Today is a big day for Christianity: the election of the first American pope.
Is this a big day for Catholics only or for all Christians? The pope has no jurisdiction over non-Catholic churches. I’m a Lutheran, and Martin Luther famously had negative commentary about the papacy. For reasons like that, some Protestants might consider the election of a pope to be major news for Catholics but not for all Christians.
Here are some reasons why the election of a new pope is significant for Christians beyond the Catholic Church:
The pope is a major world figure. He’s the most prominent Christian leader in the world. His actions and decisions have a powerful effect on world events. In some cases, the pope has served as an intermediary and peacemaker.
The pope sets an example that others notice. I remember a time when Pope Francis, with great compassion and gentleness, touched the face of a child with a disease. It was a Christ-like gesture. From someone who is so “high up,” a humble gesture comes across as even more humble, an even greater stoop.
The pope leads a church body whose doctrinal stances have great influence. The Catholic Church’s stance on issues like abortion, marriage, gender, and men-only ordination has tremendous weight and can intensify or alleviate pressure on other Christian groups in their consideration of controversial topics.
Regardless of denominational or doctrinal differences, all of us can pray for God’s blessings over the leadership of Pope Leo XIV. At the same time, we can pray for God’s blessings over all Christian leaders, that the Church all over the world would give witness to Jesus as the Lord and Savior who unites all Christians as one.
Pastor Chris Kennedy 