Leader of Southern Baptist Church Weighs in Pope Benedict

Albert Mohler Jr. President of the Southern Baptist Convention has weighed in on Pope Benedict and his U.S. trip at Impressed by Benedict's Convictions, not His Views. Note this was published on April 15th so needless to say it is not a commentary on the trip as it unfolded. I think it is a fair and blunt piece from the Southern Baptist view. In fact I am sure Pope Benedict appreciates that aspect of it many ways if he has read it. My Comments in red:


Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to America as Pope will not be his introduction to this country, but it will be the first opportunity for Americans to see this Pope up close – three years after his election as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

Along with others, many evangelical Christians will be watching with interest. The long pontificate of the globe-trotting John Paul II is all an entire generation of evangelicals now remember as background, and Benedict is a comparatively unknown figure.
(I actually think that many Evangelicals are much more of Pope Benedict than might be percieved)

Writing immediately after Benedict’s election, I wrote these words, referencing the Pope’s previous role in the Vatican as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger:
Yet, there is no reason to believe that the election of Pope Benedict XVI will do anything to breach the divide between evangelicals and Roman Catholics on issues related to biblical authority, the Gospel, and a host of other essential theological questions. We hold no expectation that this pope holds views of justification and the Gospel that are any more harmonious with evangelical conviction than those held by his predecessors. Indeed, Ratzinger's theological brilliance may be deployed in ways that will cause evangelicals even greater frustration.
(let me say I wish he would be a tad more open !!! Especially as we are entering the Pauline year. He is very much correct in the whole and I respect that needed honesty. However I do wonder what thoughts the President of the SBC has as to the Joint Statement on Justification that was signed by the Cathlolic Church , Major Lutheran Bodies, and later the WOrld Wide Methodist Body. Go see Lutheran World Federation and World Methodist Council at the Vatican Web site. Can we admit that perhaps there has been some clarification that are useful to examine.)

As the Vatican’s most influential theologian, Cardinal Ratzinger was already known for his brilliant and incisive critiques of modern secularism and postmodernism’s retreat from truth. At the same time, he was also a staunch defender of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church – doctrine he had defined and defended as Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Thus, I did not expect that Pope Benedict would move to breach the theological divide between evangelicals and Roman Catholics. Indeed, I would have been most surprised if, now elected as Pope, Benedict would reveal himself as someone other than who he had been as Cardinal Ratzinger.

Very true.
I have not been surprised. Pope Benedict has continued his incisive work on the challenge of modern secularism. His speech at Regensburg, Germany in 2006 and his baptism of a prominent Muslim convert this past Easter were clear signs that this is not a Pope primarily concerned with ecumenical relations. Even so, his statements about the address and the baptism – and the general question of Islam – were perfectly in keeping with Catholic doctrine since Vatican II.
( I disagree with this. I think the Pope is very concerned about Ecumenical relations. Ecumenical Relations does not have as it's only facet that we shall all become one again. Even though it is I suppose its end game. I actaully think that Dr Mohler perhaps did not mean to imply all that statements appears to say in print.
Let me give an example. The President of the SBC knows that the influence of some aspects of Southern Pentecost influence has caused a lot of people(including Southern Baptist) to have fuzzy ideas on the Trinity. I see some Southern Baptist say the dardnest things on this subject. This is recent development. I fully believe that when the Doctrine of the Trinity gets fuzzy major heresy is around the corner. Here is a area that Southern Baptist and Catholics can cooperate on in combating)

Evangelicals can admire his boldness without appreciating his inclusivism.Perhaps the most clarifying moment since his election came last July when the Vatican released the document known as “Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church” – a document that reasserted the claim that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true church.
The secular press and a good many non-Catholic church leaders expressed outrage and offense at the Pope’s comments – assuming that such teachings were simply out of place in the modern world. But Benedict was restating the tradition and teaching of his church – and he did so because he cared for those he believes are outside the blessings of grace he is certain are given to those in the communion of his church – and to that communion alone.
I actually appreciated the Pope's concern. If he is right, we are endangering our souls and the souls of our church members. Yet, I am convinced that he is not right -- not right on the papacy, not right on the sacraments, not right on the priesthood, not right on the Gospel, not right in understanding the church.
(I very much appreciated The President's of the SBC statements. It actually was a nice commentary that stood out among much bad information was ebing put out)

The Roman Catholic Church believes that evangelicals are in spiritual danger for obstinately and disobediently excluding ourselves from submission to its universal claims and its papacy. Evangelicals are concerned that Catholics are in spiritual danger for their submission to these very claims. We both understand what is at stake.

The divide between evangelical Christians and the Roman Catholic Church remains – as this Pope well understands. And, in so many ways, this is a Pope we can understand. In this strange world, that is no small achievement.

R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is the ninth president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world. The “On Faith” panelist is a theologian and ordained minister and has served as pastor and staff minister of several Southern Baptist churches.