Is Pope Francis Really a Progressive Example?

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. I don't dispute your category rankings

This pope in some cases has softened the tone a little in regressive areas but the policy remains the same. Policy and action matter most. In some cases a softening of tone can be beneficial in some ways even though ultimately nothing of substance changes. I believe that is probably why The Advocate named Francis man of the year, for comments such as "Who am I to Judge?". It maintains discrimination but lessens overt hate. Hate fuels hate crimes etc.

The thing about economics is that it is an issue that cuts across the board and effects all human beings, and for the portion of the world that lives in poverty, which is most of it, it literally is a life or death issue So a progressive position on economics is of critical importance to billions. Social issues involve sociological changes of belief systems. Government has a role in promoting social changes in some cases, such as banning public racial discrimination, and legalizing gay marriage, but the most profound changes must evolve in the social realm. Though economic issues have a social dimension also, such as the public attitude toward greed, government has a much more direct role it can play in addressing economic inequities in society. And governments can change relatively rapidly through a dynamic political process or even through revolution. So an intense focus on economic issues can potentially bring about both profound and rapid wide spread positive changes.

I think it foolish to argue about whether Pope Francis is a progressive leader. On a societal level clearly he isn't. The Roman Catholic Church is a profoundly conservative institution in the most literal meaning of that word. Perhaps he is a relative progressive within the leadership ranks of that institution (though not among lay Catholics). Any claim beyond that is silly. He however has articulated a very progressive economic message, rooted in the preachings from the New Testament. Some argue that he is saying nothing new for a Catholic Church in the realm of economic justice, prior popes have said the same. That may be true, but that can be compared to the platform of the Democratic Party which remains fairly consistent regarding liberal goals over the decade, such as support of organized Labor for one example. The fact that a pro-Union plank happens to be in every Democratic Party platform that all of our candidates for President run on doesn't guarantee that all of our Democratic Presidents assign equal importance toward advocating for that position.

What this Pope is now doing, in terms of what one man can potentially accomplish, is potentially revolutionary. Why do I say that? Because he is fundamentally shifting the public understanding of what it entails to be a good Christian, and that has ramifications for all Christians, not just Catholics. And there are an awful lot of professed Christians in this world. For decades now the public face of Christianity has evolved towards the condemnation of sinners, however that be defined and increasingly it has been defined in an incredibly intolerant - even hateful fashion. The literal message of Jesus Christ as contained in his purported gospels was seldom invoked. Jesus preached little about fire and brimstone, he preached a lot about forgiveness and compassion and all "men" being "brothers" who one should love as one loves oneself. If Pope Francis succeeds in returning the meaning of Christianity to the message contained in the gospels, it is a shift that the ruling elites should well be anxious over.