Divine Intervention

POPE FRANCIS' PROGRESSIVE REPOSITIONING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS CREATED BATTLE LINES BETWEEN ITS 1.3 BILLION FOLLOWERS, NO MORE SO THAN IN THE UNITED STATES

- KATHERINE FUNG

BISHOP JOSEPH STRICKLAND DID not always have a difficult relationship with Pope Francis. When Francis became the head of the Catholic Church, Strickland recalls admiring how welcoming the pope was. But as the pontiff began taking increasingly liberal stances, the bishop of Tyler, Texas, felt he could no longer stay silent.

As Strickland began speaking out about Francis' teachings, from the church's positions towards divorcees and LGBTQ+ people to the question of whether priests should be allowed to marry, he quickly realized that "politically, I was in a rather precarious position."

"There's just a lot of politics in the world and it's a reality that affects the church as well," the bishop told Newsweek in an interview.

In November last year, Strickland was removed from his post by the Vatican. And although he's come to terms with the action against him, he said he worries that it could promote an "atmosphere of fear" within the church.

Strickland's removal was not only an unprecedented measure, but also a sign of how the culture wars have polarized the church of 1.3 billion Catholics, with the battle lines nowhere more evident than in the United States. Under the leadership of Francis, the church has welcomed more people, including same-sex couples and divorced Catholics. The pope has also been outspoken on issues such as climate change, inequality, global capitalism and interfaith dialogue, all of which have meant a departure from the traditional teachings of the church. And while these positions have made Francis a hero among progressives and their allies, it has formed a rift with traditionalists.

The types of actions that Francis has taken against his conservative American critics have not been seen in centuries, said church historian and Villanova University professor Massimo Faggioli.