IV.) Pope John Paul II
Many will have undoubtedly said by now, “ . . . but that was then. Things have changed -- they have reformed their beliefs now and are Christians, just like us. Let’s let bygones be bygones.”
While it is true that in this, the last half of the twentieth century, the latest Pope seems to have broached the proverbial wall and has sent forth conciliatory gestures, little is known about the real nature of this man or his beliefs. In this next section, these aspects of John Paul II will be looked at.
A.) Who Was He?
Pope John Paul II began his life in Poland as Karol Wojtyla on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland and was baptized on June 20 of the same year by a military chaplain, P. Franciszek Zak.
Later in grade school, he consistently achieved the highest grades, according to the Vatican’s own home page. During these formative years, both his mother [44] and his brother, Edmund, [45] died, leaving the boy with only his father.
On December 14, 1935, this future Pontiff was admitted into the Society of Mary and became president of this Society within his secondary school by 1937.
Before World War II, he studied poetry and drama at the Jagiellonian University. Then, during the war, while he prepared for the priesthood, he laboured in a stone quarry and in a chemical factory. Around the same time, Karol’s father died. [46]
John Paul II was ordained in 1946, after successfully completing his Ph.D. at the Angelicum Institute in Rome and obtaining a doctorate in theology at the Catholic University of Lublin. From 1946 until 1958, he served at Lublin as the university chaplain. In addition, he taught ethics both in Lublin and in Krakow. Then, in 1958, he was appointed the auxiliary bishop in Krakow. Later, in 1964, Wojtyla became archbishop there, and in 1967, was appointed cardinal. Karol actively participated in the Second Vatican Council and represented Poland during five international bishops’ synods between 1967 and 1977. (“Highlights” Holy See 1996)
Wojtyla was elected Pope on October 16th, 1978, succeeding John Paul I. [47] He took the name of his predecessors (John, Paul, John Paul) to emphasize his desire to continue the reforms of the Vatican II Council and began his Papal duties with the historic words, “Be not afraid.” This proclamation has become his signature phrase. (cf. Pope John Paul II 1994).
Clearly, one of the most harrowing experiences he has faced in his life, occurred on May 13th, 1981. As he entered Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on that fateful day, the Pope was fired upon at close range by Turkish terrorist Mehmet Alì Agca . He recovered completely from his severe injury after being hospitalized for 77 days and has continued in his work, seemingly undaunted by the experience. [48] To date, Pope John Paul II is the most traveled pope in the history of the papacy, having visited nearly every country in the world which would receive him. (“Events” Holy See 1996).
B.) Who Is He?
While few have argued that this charismatic man has had a colorful past, even fewer have taken the time to really get to find out what this enigmatic leader really believes today or whether or not his actions measure up to their suppositions about him. Who is the man who is said to be the Supreme Pastor [49] and what does he really believe?
1.) One of Us?
In his book, Crossing The Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II put forth numerous ‘warm fuzzy’ sentiments and ideologies which have endeared him to quite a few of his formerly stolid opponents. Within these pages, Pope John Paul II said things such as:
I would like to recall the words of Christ together with my first words in St. Peter's Square: "Be not afraid." Have no fear when people call me the "Vicar of Christ," when they say to me "Holy Father," or "Your Holiness," or use titles similar to these, which seem even inimical to the Gospel. Christ himself declared: "Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah" (Mt. 23:9-10). These expressions, nevertheless, have evolved out of a long tradition, becoming part of common usage. One must not be afraid of these words either (Pope John Paul II 1994).
