"Pope Francis on Saturday told a group of African Christian leaders that when it comes to helping a continent that’s been “stripped,” beaten and left half-dead, there can be no division among churches.
“Although significant disagreements may exist between us on theological and ecclesiological issues, there are many areas where the leaders and members of the various communities of the Christian family can set common goals and work together for the benefit of all,” Francis said.
The pontiff compared Africa to the parable in the Gospel of Luke that speaks of a man who traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho, then “fell into the hands of robbers who stripped him, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead.”
If there’s a conviction that the continent’s problems would be better resolved by tapping local human, cultural and material resources, he said, the Christian duty is clear: to accompany efforts “to favor a wise and ethical use of those resources.”
A shared commitment to promoting peace in the many areas of conflict in Africa, he said, has to be a priority, as should be concrete forms of solidarity. According to Francis, Church leaders have a duty to help individuals put work together at the service of the common good, defending “the dignity, freedom and rights of all.”
The root of many of these conflicts is perhaps what led the pontiff to urge Christians in African societies to foster coexistence among “differing ethnic groups, traditions, languages and religions.” For the same reason, he said, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, he added, is also urgently needed in Africa." CRUX
Q: Who decides what is "wise" use?
Q: Who decides what is "ethical" use?
Q: What does "ecumenism" among Christians have to do with peace on the African continent? If the main problem is Islam (Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, AQIM, Lybian civil war, etc.) what does Christian "ecumenism" have to do with that?
Q: Once again, where does anyone hear Francis, as a religious leader, calling sinners to repentance?
.....and all the world wondered after the beast. Revelation 13:3 (even the African continent)
“Although significant disagreements may exist between us on theological and ecclesiological issues, there are many areas where the leaders and members of the various communities of the Christian family can set common goals and work together for the benefit of all,” Francis said.
The pontiff compared Africa to the parable in the Gospel of Luke that speaks of a man who traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho, then “fell into the hands of robbers who stripped him, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead.”
If there’s a conviction that the continent’s problems would be better resolved by tapping local human, cultural and material resources, he said, the Christian duty is clear: to accompany efforts “to favor a wise and ethical use of those resources.”
A shared commitment to promoting peace in the many areas of conflict in Africa, he said, has to be a priority, as should be concrete forms of solidarity. According to Francis, Church leaders have a duty to help individuals put work together at the service of the common good, defending “the dignity, freedom and rights of all.”
The root of many of these conflicts is perhaps what led the pontiff to urge Christians in African societies to foster coexistence among “differing ethnic groups, traditions, languages and religions.” For the same reason, he said, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, he added, is also urgently needed in Africa." CRUX
Q: Who decides what is "wise" use?
Q: Who decides what is "ethical" use?
Q: What does "ecumenism" among Christians have to do with peace on the African continent? If the main problem is Islam (Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, AQIM, Lybian civil war, etc.) what does Christian "ecumenism" have to do with that?
Q: Once again, where does anyone hear Francis, as a religious leader, calling sinners to repentance?
.....and all the world wondered after the beast. Revelation 13:3 (even the African continent)
