This latest leader of the Cathoic bishoprics, is a very interesting person.
He did not come from a European background.
He offended both "liberals" and "conservatives", with his direct approach
to how the People of God (and especially Church leaders) ought to
compell all sorts of people toward the lovingkindness of God.
22 The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ 23 The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. 24 For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’ ”
New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Lk 14:22–24.
The "all sorts of people" offended the conservatives, who wanted to hold
up theological filters, to filter out "undesirables" from coming to God.
"Liberals" were often insulted that this church leader would not abandon
the historical theology of the church, and would not sanction the "alternate"
theologies, and would not sanction those in need to stay in the highways and
byways, and call THAT Christianity.
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), 1 Co 1:1–3.
Francis recognized that all sorts of people call Jesus "Lord", and different
Christian groups ought also to recognize this.
In all this, Francis was as repugnant to all sorts of Christians, because he
rejected the assertion that
"Our specific denomination, owns Christ."
It may be uncomfortable to many of us, that Francis embraced very openly some
of the hard teachings of Jesus (who also offended many religious people in the
first century), that are rarely mentioned in the Sunday sermons. But, he embraced
BOTH the radical power of God to tranform us, but ALSO that Christians should
NOT erect barriers that would stop people from coming to Christ.