The pontificate of Pope Francis, which has now lasted for over eleven years, has been filled with controversies. The pontiff has on numerous occasions made off-the-cuff remarks which seemed to contradict the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, forcing Vatican officials to issue “clarifications” that emphasized that the pope was not a heretic and was not changing Catholic teaching. On Friday, he did it again, insisting that all religions were “like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all.” Coming from the leader of a Church that claimed for centuries to be the only sure and true path to God, this was, to say the least, startling.
The Catholic Herald reported Friday that the pontiff “on Friday wrapped up a three-day visit to Singapore by declaring that ‘all religions are a path to God.’” The pope explained: “They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.”
The Catholic Herald noted that in saying this, the pope had set aside his prepared remarks and was speaking extemporaneously. He added: “If you start to fight, ‘my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn’t’, where will that lead us? There’s only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are [Sikh], Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and they are different paths [to God].”
At first glance, this appeared to contradict Jesus’ statement: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Scriptural passages of all faiths, however, can be interpreted in many different ways, and so while it may be possible to find a way to harmonize the pope’s words with those of Christ, it would be more difficult to reconcile Francis’ statement with the Roman Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council.