Later in the same chapter, he also said:
[T]he expression "Vicar of Christ" assumes its true meaning. More than dignity, it alludes to service. . . .The Pope is not the only one who holds this title. With regard to the Church entrusted to him, each bishop is Vicarius Christi. The Pope is Vicar of Christ with regard to the Church of Rome and, through that Church, of every Church in communion with it - a communion in faith as well as an institutional and canonical communion. Thus, if with this title one wants to refer to the dignity of the Bishop of Rome, one cannot consider it apart from the dignity of the entire college of bishops, with which it is tightly bound, as it is to the dignity of each bishop, each priest, and each of the baptized (Pope John Paul II 1994). [their emphasis]
These and similar remarks by the Pontiff have lulled many into believing that he is simply ‘one of us’, no different from that of the average pastor, lay-minister or believer. However, the latest Catechism, which Pope John Paul II approved, maintains that the Pope is still considered to be literally supreme in both his position and authority:
[S]he [the church] continues to be taught, sanctified, and guided by the apostles until Christ's return, through their successors in pastoral office: the college of bishops, "assisted by priests, in union with the successor of Peter, the Church's supreme pastor" . . . The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful. For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered” “The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head.” As such, this college has "supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff" (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops 1994).
The Pope enjoys, by divine institution, "supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of souls (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops 1994). [50]
Moreover, on October 30th 1998, the Vatican released a nine-page document on Papal Primacy, which further underlines the sentiments found in the pages of the Catechism. This new paper, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (and presumably approved by Pope John Paul II), explains what the ‘official’ stance is within the Catholic Church, regarding the Office of the Pope.
According to the EWTN Vatican Update, “New Vatican Document on Papal Primacy”, the Primacy of the Pope is “a guarantee against arbitrary judgments, and an assurance of the Church's unity and "fidelity to the Word of God”. This document goes on to reemphasize many of the dogmas found both in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the Second Vatican Council:
The Vatican document points out that the primacy of Peter can be traced directly to the Gospel, and the Christ's command. Thus "the primacy is different, in its essence and its exercise, from the roles of government in human society," the Ratzinger document explains. The Pope's role is not one of coordinating affairs, nor is it merely a place of honor. Rather, "The Successor to Peter is the rock which, against all arbitrariness and conformism, is the guarantee of a rigorous fidelity to the Word of God." The document goes on the emphasize that this fidelity must be preserved even to the point of martyrdom. (EWTNews 1998).
The statements of the Pope in his book seem to be in direct opposition to those of both the Catechism and this latest Vatican document. Given this contrariety, one is left to decide which of these publications is a more accurate depiction of the official stance of this man; his personal book or the official Catechism of the Catholic Church and the paper on Papal Primacy.
Certainly, one would like to say that his personal book is the deciding factor in this argument. If this is the case, the question needs to be raised: “Why does Pope John Paul II continue to ‘officially’ affirm these particular teachings within the latest Catechism of The Catholic Church and the assertions found within the Ratzinger document, if he disagrees with them so passionately?”
The answer is, he hasn’t. In essence, he has simply tried to downplay the terminology surrounding his office. He has not actually abandoned the beliefs; they have been repackaged., in an effort to appear ‘more personable’ to the world.
2.) The Pope and Mary -- Totus Tuus
Pope John Paul II has written several encyclical letters over the years, designed to further underline the Church’s official stance (and presumably his own) on a variety of subjects, including the famous, “Ut Unum Sint” (Pope John Paul II 1995), where he addresses the issues which continue to divide the Roman Catholic Church and the other churches around the globe. Included in these issues, is the role of the Virgin Mary. (Hennesey 1996).
The role of Mary within the church is an issue which has been a source of contention between the Catholic and the non-Catholic churches of the world for ages. It is intriguing to note that the latest Pontiff seems to have
somehow diffused this particular bomb, without ever having changed his personal stance or official doctrine.
