Time to travel back in time

The bells began ringing at Vatican City Tuesday, signaling the selection of the Catholic Church's 265th pope.

The secret conclave was barely in session 24 hours when the decision was reached, apparently the second fastest papal election in history.

The Catholic Church has dominated the world scene for weeks, first with the lingering death of Pope John Paul II, his funeral and now the election of his successor.

It's been an educational experience to say the least. John Paul II's selection in 1978 barely penetrated my insulated world. Since coming to the newspaper in 1997, my exposure to world news has increased a hundred-fold.

As has my exposure to Scripture through those intervening years.

And I'm troubled. I fear history may be repeating itself. Once again, the traditions of men threaten to obscure the promises of God. Just as Israel once demanded a king, it seems we have placed common man into the Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Cardinals, resplendent in red and white flowing robes, are by no means the first religious figures to be so well-clad. Could this be the 21st century version of those Jesus spoke about saying, "Everything they do is done for men to see. They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'" (Matthew 23:5-7)

The honor paid to John Paul II in his dying was troubling as well. It looked suspiciously like worship. And I have always held the position that calling any man "father" is in direct opposition to the command Jesus gave, "And do not call anyone on earth 'father' for you have one Father and he is in heaven." (Matthew 23:9)

No one should receive glory or honor due only to God. No one. Not a gifted person of medicine. Not a tireless provider of shelter, food and comfort to the poor. No one. Not even one who has dedicated his entire life to the work of the church, selflessly setting aside family, career, and all of the other common pursuits of common man.

Honor. Certainly. But not the worship on bended knee due to God and God alone.

The papacy is, without a doubt, a powerful position. Hundreds of millions of people are Catholic, though it seems important to note this is largely by birth, not conversion. However, a recent resurgence in Catholic evangelism seems to be making headway.

(Which reminds me of a story I love to tell about my dad, who was once heard to exclaim, "I was born a Lutheran and I'll die a Lutheran." In a casual conversation some years after that statement was made, my father's mother expressed confusion in hearing the tale, explaining, "He was confirmed in the Presbyterian Church." A "born" faith it seems, is no faith at all.)

The new pope certainly has his work cut out for him, especially in the United States, where hopes were high for a pope who would foster progress in the church, perhaps advancing so far as to allow women to serve as priests; and priests, male or female, the benefit of family. By all accounts, Benedict XVI is a hard-nosed conservative, hardly likely to entertain what he would undoubtedly consider heresy. Which to my opinion is not an altogether bad thing. In a world drowning in relativism, a return to absolute truths is imperative. In fact, it is the Church's --Catholic or otherwise -- only hope.

Perhaps Benedict XVI, who describes himself as "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord," will seize this opportunity to look, not to bringing the Catholic church into the 21st century, but to taking it back to the 1st century, where there was "neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

May Benedict XVI return the faith to the time where a man, mistaken for a god, responds as Paul and Barnabas did in Lystra when the populace sought to offer to them their sacrifice, "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them." (Acts 14:15)

Dread seizes my heart to know that Jesus spoke truth when he warned that not all that called upon him would enter the kingdom of heaven. I don't want him to have to say that to any of those who are called by his name.

"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:19, 20 (NIV)