EDITORIAL – New challenges

The last time the College of Cardinals picked a Pope, the world was in the middle of a Cold War. For the forces of freedom, victory in that war owed much to the efforts of Pope John Paul II.

The Roman Catholic Church may find that war easier to wage than the one against the forces that now threaten the free world. Communism considered religion the opium of the masses, and repression under communist regimes made it clear to the Church which side of that battle it should take.

This time faith is being used as an excuse to sow hatred and fear. A way of life that has been for many centuries identified with Christianity is under siege from people who invoke religion as a justification for mass murder. The next Pope will play a crucial role in shaping the response of free societies to the threat of radical Islam. John Paul II, widely revered for reaching out to all religions including Islam and Judaism, was himself the subject of a terrorist assassination plot.

It is not just Islamist terrorism that the successor of John Paul II must confront. The next Pope will have to decide whether the complexities of modern life require a re-examination of Catholic dogma. During his 26-year papacy, John Paul II refused to compromise on controversies regarding sexuality and the nature of life. His views, embodied in the modern Catechism that serves as a moral guide for the faithful, have alienated women, homosexuals and even some members of the Catholic clergy. The ultraconservative views of the Church on subjects such as population control have been partly blamed by some quarters for aggravating poverty in the developing world.

Also posing a challenge to the next Pope is Catholic apathy. Church attendance is falling in traditional bastions of Christianity as religious worship loses its relevance in fast-paced lifestyles of the 21st century. For many, believing in God is enough; Church middlemen and their rituals are unnecessary. When the Catholic faithful believe they all have a direct line to Heaven, can the Church survive? The task of ensuring survival falls on the shoulders of the next Pope.