While in past eras, it was considered idolatry to pray to or otherwise venerate Mary by the non-Catholic Churches, countless Evangelicals are now saying that the veneration of the ‘Theotokos’ -- the ‘Mother of God’, is merely a secondary issue and should, therefore, be either overlooked or tolerated as a 'nonessential' of the faith. [51]
Ironically, while this pope has been integral in bringing many together under a common banner, Pope John Paul II is considered by the ‘faithful’ to be the most Marian pope in history. At his coronation, he officially adopted the Latin phrase, “Totus Tuus ” (I am totally yours) and upon his official coat of arms , a large ‘M’ (Monogram for ‘Mary’) occupies the entire lower right hand quadrant.[52] Further, his first official pilgrimage was made, not to the Holy Land, but to the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Mertorella on October 29, 1978 -- just 13 days after his session to the papal throne (Holy See “Events” 1996).
In his book, Crossing The Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II tells his readers:
Totus Tuus (“I am completely yours O Mary”). This phrase is not only an expression of piety, or simply an expression of devotion. It is more. During the Second World War, while I was employed as a factory worker, I came to be attracted to Marian devotion.[53] .Thanks to Saint Louis of Montfort, I came to understand that true devotion to the Mother of God is actually Christocentric (Pope John Paul II 1994).
By his own admission, Pope John Paul has devoted his entire being to Mary. This act is then ‘justified’ by his assertion that ‘true devotion to the Mother of God’ is actually Christocentric in nature. The Pope goes on to say:
From my earliest years, my own devotion to Mary was deeply joined to my faith in Christ (Pope John Paul II “Crossing” 1994).[54]
a.) Is Marian Worship Christocentric?
Whether it is Christocentric or not, remains to be seen. One must concede that, at least, this is the woman who bore the Christ, and for that, one must certainly call her ‘blessed’. Beyond that, it is questionable, however. Venerating this woman to the degree that is approved of in the Roman Catholic Church, places her above the other believers in Christ. In the words of the Vatican Council II, Mary has been ‘exalted above all angels and men, second only to her Son, as the most holy Mother of God, who was involved in the mysteries of Christ : she is rightly honored by a special cult in the church” [55] (Flannery, 1981).
The Pope and the Catholic Church not only exalt Mary in a fashion which is not Biblical, but they place her in a position which actually detracts from the unique position Christ has, due to His eternal nature, His unique
conception and His perfection.
By asserting that Mary was free from the taint of original sin, as her Son was, one places her on nearly the same level as God Himself. The Catholic Church (and presumably Karol Wojtyla) asserts that Mary, after she was assumed into heaven, “did not lay aside this saving office, but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix ”. Immediately after this statement, they attempt to assure everybody that “it neither takes away anything from, nor adds anything to the dignity or efficacy of Christ the one Mediator”.
Within the paragraph, a grievous error has occurred. While it is stated that Christ is the One Mediator, Mary is also apparently called upon by the church as a Mediatrix, an Advocate, and a Helper. Both of these things cannot be true. Either Christ is the One Mediator or Mary is a Helper to Christ, her Son and a Mediatrix in her own right.
b.) Conclusion
When reviewing all of the evidence put forth by the Catholic doctrines and comparing them to those found within the pages of scripture, it is difficult to escape the fact that these beliefs are neither based on, nor approved by Jesus Christ or His apostles.
Moreover, these teachings often detract from the Person of Jesus Christ and His saving grace in the lives of believers. Because of these things, one must come to the inescapable conclusion that Marian worship is not, nor shall it ever be, Christocentric in nature.
Pope John Paul II is promoted by many Evangelicals, as a man who believes in the sound doctrine of Christ. However, in case after case, this man has chosen to accept the dogmas of the Church over what the Bible actually says. All of the dogmas surrounding Mary are, in fact, among the most avidly followed by this Pontiff. Remember that John Paul II has, by his own admission, dedicated his entire being to Mary and her veneration. Because of this, it follows that he cannot be truly Christocentric in his beliefs. Instead, he has fallen into idolatry and by virtue of his approval, his actions, and his words, has caused countless others to follow in his own footsteps.
