The following article is from Nature and was published on the 19th. The comments in blue are mine.
Whether or not you are a believer, it is hard not to like the man. I agree. Pope Francis is awesome. In
the few days since the white smoke began to billow from the Sistine
Chapel in Vatican City, the world has learned a little about Jorge Mario
Bergoglio, the 76-year-old elected as Pope Francis I. Technically, he's not the first yet, because there is no second. And he was elected as Bergoglio, then chose the name Francis. The first pope
from Latin America or from anywhere in America, as archbishop of Buenos Aires he eschewed the
trappings of the office, foregoing a mansion for a small apartment,
preferring to take the bus than use a chauffeur, and dedicating himself
to pastoral work in the slums. Yay! Go Cardinal Bergoglio! The affable Pope Francis has also already
wooed the public (and much of a fawning media) with his disarming
humility and common touch — and his obvious flair for ad-libbing and
humour. It is clear that Francis’s papacy marks a break with the past, WOAH! Where are you getting this? a
new distinctive and refreshing papal style, um, isn't every papal style distinctive? and an ambition to focus on
social relevance and justice. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this, but I think you and Pope Francis might differ in what his ambitions are “How I would like a Church which is poor
and for the poor!” he said. That's not really the same as "social relevance," whatever that is.
We also learnt that the man obtained his first degree in chemistry, a
later one in philosophy and another in theology, and that he has taught
literature and psychology at universities. Catholics go to college? AMAZING! Press release time! That broad education,
academic bent and humility are hardly a surprise because Bergoglio is
the first Jesuit pope. Um...ok...The Jesuits, the largest order in the Catholic
Church, are its intellectual elite and known for their independent
thinking. What? No! I absolutely refuse to call Jesuits the intellectual elite of the Church. And what exactly do you mean by independent thinking? I have a feeling you're referring to the many liberals and cafeteria Catholics among American Jesuits, and that's not independence. That's sad. They also vow to live lives of austerity and never to seek
high office in the Church — let alone pope. Actually, they vow obedience to the pope. They're discouraged from seeking honors, but they don't take a vow against it. If they did, they couldn't be elected (or they couldn't accept the nomination, at least). They have focused on issues
of social and economic injustice, and less on doctrine than do career
clergy. Are you trying to say that focusing LESS on doctrine is a good thing? Oh sure, the Church doesn't actually need beliefs. There are so many more important things...They have long worked as missionaries, and are probably best
known for their creation and running of some of the world’s top schools
and universities. True, the Jesuit order at its core is a pretty awesome thing. Many are also scientists. As are many non-Jesuit Catholics. Why is this article so determined to split Catholics into ignorant people and Jesuits?
We know little about Bergoglio’s views on scientific
issues, which he has hardly written about. I bet you anything they align perfectly with Church teaching, though. The hordes of scientists
among the Church’s 1.2 billion baptized members would like to hear more.
Hordes of scientists? What kind of writer are you? And his chemistry degree in itself says little about the Pope’s
attitudes to science. Yeah, he probably hates it. He just got a chemistry degree to be sneaky about his secret hatred for science. But what is clear is that, contrary to widespread
belief, the modern Catholic Church is science-friendly and Pope Francis
will no doubt continue, and perhaps deepen, that tradition. YAY! That might be the best sentence ever. The Church’s
strong support for Darwinian evolution, I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but do you have a source for Church support for Darwinian evolution specifically? for example, contrasts sharply
with the backwards unscientific belief in creationism of many US
evangelicals and lawmakers — a concept that Pope Benedict XVI rightly
criticized in 2007 as “absurd”. Priests also gave us Mendelian genetics
and contributed to the theory of the Big Bang. Contributed to? How about "proposed the Big Bang"? Because that's what happened. But yeah, priests are pretty smart.
Moreover, recent popes have substantially increased
efforts to engage in dialogue AKA clarify Church teaching with scientists on a host of issues, from
embryonic stem-cell research pure evil and genetically modified crops those are cool to in vitro fertilization,
abortion and euthanasia those are all evil — and in the future will no doubt increasingly
do so on advances in neuroscience and genetics, including prenatal
screening. The Church is going to continue talking and teaching? What a surprise! Scientists who have taken part in such discussions tell of
thought-provoking and constructive debates, this is sounding like legends told about the Loch Ness Monster or something now. Do you have any specific scientists in mind? with the Church being open
to ideas She's always open to the Truth and often changing doctrines as a result. Excuse me? Now you're just making things up. Show me your sources! A damaging exception
is its long-held opposition to the use of condoms to prevent the spread
of HIV, You're right. We should probably just ditch all of our ideas about the sanctity of sex and life at conception in order to make non-Catholic scientists feel better after they talk to us and it can only be hoped that Pope Francis will have a more
enlightened approach. I'm not sure you know what enlightened means...
But whereas doctrines can be tweaked, um...what? the Church will not
compromise on its central dogmas, true! such as the sanctity of human life and
that life begins at conception. So why can't you understand the thing about condoms? Science and faith can provide
complementary world views, with progress in science informing and often
challenging the rationale of Church doctrines, and vice versa: faith can
often add much-needed dimensions of ethics and social justice to
advances in science and their impact on society. Can't really disagree there. Science and faith definitely work well together. Clashes are inevitable
between people of different beliefs, but both science and religion are
best served by building bridges across the divides. Depends what you mean by "building bridges." If you mean "compromising on moral teachings," bridges will certainly not be built, thank you very much. How Pope Francis
responds to issues where the two meet will be an important mark of the
man. Where the two meet would be EVERYWHERE. There is nothing in this world unaffected by religion.
I'm praying for you!
:)
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