Is Pope Francis a Socialist Who Will Allow Liberation Theology to Infiltrate the Catholic Church?
March 18, 2013
Pope Francis Portrait Painting (Photo credit: faithmouse)
Is Pope Francis (formerly known as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio) a socialist who will allow liberation theology to infiltrate the Catholic Church? This question, when posed, caused Sam Gregg, research director at the Action Institute, a conservative think tank, to chuckle. TheBlaze interviewed Gregg on Friday to speak further about Francis’ take on poverty and social justice.
As over-the-top as the aforementioned curiosity sounds, since the pontiff’s election on Wednesday, some have quietly been voicing concerns. And there’s no doubt that outlets, pundits and political observers, alike, have spent the past week exploring Francis’ background in an effort to better understand where he stands on the economic front.
A LOVER OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY AND SOCIALISM?
So, what’s the verdict?
Well, it’s clear from his past and present statements and behaviors that Pope Francis cares deeply about the poor and that he lives a very humble and — by all accounts — modest life (he cooked his own meals, took public transportation and decided not to live in lavish quarters). But how far does this devotion to the poor go? Is Francis concerned with government structure and taxation or will he stick firmly to the faith and encouraging believers to help those in need?
This quest for context and its associated curiosities, of course, is nothing new. Whenever a new pope is elected, the public and media, alike, look incessantly for any and all information that will shed light on the new-found faith leader’s character and a past actions. And considering that the Catholic Church has 1.2 billion members across the globe, Pope Francis’ viewpoints matter, mostly because of the control and influence he will have over believers.