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Notes -
(Sorry, I’m migrating this over).
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. My understanding is that all of his plausible successors are more conservative in terms of doctrine. I imagine that Latin Mass will be easier but are they likely to make any significant changes to the Vatican II settlement?
Here is what I have heard:
Theologically Conservative Frontrunner: Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary. Primate of Hungary.
Theologically Centrist Frontrunner: Cardinal Pierbatista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Theologically Liberal Frontrunner: Cardinal Tagle, ex-Archbishop of Manilla, Philippines. Currently head of Vatican Evangelization.
There will not be any top-down changes to the Spirit of Vatican II, because the Spirit of Vatican II had nothing to do with the actual documents of Vatican II, which are all fairly benign. The Spirit of Vatican II is going to be demolished over the next twenty years by the rise of young conservative priests.
Going to start following https://x.com/pope_predictor
Cardinal Pizzaballa is a solid conservative- he's just so popular that the media tries to portray him as more liberal than he really is- and Tagle is not particularly electable from among the papabile due to liberalism and (financial)scandals.
The best chance of electing a centrist is electing a very old candidate whose papacy will be short enough to let Pizzaballa gain ground/Tagle recover it. There isn't really a 'centrist frontrunner' for that reason.
Thanks for the correction! If it's a theology or spiritual advice question I've got The Motte covered. When it's a political question... I don't really know.
Yeah, you were very competent in the one discussion I remember us having.
Sometimes I worry that I neglect growing in prayer by focusing on theological and apologetic details, which the Imitation of Christ is pretty harsh about. But Joe Hesmeyer recently said something along the lines of "If you love your wife, you find out everything you can know about her. Same with God." which makes me feel better about all the minutia I've gotten absorbed with.
Oh, absolutely. I also have the same tendency to focus too much on the latter things. I was reading Richard Baxter (a moderate and controversial puritan) two days ago, and found the next three or four pages after where it says section 3 to be pretty convicting. It's okay to be motivated to know about God and to defend his truth, but those shouldn't be the only things.
"I have ever observed that a violent passion called Zeal for a mans opinions, which he counts Orthodox, is so easie and natural, that there needs little means to kindle it: Nay, all the means that can be used will scarce allay the inordinate rage of it: But a Zealous love of God, and delight in him, and a Zeal in him for holiness, and against sin, and a Zealous love to Gods Truth as they hold forth Christ and Glory, and guide us to duty, this is so contrary to the nature of man, that no means is sufficient to excite it. O how easily without Grace, and against Grace do Carnal Ministers, and professors make a huge bussel in the world for their opinions, compassing Sea and Land to make a Proselite!"
And I'll cut the quote off there, even though it continues on with similar force. Do read the whole passage, it's not that long.
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