The whirlwind Apostolic visit of Pope Francis to Singapore was a tremendous blessing not only to Catholics but to all people of goodwill including the diverse faith communities in our multi-religious and multicultural society. Singapore has a secular government but we are not a secular society. We are a religiously pluralistic society, a beacon of social cohesion and religious harmony in a world of fractures and conflict.
Two messages from Papa Francesco stood out for me. One, on social justice and the need to recalibrate our notions of merit and pragmatism:
“I would like to highlight the risk entailed in focusing solely on pragmatism or placing merit above all things, namely the unintended consequence of justifying the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress.”
Two, on religious pluralism and fraternal unity in the midst of diversity:
“… every religion is a way to arrive at God … sort of like different languages in order to arrive at God but God is God for all and if God is God for all, then we're all sons and daughters of God. But my God is more important than your God: is that true? There is only one God and each is a language so to speak in order to arrive at God.”
Religious Inclusivism
Pope Francis’s statement on different religions as various ways to arrive at God has elicited a storm of words within Catholic and to some extent Protestant faith circles. Some vocal critics have articulated their disapproval of Pope Francis’s presumed detraction from orthodox Catholic teaching by his statement. For conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants alike, the Pontiff’s words seem to imply that all religions are equal pathways to God, thus making gospel proclamation superfluous if Jesus Christ is not the one and only way to salvation. But are they right in their assessment of Pope Francis as in effect advocating religious indifferentism or the notion that all religions are equal and the same in terms of their salvific efficacy?
It appears on the surface that these critics might be right in assuming so, but closer inspection of the Pontiff’s words might offer another possibility. Let me explain. First, when the Pope spoke about religions as different languages, he did not say that all languages are equally efficacious or accurate in arriving at God, just that they are different ways of doing so. In other words, their differential salvific potencies are not precluded.
Second, even while all religions are pathways of “arriving” at God, this does not necessarily mean that they are all equal in their capacity for full entry into and realization of God qua relational union and communion in and into the Divine. At best, all religions are capable of getting their faithful to “arrive” at God, that is to be in the close proximity of God. But this is quite different from entering fully into God and being in intimate communion and union with God. For these latter aspects, Jesus Christ is the unique and singular Door into God as Father, through Jesus the Son, in the unitive field of the Holy Spirit.
Third, the preceding two points skilfully maintain the supremacy of Jesus Christ as the way to salvation (as defined in Trinitarian and gospel terms) while ascribing high value to non-Christian religions as authentic pathways for coming into close proximity with God. This coming into the close proximity of God can be expressed in another way: as “arriving at God.”
Hence, from this vantage point, what Pope Francis is really advocating is a form of religious inclusivism that builds fraternity while preserving the unique supremacy of Christ for salvation as relationally understood in Trinitarian terms. Indeed, he is not guilty of the religious indifferentism that his critics accused him of and which they have ascribed to him in a knee-jerk fashion. My sense is that the Pontiff’s critics have been too quick to judge and too slow to listen and discern.
Personal Reflections
Pope Francis varies his gentle messages of social justice for Singapore, encouraging us in our good work and nudging us forward to do even better with his humble yet cogent words of wise inspiration. Read what he has to say here:
On religious inclusivism, I see Pope Francis’s discourse to be filled with possibilities for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in a substantive rather than merely cosmetic way. Sadly, most dialogues to date have been superficial in my view. For me, while all religions may be valid pathways to God, much like different languages to arrive at truth and meaning, not all religions offer the means of entry into and relational communion-cum-union with God — something which Jesus Christ alone offers. Yet, all roads can lead to proximity with God and Christ can and does meet us on all roads. This is the boundless and unrelenting grace of God in Christ, a grace that mercifully encounters everyone in whatever pathway they are on and whichever language they speak. And for the most committed seeker, they can even come to realize Christ in the final leg of their journey if and when Christ freely meets and receives them into his innermost being.
Having said that, this does not mean that I agree with the Pope on every single issue. Many of his views resonate with me, such as on creation care, social justice, unity and fraternity in a world of pluralism, and the centrality of contemplative prayer. But I disagree with his views on issues like abortion, homosexuality, contraception, and having babies, which for him would have to reflect the doctrinal and dogmatic position of the Roman Catholic tradition.
This is partly why I am not a Catholic. Not just yet. However, I remain open and amenable to becoming a baptised Catholic. For I resonate with the liturgical and contemplative ambience of the Catholic Church, its breadth of religious expressions, its artistic beauty, and its theological and spiritual depth. In contrast, I have found through my experience that the Protestant form of Christianity lacks spiritual depth, feels dry and shallow, comes across as constricting and rigid, and often oozes with the empire-building ego of the senior pastor in a loveless sort of way, particularly amongst those “non-denominational” charismatic-evangelical types. On the flip side of the Catholic Church, there may be areas of exclusion for a person like me with a deep Buddhist and Tantric background and who adopts an interspiritual lens in my faith journey. I hope not. Buddhist meditation and Tantric yoga are practices I intend to blissfully maintain till the end of my days. Even so, I can open my heart to Pope Francis and give credit where credit is due. This is so for any person or faith leader or spiritual teacher that I come across. Wise and kind nuance is what is needed here.
May we be a light of unity and hope for the region and the world. We pray for Pope Francis even as we are blessed by his presence amongst us.
In that spirit, let me pray:
Benvenuto Papa Francesco.
Dio ti benedica Papa Francesco.
Preghiamo per te Papa Francesco.
PS: What does the Bible actually say about abortion? Check out this informative interview with eminent scholar of early Christianity, Professor Bart Ehrman: https://youtu.be/Agy88gCk1K0?feature=shared
Image credit: The Straits Times.
