Pope Francis Signals Universalism In Interfaith Dialog

Pope Francis has made a lot of headlines in 2024 for his statements that constitute anathema to many Protestants. Recent comments at an youth interfaith dialog in Singapore have raised the eyebrows of both sides of the Reformation as Pope Francis strays into universalism.

It’s okay to discuss because every religion is a way to arrive at God… They are like different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And as God is god for all, we are all children of God.

But my God is more important than your god, is that true? [rhetorical question]

There is only one God in eacxh of us, [a language so-to speak] to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.

The theological errors abound. Briefly, children of God refer only to the elect, not the broader humanity. But the main crux of Pope Francis’s point is that all religions are aspiring to reach God. The Bible does not view the Baal and Molech worshippers as even attempting something aspirational. Rather they are treated as worshipping demons. Pope Francis in engaging in interfaith dialog is conceding to universalism.

In defense, or cope rather, the Papists have quoted their catechism for additional context:

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”³³²

The catechism references the “unknown God” in Acts 17:23 where the Greco-Roman pantheon expanded to allow what they did not know. This is hardly applicable to modern religions, with Hinduism as a possible exception. But even though the Athenians left open the possibility for an unknown god, does not mean that they meaningfully attempted to connect with God. John 14:6 clearly eradicates this possibility.

Pope Francis, earlier this month declared it a mortal sin to oppose mass immigration. He also apologized for saying something based. But, in contrast, he is far more reasonable than Evangelical leaders on war.