Denver, Colo., Nov 7, 2013 / 15:46 pm
In a new column for CNA, a theology professor and author says that the Pope's recent interviews need to be understood in light of his missionary vision for the Church rather than as individual declarations.
"The key to interpreting Pope Francis' statements properly is found in his vision for the Church," Dr. Edward Sri, professor of scripture and theology at the Augustine Institute, said in his most recent column, "Making sense of Pope Francis: Christian ambition in evangelization and the humility of dialogue."
The Holy Father's seemingly off-the-cuff comments about moral issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and contraception have been both "celebrated" and "feared" as a "radical departure from Catholic moral teachings on the matters."
However, Dr. Sri wrote, rather than drawing conclusions from sound bites of Pope Francis' interviews, people should consider his overall vision for the Church, which seems to be one of missionary outreach.