Papal Incredibility

Regensburg's Old Chapel

Pope Benedict XVI spoke of how Islam had used the symbolic sword of violence in the past, and his words incensed many Muslims. Some immediately began fire-bombing Christian churches to prove he was wrong.

The Pope is still a person, even though obviously smart and intelligent, but capable of quoting the wrong part of the great historical record of mankind. Now he will be pummeled and pounded and pilloried until he squirms in sorrow and repentance and finally announces for all the world that history is sometimes wrong and then he can prove how sorry he is as a representative of God.

But wait, does the Doctrine of Papal infallibility apply here? I understand there are three tests to that doctrine. 1) Scripture? Jesus said to Peter, the first Pope, "What you loose on earth is loosed in heaven". Catholics believe that the current Pope has the same powers as Peter was given by Jesus. So what's loose in heaven now? Surely nothing new. 2) History? The Pope was quoting a historical statement. How much more historical can you get? 3) Logic? Well, here lies the Pope's escape path. He can claim that he was not logical. But such a statement would not seem logical in itself because Ratzinger was well known to be the most logical member of the College of Cardinals and was extremely knowledgable in both theology and philosophy. He had been a professor of theology here at the University of Regansburg, and the leader of the Catholic Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before becoming elevated to the papacy.

The truth is that no single aspect of humanity has been more violent than religious organizations. Too often, mankind's inability to communicate with each other has “justified" violence, and when wrapped in holy cloth and screaming for revenge, punishment and consequenches, then violence is seen to justify any actions that would please a wrathful, loving god.

The great lie is that we all worship the same god. That is clearly not true. Talk for a moment with a Southern Baptist, then with a Roman Catholic, then with a Presbyterian; same god? Of course not. They will all say that they do worship the same God, because they know their faith worships the Only True God, and any problems would have to lie with people who just don't understand God. And that’s just Christians. Talk with Jewish and Muslim adherents and God becomes much more complicated. Hindus make God truly amazing and Buddhists - well - good luck! Add in a few scientists who can tell what they know about the universe and God becomes astonishing.

So the definition of God is tricky. Personally I think it is not true that Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same god. Historically they have all worshipped violence, and maybe that's what they really mean.


The Pope spoke in Regensburg, Germany, on September 12, and that day would have been much kinder to him if he had wandered down to the Danube to the Historische Wurstkuche and had eaten their saurkraut and fantastic dark mustard with the best sausage in the entire universe. That would have proven he was infallible.

Photos: Top> Regensburg's Old Chapel, a gleaming white-and-gold rococo church, 200 meters from Ratzinger's family home.
Lower> The Historische Wurstkuche on the Danube in Regensburg.
All Photos by John Womack

John Womack, 2006. All Rights Reserved.