Martin Marty: Pope Francis Broadens the Christian Agenda

In this helpful item, Marty features a Boston College professor’s comments in the Wall St. Journal about the Pope’s broadening U.S. bishops’ agenda, not “cutting it out.”

Marty speaks of changing “triads” of hot issues for Christian leaders, from the Trinity to “Liberté, égalité, and fraternité” to today’s “sex, sex, sex” — more specifically abortion, birth control, and gaiety — with

understandably giddy responses from one set of Catholics, understandably cautious responses from another, and understandably complex responses from the majority. All with good reasons.

Fair enough, but in each case it was in response to the spirit of the world Christians lived in. All with good reasons for the latest triad, to which we must also add “violence” in all its forms.

As commenter Margaret put it,

Catholics would not be focusing on abortion and homosexuality except that they are being shoved down our throats by a hostile culture; neither issue was much discussed — except in private confessions — until abortion was legalized and until homosexual “rights” were introduced into public consciousness. Most decent people would prefer never to have to think about either topic.

She adds a zinger:

The Pope is old enough to know this so his response is disingenuous.

Ouch or touche to that. I had this other thought: Talking to Jesuits, he let his hair down even more than usual, which I like in him. But if he’s going to be relaxed about it, then his flock will be also. Fine. The bully pulpit suits him, and it’s better that than incomprehensible church talk.