Reformed theologian John Piper suggested that there should be a new pope, one who believes that justification is by faith alone.
“Qualifications for the new Pope that would bear most fruit,” Piper tweeted on Wednesday, and listed out:
“He should believe that justification is by faith alone, baptism is a sign not a cause of regeneration, Christ is at the Lord’s Supper by memory and faith not physically, the Bible alone has final authority not the pope.”
Piper’s arguments essentially refer to some of the most fundamental differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants, at a time when the former face a serious crisis, with calls for Pope Francis to stand down.
The Catholic Church has been hit by revelations of wide-spread sex abuse of children at the hands of priests and subsequent clergy cover-up that went on for decades, for which Francis has been apologizing.
Notable figures, such as Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who previously served as the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States, have recently accused Francis of being part of such cover-ups himself, however, and have called on him to resign.
In a striking 11-page letter, Viganò accused Francis of covering for disgraced former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after the latter took sexual advantage of young seminarians.
“Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them,” Viganò demanded in the letter.
When asked by journalists to respond to the accusations, Francis said on Sunday:
“I will say sincerely that I must say this, to you and all of you who are interested: Read the document carefully and judge it for yourselves.”
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SOURCE: Christian Post, Stoyan Zaimov
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