Popes, elections, Eurovision – and disappointment

As I write this, the world seems to have gone conclave crazy! Prompted by the death of Pope Francis, the secretive and ceremonial process of selecting his successor has captured the popular imagination.

I have seen numerous conclave-inspired cartoons and memes – my favourite being the AI-generated video of the cardinal contenders set up to look like the drivers in the F1 credit sequence. A large part of this fascination is no doubt due to the excellent and Oscar-nominated film released at the end of 2024, based on the novel Conclave by Robert Harris. As one online commentator wryly remarked, Conclave will surely now get watched like a Christmas movie every time a pope dies.

What is it about this strange and archaic process that has fascinated us? Undoubtedly the secrecy and sequestered nature of a conclave must be part of it. We all want to know what discussions and debates are going on behind closed doors – as the musical Hamilton puts it, we all want to be “in the room where it happens”! Maybe it’s the making and breaking of alliances which the film depicts so cleverly that intrigues us; a conclave acting as a microcosm of all other political manoeuvres. Or perhaps it is that odd juxtaposition of power and humility, ambition and service, where actively desiring a role of such global significance should surely disqualify you?

The process of decision-making and the election of leaders can be exciting, whether it’s a general election, the search for a new Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Eurovision Song Contest. In the Bible we see many different processes – divine appointment via an unburning bush, a prophet’s message, or even the casting of lots. Some of these choices start well but end badly, others start badly but end well; some please the people, some please God.

Yet again and again in the Bible we see that the reality of a new leader often fails to measure up to expectations. The Israelites’ excitement over Saul soon led to disappointment. David was a man after God’s own heart and yet fell so far. Solomon accomplished so much and yet made so many mistakes. As the cycle goes on, a certain weariness begins to creep in.

Don’t we begin to feel that too? 2024 was dubbed “the year of elections” due to the unprecedented alignment of so many major elections coinciding across the world. Maybe we aren’t quite as disillusioned as Brenda from Bristol who famously remarked: “Not another one!” in 2017 when interviewed by the BBC. We hope for so much from our leaders, but even the best of them is human and indeed mortal. Human, so they will inevitably sin and fall. Mortal, so they will equally inevitably die.

How wonderful, then, to have a ruler who will never do either of those things! As 2 Timothy 2:13 puts it, “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself”, and as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.”

We should pray for all those in positions of leadership, and certainly for wisdom for all those involved in their selection, but our ultimate leader is the God whose immutability and unchanging nature will never disappoint us.

In the words of the old hymn:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As Thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.