Lord” among other of his writings, specifically addressed to the brotherhood of monks; see Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, October 3, 2020).
- Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti. Enzyklika über die Geschwisterlichkeit und die soziale Freundschaft. Mit Themenschlüssel. Einführung von Jürgen Erbacher [Encyclical on siblinghood and social friendship. With key themes. Introduction by Jürgen Erbacher] (Ostfildern: Patmos Verlag, 2020), p. 12.
- See footnote 4, para. 6.
- Ibid., para. 118–119, quote within quote by St. John Chrysostom, De Lazaro Concio [On the Raising of Lazarus] II, 6: p. 48, 992D.
- Ibid., para. 149.
- Ibid., para. 162.
