Pope Leo XIV: An evangelical view

The Roman Catholic Church has its new Pope - the 267th according to its official list.

The number is less than obvious because it assumes that Peter was the first Pope (he was not) and that there were monarchical Popes thereafter (the practice became standard only at the end of the second century).

Having said that, the election of Robert Francis Prevost (Leo XIV) came as a bit of a surprise, not because he was unknown to those inside the church or in the world, but because of his American origins. Up to now, the Roman Catholic Church thought of itself as a counter-balancing power with regards to world powers.

Evidently, this non-American clause in the selection of Popes did not work for Prevost. 

Why? If one looks at the new Pope’s resumé, one sees a priest that has made his ecclesiastical career in the Augustinian order and then in the diocese of Chiclayo in Perù as a missionary. He is American, but cannot be easily associated with American ecclesiastical affairs, let alone American politics.

Cosmopolitan

He is a cosmopolitan Pope (speaking fluently Spanish and Italian, apart from English) and his most important experiences happened in Latin America.

It was Pope Francis who nominated him as cardinal, calling him to Rome to preside over the Vatican department charged to nominate the new bishops around the world. It was perhaps in this position that he gained access to many regions of the Roman Catholic Church, developing personal relationships with the many Cardinals from the Global South who will have presumably voted for him in the conclave.

Leo XIV seems to be someone in strong continuity with Francis. If Francis became known as the Pope of the poor, Leo XIV chose his name after the Leo XIII (1810-1903) who enhanced social teaching in the Roman Church.

At the same time, not being a scholar, Leo XIV has not published much and so his positions are not clear on a number of doctrinal and moral issues that are debated today in the Catholic Church. 

Hail Mary

His first address to the crowd in St Peter’s square opened a window on the possible themes of his papacy. In his speech, he made multiple references to “peace”, “building bridges”, “dialogue”, and “love”, echoing words that have been central in Pope Francis’s message. Sin and salvation were not even mentioned.

His first papal prayer was to Mary (“Hail Mary”) and to the saints.  

His first act as Pope was a plenary indulgence for all (i.e. the remission of the temporal sins), thus showing that the Biblical gospel is obscured to say the least and that the Reformation is not over.

He is an Augustinian, but unlike Martin Luther and the Protestants, he is someone who is very attached to the Roman Catholic side of Augustinianism which fought against the Reformation.  

The new Pope does not seem to have had significant interaction with evangelicals. They have not been on his radar so far. Evangelicals will have to speak the truth in love even to Leo XIV and his Church that is built on commitments that are contrary to the Biblical gospel, as the first speech of the Pope clearly demonstrated.