Protestant Yet Concerned: Why Rome Still Matters
As a Protestant who embraces the Gospel agenda of the Reformation, I affirm sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria as the pillars of true Christian doctrine. My ecclesiology rejects papal infallibility, Mariology, transubstantiation, and the magisterium’s claim to doctrinal authority. Yet, despite this, I have followed the 2025 papal conclave with a keen interest.
One might ask: Why should someone so committed to Protestant theology be invested in an event so deeply enshrined in Roman Catholic tradition? My answer is both personal and theological.
My ancestors in India were evangelized by Portuguese missionaries, most notably Saint Francis Xavier, who brought the message of Christ long before Protestant missions arrived on Indian soil. I was baptized into the Catholic Church, though it was the Word of God that eventually led me to the clarity of Protestant doctrine. My faith journey from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism has not severed my historical and emotional ties. Rather, it deepens my engagement—because I know what is at stake.
Moreover, if the Roman Church claims to speak for over half of all who bear the name of Christ, then Protestants, as stewards of gospel truth, must watch and weigh what happens in Rome. While I observe from afar, I do so as an informed spectator, not a passive one. The papacy still exerts massive influence over global Christianity, morality, and international politics. It remains an institution impossible to ignore.
A Conclave of Global Diversity and Ideological Tension
The 2025 conclave will be remembered not only for its global composition but for its stark ideological contrasts. With cardinals hailing from every inhabited continent, this conclave was not merely a spiritual exercise; it was a theological and political drama. The lines between conservatives, moderates, and progressives were drawn clearly, and the debates surrounding the future of the Church were impossible to disguise.
The world did not merely watch for white smoke; it analyzed profiles, read theological postures, and speculated on future trajectories of Church doctrine and influence.
Here is a comprehensive list of leading papabili and their leanings:
1. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy) – Progressive. Known for his openness to LGBTQ+ inclusion, dialogue with secular society, and emphasis on pastoral sensitivity over doctrinal precision.
2. Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline (France) – Progressive. Advocated decentralization of Church authority, contextual theology, and an accommodative stance towards interfaith pluralism.
3. Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana)– Moderate. Prioritized social justice, climate advocacy, and economic reform, while maintaining a generally traditional moral framework.
4. Cardinal Sean O’Malley (USA)– Moderate-conservative. Pastoral tone, cautious on reform, and committed to unity without strongly aligning with progressive innovations.
5. Cardinal Robert Sarah (Guinea)– Conservative. Championed liturgical reverence, doctrinal orthodoxy, and a return to a pre-Vatican II vision of ecclesial identity.
6. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines) – Progressive-moderate. Emphasized mercy, inclusion, and a “synodal” Church; resonated with youth and minority populations.
7. Cardinal Willem Eijk (Netherlands) – Conservative. A bioethics expert, vocal critic of gender ideology, euthanasia, and secular moral drift.
8. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith (Sri Lanka)– Traditionalist. Strongly against liturgical modernism, known for his critique of Western theological liberalism.
9. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (Austria) – Centrist. Balances theological orthodoxy with pastoral nuance, particularly in matters of family and sexuality.
Each of these candidates reflected not merely personal charisma but a vision for the Church's future—whether towards continuity, renewal, or reform. Yet, none emerged victorious.
The Election of Pope Leo XIV: A Doctrinal Statement
In a move that startled many Vatican watchers, the conclave elected a less-discussed American cardinal, now Pope Leo XIV. His choice of name was itself a theological declaration. In taking the name Leo, he aligned himself with Pope Leo XIII, a staunch defender of natural law, papal authority, and orthodoxy in the face of modernist threats. The reference is not accidental—it signals a conscious return to dogmatic firmness.
From his first Urbi et Orbi blessing, it became evident that Pope Leo XIV would be less concerned with appeasing culture and more focused on pleasing the doctrinal traditions of his Church. He has spoken not about "openness" or "dialogue" as abstract ideals, but about truth, repentance, and fidelity. His homiletic tone is rooted not in ambiguity but in clarity. He seems determined to restore theological seriousness to a Church that, in some quarters, has been drifting into spiritual relativism.
Same-Sex Unions and Abortion: The Defining Issues
As a Protestant deeply concerned with moral theology and biblical authority, I find two issues particularly revealing in any ecclesiastical leadership: the sanctity of marriage and the sanctity of life.
On same-sex unions, Pope Leo XIV has reaffirmed the traditional Catholic stance—that marriage is an indissoluble covenant between one man and one woman, instituted by God and affirmed by natural law. He has rejected liturgical blessings for same-sex couples, arguing that such rites contradict the essence of sacramental theology.
On abortion, the pope has taken a firm stance against what he calls the “culture of death.” He has condemned abortion in the strongest moral terms, rejecting any compromise or ambiguity. He has urged Catholic politicians to align their public policies with Church teaching or face ecclesiastical consequences. His clarity here is notable, especially in contrast to the diplomatic vagueness of recent papal rhetoric.
These are not merely internal doctrinal matters. They are flashpoints in the global culture war. On these issues, Leo XIV has sided unequivocally with conservative Christians—Catholic and Protestant alike. His clarity stands as a challenge to theological liberalism and cultural accommodationism.
The Political and Global Implications of an American Pope
The election of an American to the papacy is not only religiously historic but geopolitically significant. The Vatican now has a pontiff shaped by the same cultural battlegrounds that define modern America: religious liberty, gender ideology, abortion politics, and the decline of Judeo-Christian moral consensus.
This pope may become a moral counterweight to the secular elites of the West, and a spiritual ally to the Global South, where Christian orthodoxy remains strong. Leo XIV may also recalibrate Vatican diplomacy—making it more resistant to UN pressure, more attuned to conscience rights, and less beholden to progressive international lobbies.
His papacy may embolden traditionalist bishops across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while creating tension with liberal prelates in Europe and North America. But above all, it reasserts a truth many had begun to doubt: that the Roman Catholic Church is not a cultural chameleon but a theological institution grounded in divine revelation, even if, from a Protestant perspective, that revelation is often mishandled.
Final Reflections: Clarity from Rome, Authority from Scripture
Having watched this conclave with intense interest, I now return to my Protestant commitments with renewed clarity. I remain in grave theological disagreement with Rome. I reject the papacy, the Mass as a sacrifice, the veneration of saints, and the magisterium’s authority over Scripture.
Yet I respect the election of a pope who seeks to restore doctrinal integrity in his communion. Pope Leo XIV may not be my spiritual leader, but he is a voice of clarity in a world of confusion. His election is not a triumph for Protestants, but it is a moment of interest for those of us who still care deeply about the fate of Christianity in public life.
We Protestants do well to remain watchful. We may not share Rome’s theological foundations, but we inhabit the same world. When the largest Christian communion speaks with clarity, even from error, it echoes louder than silence.
And so I return to the Scriptures, which alone are God-breathed, sufficient, and authoritative. From afar, as an informed Protestant spectator, I will watch Rome. But from Scripture alone, I will preach, pray, and live—for therein lies the true and unchanging Word of God.