What is a "Francisism"?
The first time I used the word I used it in attempting to explain some of Pope Francis's headline-grabbing remarks. This is what I said:
But it was not the first time I had encountered the concept. My remarks on this habit of Francis's go back a couple of years, to the early days of his pontificate. Francis tends to make sweeping-sounding statements that sound nearly un-Catholic in their generosity, toward gays, socialists, atheists, Lutherans and others. But when the statements are unpacked in light of Catholic faith and practice, they do not mean all that they seem to suggest. The statements are narrowly and logically true in some sense but really say less than they seem at first to say.
Before I coined the word I wrote
I ought not be too critical. The declared purpose of this blog is to spark new thinking by tossing about wild ideas and trying new slants on old problems. So he is doing what I am doing, but I have the freedom to do it because I am not the pope. Perhaps he would say he has the freedom to do it precisely because he is the pope. I disagree with nearly everything he says when he utters Francisisms, but in an odd way I appreciate the intent.
This strikes me as another one of those Francisisms that generates lots of good press for Francis and then is walked back via more careful statements by others in the Church. I have remarked before on his tendency to do things like this.
But it was not the first time I had encountered the concept. My remarks on this habit of Francis's go back a couple of years, to the early days of his pontificate. Francis tends to make sweeping-sounding statements that sound nearly un-Catholic in their generosity, toward gays, socialists, atheists, Lutherans and others. But when the statements are unpacked in light of Catholic faith and practice, they do not mean all that they seem to suggest. The statements are narrowly and logically true in some sense but really say less than they seem at first to say.
Before I coined the word I wrote
Pope Francis has veered all over the place in his public statements, making some remarks that are later walked back by his church. These statements have been, in general, political ploys, to garner headlines and popularity: about gays, about socialism, about capitalism, and so on.The common denominator is sweeping statements that seem to suggest more than Catholic doctrine can support, when that doctrine is given a close examination. It falls to the Cardinal Dolans of the world to sort out the fine points. In honor of this fascinating habit of the pope's I have created a new tag to keep track of these sayings: Francisism.
I ought not be too critical. The declared purpose of this blog is to spark new thinking by tossing about wild ideas and trying new slants on old problems. So he is doing what I am doing, but I have the freedom to do it because I am not the pope. Perhaps he would say he has the freedom to do it precisely because he is the pope. I disagree with nearly everything he says when he utters Francisisms, but in an odd way I appreciate the intent.
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