On Monday, the world lost a significant spiritual leader. In an era of division — social, political, and spiritual – Pope Francis was a beacon of reconciliation. Though there are numerous legacies that will continue to define his papacy, it was his unwavering dedication to ecumenism that spoke and will go on to speak most deeply to many Protestant observers like myself. He was not merely a figurehead for the Roman Catholic Church; he was a bridge-builder in the often fractured body of Christ.
As Protestants, we do not often look to the papacy for guidance. But in Pope Francis, we saw a leader whose vision transcended denominational lines. He opened doors where previously there had been silence and invited cooperation where suspicion had long smoldered. His ecumenical stance was not one of compromise of theology, but of bold humility – seeking unity without erasing difference.
A Posture of Listening
One of the most profound qualities of Pope Francis was his listening posture. This was not a performative act; it was a spiritually deep one. Whether he sat with Orthodox patriarchs, Lutheran bishops, Pentecostal leaders, or Anabaptist theologians, his ears and heart were open. He did not address them as one giving decrees from on high, but as a fellow pilgrim of Christ trying to understand how others followed the same Savior.
For Protestants – especially those whose traditions have often been defined by protest – this was disarming. Many of us carry historical wounds, theological concerns, and a legacy of mutual distrust. Pope Francis did not ignore these tensions, nor did he pretend they did not exist. Instead, he acknowledged them honestly while choosing love as the path forward. His presence at ecumenical gatherings felt less like an exercise in optics and more like a genuine attempt to obey Christ’s prayer “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).
Symbolic and Substantial Acts
Symbols matter, but Pope Francis did more than offer symbolic gestures. He backed his words with substantial action. He opened doors – literally and metaphorically – for greater cooperation between denominations. Under his leadership, the Vatican worked with Protestant churches on shared humanitarian efforts, environmental stewardship, and interfaith initiatives. He often reminded us that while doctrinal differences are real, they must not blind us to our shared mission in the world.
Perhaps one of his most poignant act was when he sat down with Protestant and Catholic leaders in 2015 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Jan Hus’s martyrdom. Rather than defending the acts of the medieval Church, Pope Francis lamented them. He called Hus a “witness to the gospel” and asked forgiveness for the Church’s culpability in his death. For Protestants, this act was more than historical reconciliation – it was pastoral healing.
His approach echoed the reformers’ cry for a return to the heart of the gospel, not in rejection of Catholic identity, but in pursuit of a more Christ-centered witness together.
The Theology of Pilgrimage
Pope Francis often described Christian unity not as a destination already reached, but as a pilgrimage. This metaphor resonated with many Protestants who are wary of hierarchical or institutional solutions to unity. He did not rush toward a structural or doctrinal merger. Instead, he encouraged a journey of mutual repentance, shared service, and prayerful dialogue.
He frequently quoted the Apostle Paul’s call to bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2), and he embodied this even when it was politically inconvenient. When some voices within his own Church criticized him for being too open to Protestant perspectives, he did not waver. He believed that fear should never dictate theology, and that walls built out of dogma should not keep out grace.
This commitment was expressed when he took part in communal worship services with Protestant churches, on occasion preaching to them. Particularly, he gave a sermon at the WCC Chapel in Geneva in 2018 on the Holy Spirit’s authority to destroy walls of separation. He did not preach as a seeker of converts, but as a seeker of co-laborers in mission.
A Gospel for All
What was so attractive about Pope Francis’s ecumenical legacy was his deep devotion to the gospel as the center of Christian existence. He wrote a great deal about Christ crucified and risen – not as some mere theological idea, but as living hope for all people. His passion for the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten spoke to the reformers’ vision of a church that does not exist to itself but for the world.
He also cautioned the Church that unity does not mean uniformity, but in shared loyalty to Christ. He honored the diversity of Christian expressions – from liturgical to charismatic, contemplative to activist – and saw each as an expression of the Spirit’s activity in the world.
Although he never downplayed Catholic teachings, he never employed them as a battering ram. He modeled what it means to be eminently rooted but radically expansive – a position many Protestants, myself included, found both challenging and attractive.
A Legacy That Invites Us All
Now, with his passing, we are left not only with memories but with a challenge: Will we take up the work he began? Pope Francis did not complete the journey toward Christian unity, but he walked further down the road than many before him. He reminded us that the path to unity is not paved with strategy, but with love, humility, and a shared gaze toward Jesus.
As a Protestant, I may not have agreed with every theological point Pope Francis affirmed, but I saw in him a brother in Christ – one who took seriously the call to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). His legacy is not just for Catholics to carry. It is a gift – and a call – to the whole Church.
We remember him not only for his office, but for his witness. In an age of polarization, he offered a different way: a way of listening, of walking together, and of seeing in the other not an adversary, but a fellow pilgrim on the road to the Kingdom.
May we, Protestant and Catholic alike, continue that pilgrimage. And may the memory of Pope Francis not simply be honored, but embodied.
|Share The Good News|
Leave a Reply