A report from Lutherans in Argentina:
Many people expect the new Pope to be Pastor before anything else, this is one of his biggest strengths. He does not like luxury in the church, especially in the Vatican. We may see some changes in this aspect. He’s characterized as being a simple Franciscan, always close to those on the margins of society. The church living in abundance and excess is not seen with grace by God and the people.
Full story here.
Like the United States, there are several Lutheran church bodies in Argentina. The author of this piece is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina, one of the more conservative bodies. To put it into a North American context, this denomination is allied internationally with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (note that the LCMS hosts the website that posted the piece), and not at all with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (my denomination).
I point this out so no one who reads here would take his more polemic and anti-Catholic language as reflective of all Lutherans or represents “the” Lutheran view on Francis.
@Peter Rehwaldt – comment #1:
I thought the comments were irenic and hopeful, not a bit polemical and anti-Catholic. Did I miss something? You’re right: There is no “the” Lutheran view on Francis. No more than there is a Roman Catholic view on Francis. But this one seemed like a reasonable view from people who are nearby enough to have been able to take the measure of the man.
@John Hudson – comment #2:
I’m not speaking about his views of Bergoglio/Francis and how he acted in Argentina, but his last paragraph struck me as pretty anti-Catholic:
The history of Catholicism shows us that wandering from the Scriptures, taking up rituals and other ceremonies only hides the true Word. Once this happens it is very difficult to reverse and let the Word of God shine, but it seems to us that the new Pope will work for this to happen.
This is the conclusion I do not want attributed to “all Lutherans”.
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