In the news: a signal for change

With the papal conclave (a lock-in at the Sistine Chapel where cardinals vote on who the new Pope should be) dominating headlines and Twitter this week, we thought it was worth a discussion. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, the decisions made will have real repercussions to 1.2billion people all over the world. Why? Because every pope in the modern age has been European.

But things have changed. The world has never been so small. With Catholicism growing in South America and Africa, and both continents offering up their contenders to the throne, what would the world gain or lose if the white smoke were to signal an African successor?

We look at the pros and cons.

Pros.
Conservatism. Peter Tukson, the Ghanaian prelate who is tapped as the African front-runner is known to be a conservative. He believes in upholding traditional Catholic law. After all, shouldn’t the next pope practice what he preaches?

Discrimination. Despite our scientific and technological advances, we do not live in a discrimination-free world. A black pope would be hugely significant in the battle against racism in the same way Barack Obama’s appointment was. Having a black pope would speak volumes about how far we’ve come.

And the cons.

Cultural differences. Peter Tukson has views that, although accepted in Africa, wouldn’t necessarily be tolerated in Western countries. And a man with a history of uninformed remarks is dangerous – there’s no knowing what kind of damage he could do with a slip of the tongue.

Tradition. According to Peter Tukson, "If one does not have access to ordination, it is not discrimination. It is just how the church has understood this order of ministry to be.” Okay. So, ‘Ladies, you can’t be pope because you have boobs. Sozzers, it’s just always been that way LOL.’ Catholics deserve a far more articulate and eloquent explanation as to why their gender is a barrier to them leading their Church.

So. There are pros and cons on both sides. The appointment of an African would be a massive signal for change; a different history, a different experience, a lack of links to the Nazi party. But if the result is more of the same, more burying of scandal, more failing to hold senior Church members to account, how let down, how disappointed and how thoroughly fed up are those who follow this faith going to feel?

Conclave begins on the 12th March, and is predicted to last several days. How do you feel about the conclave: are you interested in who will lead, or do you view it as an outdated tradition? Let us know your thoughts.