New Pope Faces A Changed World
A commentary by Cecil Maranville
United Church of God elder in Glendale, Arizona
John Paul II was the third-longest reigning pope
in the history of the Catholic Church, having led the church for 26 years.
In many ways, the world has changed more dramatically under his term
than under that of any other pope.
Consider the world when 26 years ago last fall—October 1978—the
College of Cardinals selected Karol Wojtyla to be the Catholic Church's
256th pontiff.
More than one-half of the world's population of 2005 had not
been born when John Paul first donned the papal robes. There was no EU
(only the European Economic Community), no European Parliament, no euro.
The Shah of Iran was still in power. Ronald Reagan had not been elected
president of the United States, nor had Margaret Thatcher become prime
minister of England. The eastern bloc of Europe was still behind the
Iron curtain, ruled by the communist fist of the USSR. The Berlin Wall
still divided West Germany from its eastern counterpart. The Soviet Union
had not invaded Afghanistan.
Indira Gandhi was prime minister of India. Fernando Marcos ruled the
Philippines. Nelson Mandela was still in a South African prison.
Although e-mail existed in a limited form, the word "Internet" had
not yet been used. Prince Charles had not married Princess Diana. And
AIDS had not yet been identified.
Now, AIDS is a household word, and it is ravaging the continent of
Africa, where nearly 1/10th of the 1.2 billion Roman Catholics reside.
Europe is united, but it isn't a Catholic union. In fact, in spite
of the weighty influence of the Polish pope, crafters of the new European
Constitution were not persuaded to even acknowledge the continent's
Christian roots.
The Catholic Church in Europe has been disintegrating. Radical Islam
has come from nearly invisible status in 1978 to the point at which it
can now hold a gun to the head of the Western world. Meanwhile, science
is regularly challenging the world, and the Vatican, with difficult new
ethical questions.
George Weigel, a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center,
wrote this thought-provoking piece on the factors to be considered by
the assembled cardinals who will select (most likely, one of their own)
the Catholic's Church's 257th pontiff: "In addition to these weighty
questions, the next conclave will be shaped by dramatically altered expectations
of the papacy. The world and the church no longer think of the pope as
the CEO of Catholic Church Inc. Thanks to John Paul II, the world and
the church now expect the pope to exercise a global ministry of religious
presence and moral witness.
"At the same time, influential cardinal-electors believe that
John Paul II has been more successful in articulating a robust, compassionate
Catholic orthodoxy than in embedding that vision in the church's practice.
Finding a man who can do both—bring the church to the world in
a compelling way, and reform the church's discipline—is the great
'personality' issue the cardinals must resolve" ("A
Crossroad for the Catholic Church," The Washington Post,
p. A19, February 3, 2004).
 For
a detailed look at how the College of Cardinals may go about selecting
a new pope—as well as a biographical sketch of likely candidates—and
for a vignette on the power of the papacy in light of Bible prophecy
be sure to download or read online our World News and Prophecy articles:
"The
Man Who Would Be Pope" and "Papal
power in Perspective." Also request or download our informative
booklet: You
Can Understand Bible Prophecy.
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