The future of the Catholic Church could be at a crossroads following the passing of Pope Francis, with concerns arising over who will succeed him. Cardinal Gerhard Müller, a prominent figure in the Church, has raised alarms about the need for the next pope to be an “orthodox” leader.
Cardinal Müller, who once led the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope Benedict XVI, emphasizes the importance of adhering strictly to established Catholic doctrine. Despite being labeled a conservative or traditionalist, Müller challenges these categorizations.
In an interview with The Times, Müller remarked, “the question is not between conservatives and liberals but between orthodoxy and heresy … I am praying that the Holy Spirit will illuminate the cardinals, because a heretic pope who changes every day depending on what the mass media is saying would be catastrophic.”
His call for an orthodox successor comes after his 2017 dismissal as Prefect, a decision following his disagreements with Pope Francis on several issues, including communion for divorced individuals married to non-Catholics and blessings for same-sex couples.
Müller plans to remind his fellow cardinals at the upcoming conclave of the significance of doctrinal clarity, pointing out that Pope Francis’ inclusive approach has created ambiguity about the Church’s core beliefs. While secular media has celebrated Pope Francis’ inclusive nature, Müller argues it has led to confusion within the Church.
This perspective finds some alignment with Brandon Gallaher, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Exeter. Gallaher stated that Pope Francis “opened up more and more ambiguities to allow those who did not fit in or could not fit in to be embraced and for the ministers of the Church to accompany them on their journey into God.”
Gallaher added, “He was a sort of Pope for non-Catholics: hence how the Western media adores him. The difficulty with this vision is that it is profoundly messy and even at times anti-institutional.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