3.) Double-Talk
In addition to Marian Worship and his adherence to the essence of his ascribed role in the Roman Catholic Church, in spite of his assurances otherwise, the Pope has used carefully crafted statements which have misled people into a false sense of security and faith in this man. A case in point: although it has appeared that the Pope has apologized to millions on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church for heinous acts done to Christians in the past, in reality, this is only part of the truth. Although the Pontiff has uttered to the world that the Catholic Church has expressed some ‘regret’ and has spoken of ‘harmful acts’ of the past, and referred to some ‘weaknesses’ and “mistakes”, not once has he simply admitted that the Roman Catholic Church had literally murdered millions of Christians, nor has he truly apologized for these acts.
As J. Beard has mentioned in his “Roman Catholicism: General Notes” page:
He has not acknowledged that the Roman papacy has been one of the bloodiest and most inhumane institutions in human history. . . . . In a 5/96 encyclical [56] , for example, Pope John Paul II refers to certain "painful recollections" which some Protestants have in regard to the history of the papacy. He then says, "To the extent that we are responsible for these, I join my predecessor Paul VI in asking forgiveness." Is that a genuine apology over Rome's bloody history? No, it isn't. He cleverly leaves it up to his hearers to decide to what extent Rome is responsible for any "painful recollections." (Beard 1997). [his emphasis]
The motives for this clever wording are not plainly known by any human, with the exception of John Paul II himself. However, from the indications and the resulting fruition, it appears that this was done, in order to be able to reconcile with many other denominations in the world, without ever actually asserting that The Roman Catholic Church was even wrong in these matters.
4.) Has He Promoted A Positive Change?
This paper will now ask a question to its readers: Is Pope John Paul II really the agent of change he is purported to be?
For the past 35 years or so, there has been a decisive move toward reconciliation with the Roman Catholic Church by many within Christendom. This shift towards the RCC has occurred primarily because many have been and continue to be under the impression that it has begun to reform its doctrines and dogmas. The movement has become especially prevalent since Pope John Paul II was elected back in 1978. Today, multitudes now contend along with the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church for a ‘united body of Christ’.
However, these individuals are either misinformed, ignorant of the truth, or have simply chosen to ignore the inconsistencies in front of them, in favor of false unity.
In reality, the Pope has completely affirmed all of the official doctrines set forth in both the Vatican Council II and in the latest Catechism of the Catholic Church [57], even if it may appear to some, that he has softened his stance on a few points. Although Pope John Paul II appears to have come a long way toward what most non-Catholics believe to be ‘orthodox Christianity’, he has simply reworded old traditions and beliefs into a more palatable package, in order that he might achieve the goal first set out in the Second Vatican Council -- the goal of having the rest of Christendom reunite with the Roman Catholic Church.
C.) So, Has There Been A Change Of Heart?
In spite of appearances, neither the Roman Catholic Church nor its leader are any more progressive in their beliefs, than they were back in the time of the Reformation. The RCC (and its leader) still affirms that the Pope is the Universal Pastor of the entire Church, that he and the Magesterium enjoy infallibility when it comes to proclamations of dogma, and that they have enjoyed an unbroken line in the succession of Popes from Peter to John Paul II. Additionally, it has been shown that they still promote all of the doctrines surrounding Marian worship, including the doctrine that Mary was literally the Mother of God (Theotokos), that she was Immaculately conceived, that she is the Queen of Heaven and the Church, and that one should devote him or herself to her with complete and utter abandonment.
In light of the data already examined, one can only conclude that there has been no real change of heart in the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, slight adjustments have been made, in order to make people think it is more progressive than it used to be. In essence, it has given itself a ‘face-lift’. Under its smooth exterior, however, the same ‘wrinkles’ wait for the right moment to make a reappearance.
Apparently oblivious to these findings, millions of churches still ally themselves with the Roman Catholic Church, in the hope that they will be able to work with them to ‘spread the Good News’. This act of evangelistic and theological compromise, is now referred to in the popular vernacular, as ‘ecumenism’
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